Abilene
NAME Abilene
AREA LOCATION Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Galloping
Green North and it is annotated as Abilene on both maps.
GENERAL Built by the Proby estate c1790. House extended and gatehouse added in
1840 and shared with Eversham. Architectural style – George Papworth. Gate
pillars look to be contemporary with house, but iron gates seem to be a later
addition.
Thomas Dixon owned Abilene, Ardlui and Eversham and rented out Abilene and Eversham in the
early 1800s. These house was sold through the landed Estate Court in 1865 by Thomas's son Richard.
The house is a detached three-bay single-storey over part raised basement house with an overhanging
hipped slate roof. The front door with it's oversailing fanlight is approached by a flight of seven
cut-granite steps between cast-iron railings, each of the front windows have a decorative iron balcony.
When the Finlaters moved to the house in 1941, it was described as a 'dilapidated farmhouse'.
YEAR BUILT circa 1790 Abilene was built by the Proby Estate circa 1790 and extended
circa 1840.
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 48 pounds.
NUMBER OF
ROOMS On the 1901 census it is noted as having 20 rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Possibly George Papworth
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, Valuation Books, Parish
records, OSI Maps, NAI Census & Wills and John Findlater.
OCCUPANTS
c1790 Proby Estate
1834 - 1849 Thomas Dixon
1840 Mr Kelly Esq.
1851 Jas Leslie Foster Esq
1854 T G Swift Esq.
1856 Henry Hone
1858 - 1862 William Acton Esq
1864 - 1892 Townley William Hardman
1892 - 1897 Mrs Hardman
1898 - 1901 Richard Carey
1901 - 1941 Christopher Thomas Jolley
1941 - 1962 Dermot and Dorothea Findlater
1962 - 2017 Mrs Dorothea Findlater
2018 For Sale on 2.94 acres - In Nov 2018, it was purchased by the Department
of Education for 8 million.
STAFF
1901 Mary Fagan - Nurse
Maria Mainwaring - Servant
CURRENT
STATUS Extant and a protected structure, site now under development.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE April 2018
AREA LOCATION Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Galloping
Green North and it is annotated as Abilene on both maps.
GENERAL Built by the Proby estate c1790. House extended and gatehouse added in
1840 and shared with Eversham. Architectural style – George Papworth. Gate
pillars look to be contemporary with house, but iron gates seem to be a later
addition.
Thomas Dixon owned Abilene, Ardlui and Eversham and rented out Abilene and Eversham in the
early 1800s. These house was sold through the landed Estate Court in 1865 by Thomas's son Richard.
The house is a detached three-bay single-storey over part raised basement house with an overhanging
hipped slate roof. The front door with it's oversailing fanlight is approached by a flight of seven
cut-granite steps between cast-iron railings, each of the front windows have a decorative iron balcony.
When the Finlaters moved to the house in 1941, it was described as a 'dilapidated farmhouse'.
YEAR BUILT circa 1790 Abilene was built by the Proby Estate circa 1790 and extended
circa 1840.
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 48 pounds.
NUMBER OF
ROOMS On the 1901 census it is noted as having 20 rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Possibly George Papworth
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, Valuation Books, Parish
records, OSI Maps, NAI Census & Wills and John Findlater.
OCCUPANTS
c1790 Proby Estate
1834 - 1849 Thomas Dixon
1840 Mr Kelly Esq.
1851 Jas Leslie Foster Esq
1854 T G Swift Esq.
1856 Henry Hone
1858 - 1862 William Acton Esq
1864 - 1892 Townley William Hardman
1892 - 1897 Mrs Hardman
1898 - 1901 Richard Carey
1901 - 1941 Christopher Thomas Jolley
1941 - 1962 Dermot and Dorothea Findlater
1962 - 2017 Mrs Dorothea Findlater
2018 For Sale on 2.94 acres - In Nov 2018, it was purchased by the Department
of Education for 8 million.
STAFF
1901 Mary Fagan - Nurse
Maria Mainwaring - Servant
CURRENT
STATUS Extant and a protected structure, site now under development.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE April 2018