by Claire Potter
William of Warenne: A Norman Magnate in Norfolk William of Warenne was the younger son of an 11th-century Norman warlord. His birthday was not recorded, which was to be expected for a younger son who had no foreseeable place in
The 6th Earl of Derby: Shakespeare’s Muse and Sponsor, or Shakespeare Himself? William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby, is a dashing historical figure whose biography has been so celebrated in legends and ballads that the facts of his life can
The Origins of the Stanley Cup Lord Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby, of Knowsley Hall donated the Stanley Cup and established the ice hockey championships while he was governor general of Canada. He came from a family famous for
Georgiana Huntly McCrae: A Frustrated Artist Georgiana Huntly (1804-1874) bridged two worlds. Her father was the heir of one of the richest and most powerful noble families in Scotland, the Duke of Gordon. He also happened to be a libertine
Admiral Alexander-Sinclair: A Hero of the Baltic Admiral Edwyn Alexander-Sinclair inherited the House of the Northern Gate from his uncle, Mr. Thomson-Sinclair. With its majestic views of the ocean and extensive coastline interspersed with inlets, bays, and sandy beaches, the
Weetman Pearson, a Gilded Age Entrepreneur at Raemoir House Weetman Pearson, born in 1856, was the oldest of eight children in a middle-class family that owned a construction firm in Yorkshire. From these unlikely beginnings, he became one of the
A Peacemaker Between Warring Classes: Pennant Lloyd of Pentrehobyn Pennant Lloyd shuttled between the British elite and the resentful majority in Wales, serving as a diplomat amid class conflict. He was the younger son of an English landowner who owned
Lieutenant Alexander Kinloch: The Scapegoat of Reform English soldiers stumbled over boulders as they made their slow and bloody ascent up a steep slope in South Africa. Above them, Boer soldiers protected themselves behind the crest of the ridge and
In the 18th century, amidst the Enlightenment, the Irish Hell-Fire Club stood as a symbol of hedonism and rebellion against societal norms. These aristocratic libertines, known as rakes, indulged in debauchery and scorned conventional morality, embodying the pursuit of pleasure without restraint. Their nightly escapades, shielded by the era’s darkness, were notorious, merging political power with scandalous behavior. The club’s
Explore the rich history of Dundee’s jute industry and the Cox family’s pivotal role from the 1840s. Discover Dungarthill House, built for Albert Edward Cox, and delve into the Cox Brothers’ innovative approach to jute manufacturing at Camperdown Works. Learn about the societal impact, including the rise of “Women’s Town,” labor struggles, and the transformation of Dundee’s economy. This comprehensive
Irene and Hugh Dewhusrt bought Dungarthill from the Cox family in 1947. The purchase inaugurated a new period of peace for the young couple and their family after the tumult of World War II. Hugh had served in the army, while Irene had taken her two young children to live with their grandparents in Wales. Buying Dungarthill was also a
Justice and Vengeance at Orlagh House, 1816 A father and two of his sons stood on a gallows in an open field on the banks of the River Dodder. Ropes rested on their necks. Peter, Joe, and Billy Kearney were
Traces of a Roman Past at Gilmerton House When Ian Kinloch tapped his metal detector over a field just south-east of Gilmerton House, he discovered an unexpected trove of artifacts from Scotland’s ancient entanglements with the Roman empire. He uncovered
Henry de Beaumont: A Warrior’s Obsession on the Earldom of Buchan Henry de Beaumont was the son of a wealthy French noble family with ties to the royal families of Castile and France. Through skill in battle and royal patronage,
Mona Stapleton, Baroness of Beaumont: A Peeress in Her Own Right The young Mona Josephine Tempest Stapleton captured the sympathy of people across the world after a tragedy that struck Carlton Towers made her England’s youngest peeress. Miles Stapleton, Mona’s
Orlagh House Lundy Foot: A Tobacco-Made Man Lundy Foot opened a tobacco shop with a brightly painted “Virginia Planter” sign in a rented storefront on the corner of Blind Quay in Dublin in 1758. He had something for everyone: Bristol
Tragedy at Mapperton House Robert Morgan had a gnawing suspicion that John Morgan, his eldest son and the rightful heir to Mapperton Manor, would not do right by his mother and many siblings. Fending off his own son’s capricious temper
The Rise and Fall of the Second Earl Rivers, of Middleton Towers Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, gained enemies just as quickly as he gained power. Within a few years after his sister became the unlikely queen of England, he
The Gentry Divided: Edward ap David ap Rhys of Pentrehobyn “I am the heir of all of Wales, and I ought to rule it and I will rule it,” proclaimed Edward ap David ap Rhys in a strong, lilting Welsh
How the Percevals of Temple House Arrived in Ireland Richard Perceval established the Perceval family in Ireland, but not until he had completed his adventures in Spain and England. As a young man, Richard had a habit of disregarding his
A Pedigree of Power: Establishing Heritage at Pentrehobyn In the 16th century, the Lloyds of Pentrehobyn carved the crest of Edwin Tegeingl above the fireplaces in the great hall and the dining room. The carving tied the Lloyds to a
Collecting the Jewels of Power: James Maxwell and Fenton Tower When King James I ascended to the throne, the Scottish nobility had unprecedented access to power in England. James was king of both England and Scotland. Although Elizabeth I and
Anthony Woodville of Middleton Towers, Part II: Bloodshed and Diplomacy Queen Elizabeth of York was an unlikely bride for Edward IV: She was a widow from an obscure family with ties to the king’s political enemies. Yet she caught the
Eoin MacNeill: Taking Refuge at Orlagh House Eoin MacNeill was a scholar and a rebel who ignited a national fascination with Ireland’s past. He championed the Irish language, and as historian Francis John Byrne put it, “dragged Celtic Ireland practically
Jackie Gordon: A Woman Who Would Not Be Wronged Jackie Gordon, the lively, spirited daughter of Charles Gordon of Cluny Castle, was not one to give up what she believed to be hers by right. Despite another young woman’s snide
The Knights Templar: The Monkish Knights of Sligo On the ground of Temple House, you will find the ruins of a thousand-year-old fortress order belonging to the warrior monks who once presided over the green, abundant fields of County Sligo.
Anthony Woodville of Middleton Castle, Part I: An Upstart and a Model of Chivalry The high nobility dismissed the Woodvilles as a provincial family of little consequence. The Woodville matriarch, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, had blood of the bluest blue; yet
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