Airfield
NAME Bessmount/Airfield
AREA LOCATION Upper Kilmacud Road
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Drummartin and it is annotated as Airfield on both maps. It is not noted on Duncan's
map of 1821. It is situated at the junction of the Upper Kilmacud Road and Birch's Lane.
GENERAL The name was changed from Bess Mount to Airfield circa 1836. It has
an Arts & Craft style gatelodge. Two storey, three bay with hood moulds. It has a heavily
castellated porch and the door has a gothic feel. It was for sale through the Encumbered
Courts in 1852. Airfield is synonymous with the eccentric Overend sisters who kept a 1927
Rolls Royce which they maintained themselves. They also had an Austin 10 Tickford and
a Peugeot Quadrilette. Apparently when asked by her father what she would like for her
21st birthday, Letitia replied, 'A Roll Royce, it will last me all my life', and it did.
The house was also home to another strong woman - Margaret Jury nee Cotton. When her
husband of 18 years died in a tragic accident (he fell from his bedroom window while visiting
friends in Bristol), she was left the onerous task of running the Shelbourne Hotel.
Naomi and Letitia left the 34 acre Victorian farm in trust for 'Education and Public Use'. After
Naomi's death the contents of the house was sold which raised 1.3 Million, mainly due to the
sale of their James Hicks furniture. In a bid to keep the farm open to the public the trustees
sold off some land, including Dudley's field which caused public outcry and the land was
rezoned as residential use in 2003. The sister's hope that their Victorian farm would remain
just that, was probably too much to expect in a era of rampant commercialism but Airfield is
still a working farm open to the public with gardens and restaurant hosting weddings events
and children's activities.
YEAR BUILT circa 1830
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 97 pounds and in the 1911 census it is noted as
having 14 rooms
ARCHITECT Unknown.
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, Registry of Deeds,
NAI Census & Wills and OSI Maps
OCCUPANTS
1830 - 1851 Thomas Mackey Scully
1852 - 1882 Thomas Cranfield
1862 - 1864 Francis Reynolds - Artist
1884 - 1894 Jury Family
1894 - 1993 Overend Family
1993 - Todate Dromartin Estates Company and Airfield Trust
STAFF
1849 Arthur Nolan - Gatekeeper
1864 John Larkin - Coachman, living at gatelodge
1860 - 1861 Mr Dunne - Gardener
1884 Alexander Bell
1891 - 1894 George Tomlinson - Coachman
1900 - 1903 Sandys Wilkinson - Gardener, living at gatelodge.
1911 Ellen Dooley - Cook
Mary Gray - Parlourmaid
1929 Annie Victoria Bell
CURRENT
STATUS Extant and in use as a heritage centre.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE September 2017
NAME Bessmount/Airfield
AREA LOCATION Upper Kilmacud Road
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Drummartin and it is annotated as Airfield on both maps. It is not noted on Duncan's
map of 1821. It is situated at the junction of the Upper Kilmacud Road and Birch's Lane.
GENERAL The name was changed from Bess Mount to Airfield circa 1836. It has
an Arts & Craft style gatelodge. Two storey, three bay with hood moulds. It has a heavily
castellated porch and the door has a gothic feel. It was for sale through the Encumbered
Courts in 1852. Airfield is synonymous with the eccentric Overend sisters who kept a 1927
Rolls Royce which they maintained themselves. They also had an Austin 10 Tickford and
a Peugeot Quadrilette. Apparently when asked by her father what she would like for her
21st birthday, Letitia replied, 'A Roll Royce, it will last me all my life', and it did.
The house was also home to another strong woman - Margaret Jury nee Cotton. When her
husband of 18 years died in a tragic accident (he fell from his bedroom window while visiting
friends in Bristol), she was left the onerous task of running the Shelbourne Hotel.
Naomi and Letitia left the 34 acre Victorian farm in trust for 'Education and Public Use'. After
Naomi's death the contents of the house was sold which raised 1.3 Million, mainly due to the
sale of their James Hicks furniture. In a bid to keep the farm open to the public the trustees
sold off some land, including Dudley's field which caused public outcry and the land was
rezoned as residential use in 2003. The sister's hope that their Victorian farm would remain
just that, was probably too much to expect in a era of rampant commercialism but Airfield is
still a working farm open to the public with gardens and restaurant hosting weddings events
and children's activities.
YEAR BUILT circa 1830
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 97 pounds and in the 1911 census it is noted as
having 14 rooms
ARCHITECT Unknown.
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, Registry of Deeds,
NAI Census & Wills and OSI Maps
OCCUPANTS
1830 - 1851 Thomas Mackey Scully
1852 - 1882 Thomas Cranfield
1862 - 1864 Francis Reynolds - Artist
1884 - 1894 Jury Family
1894 - 1993 Overend Family
1993 - Todate Dromartin Estates Company and Airfield Trust
STAFF
1849 Arthur Nolan - Gatekeeper
1864 John Larkin - Coachman, living at gatelodge
1860 - 1861 Mr Dunne - Gardener
1884 Alexander Bell
1891 - 1894 George Tomlinson - Coachman
1900 - 1903 Sandys Wilkinson - Gardener, living at gatelodge.
1911 Ellen Dooley - Cook
Mary Gray - Parlourmaid
1929 Annie Victoria Bell
CURRENT
STATUS Extant and in use as a heritage centre.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE September 2017