House — 17th century in Rockforest

In the Civil Survey (1654-6) it states that 'uppon the sd lands of Knockballymagher stands the walls of a stone house' (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 13). Two proprietors are listed as landowners in this area, 'James Earle of Ormond' and 'John Magher of Clonenakeny Esqr. Irish Papist' (ibid.). Knockballymagher later became known as the townland of Rockforest. A house, which appears to be early eighteenth-century in date and came to be called Rockforest House, was knocked between 1840 and 1902 and a new house built c. 200m to the N. This new house was destroyed in 1922 and there is no visible trace of it now. Preceding both these houses was an earlier, possibly seventeenth-century, house and according to family history 'the old house was originally an old castle but has been added to at different times'. In the Parker-Hutchinson family papers it is described as being 'originally covered with Irish shingles made of oak and nailed like slates with shingles' (NLI MSS 12,060, 44). In another reference to Knockballymagher it was described as follows 'it was called a Castle, it has there a small round tower with a wooden stairs winding, the whole building was covered with oak shingles, in a later period was thatched for many years, till pulled down by the Gibson family when they purchased [1852?]' (NLI MSS 12,062, 11). A new house, mentioned in James Hutchinson's (2nd) will of 1718 had been built by his son James (3rd) who inherited Knockballymagher in 1718. James (3rd) married in 1712 so presumably he built the 'new house' around this time. Thus there are possibly two houses, one seventeenth-century built onto a 'castle' probably a tower house (TN018-004001), and another house built in early eighteenth century by James (3rd). The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008