Photograph courtesy of Patrick Kiersey of The Glebe, Blackrock - Summer 1952
© Patrick Kiersey
FERNEY
NAME Ferney/Beech Park/Setanta School
AREA LOCATION Beechpark, Stillorgan, access via Farmleigh estate on N11
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Galloping Green North on both.
GENERAL Single-storey over basement Georgian Villa. Deceptively large, it has double
bow projections to front and rear and original Wyatt windows. The hood moulds above each
window are like graceful eyebrows and the bow projections with their conical slated roofs are most
unusual. The leasehold interest of Ferney on 19 acres was advertised for sale as the property of
George Howell deceased in 1845, with a yearly tenant installed. Howell held the lease from 1829.
The house at one time was home to the Howells and the Colleys, also home to the Scovells who lost
two of their children, tragically in the 1868 Abergele rail crash. Rose Barton (1856 – 1929) sketched
in the garden of the house in 1891. In 1866 the coach house and stables were destroyed in a fire.
The Darley family also lived here for over 50 years. John Darley died aged just 47 and left his wife
Cherrie Lees to bring up 10 children aged between 3 and 15. Set a good way back from the road,
its lodge was opposite that of The Grange, where another branch of the Darley family lived. It
was for sale in July 1835 on 17 acres, In 1937 the name of the house was changed to Beech Park.
Ferney, now called Setanta School/Beech Park House is landlocked in the middle of Beechwood
Court Estate and planning has been lodged to convert the house into apartments and build further
houses in the grounds.
YEAR BUILT circa 1790
VALUATION In 1910 the valuation was 108 pounds
NUMBER OF
ROOMS In the 1901 census it is noted as having 21 rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, Newspapers, NAI Census & Wills, Darley diaries.
OCCUPANTS
1804 Ms Eleanor Taylor
1829 - 1832 Robert Hitchcock
1832 - 1833 George Howell
1835 - 1860 Henry Scovell
1854 - 1859 Whitmore Scovell
1863 Fielding Scovell
1863 - 1880 Hon George F Colley JP
1880 - 1883 John Henry Darley
1884 - 1912 Mrs Darley nee Lees
1912 - 1935 Frederick Digby Darley
1937 - 1952 Thomas J Cullen
1956 - 1995 Mary Immaculate School for the hearing impaired (Daughters of the Cross of Liege)
1995 - 2017 Setanta College * Saint Loman’s Special School.
2018 Planning application - D18A/0334
STAFF
1849 Michael Quigley - Gatekeeper
1881 Richard Tuthill - Gardener
1886 - 1895 James Cruise - Handyman/Painter/Gardener
1890 - 1893 Jim Cruise - Gatekeeper/Gardener
Jane - Cook
Bridget - Kitchenmaid
1890 Miss Knaggs - Tutor
1884 - 1891 Nurse
1890 - 1891 Lizzy - Parlourmaid
1891 Frances Gray - Children's maid
Eliza - Cook age about 45
Miss Harrison - Tutor
Mr Henderson - painter/odd jobs
1901 Catherine Duncan - Domestic Servant
Annie Bogie - Domestic Servant
Mary Murphy - Domestic Servant
Ellen Sheridan - Domestic Servant
Patrick Murphy - Gardener (living in gardeners cottage)
Vincent Grehan - Coachman (living at gatelodge)
1911 Bridget Phelan - Cook
Bridget Kennedy - Parlour maid
Sarah Bandon - House maid
John Reid - Motor car driver (living at gatelodge)
1930 Mr McDermot - Gardener. He and his wife Mary lived in the gatelodge.
CURRENT
STATUS Extant with planning permission D18A/1028 lodged.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE May 2017
NAME Ferney/Beech Park/Setanta School
AREA LOCATION Beechpark, Stillorgan, access via Farmleigh estate on N11
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Galloping Green North on both.
GENERAL Single-storey over basement Georgian Villa. Deceptively large, it has double
bow projections to front and rear and original Wyatt windows. The hood moulds above each
window are like graceful eyebrows and the bow projections with their conical slated roofs are most
unusual. The leasehold interest of Ferney on 19 acres was advertised for sale as the property of
George Howell deceased in 1845, with a yearly tenant installed. Howell held the lease from 1829.
The house at one time was home to the Howells and the Colleys, also home to the Scovells who lost
two of their children, tragically in the 1868 Abergele rail crash. Rose Barton (1856 – 1929) sketched
in the garden of the house in 1891. In 1866 the coach house and stables were destroyed in a fire.
The Darley family also lived here for over 50 years. John Darley died aged just 47 and left his wife
Cherrie Lees to bring up 10 children aged between 3 and 15. Set a good way back from the road,
its lodge was opposite that of The Grange, where another branch of the Darley family lived. It
was for sale in July 1835 on 17 acres, In 1937 the name of the house was changed to Beech Park.
Ferney, now called Setanta School/Beech Park House is landlocked in the middle of Beechwood
Court Estate and planning has been lodged to convert the house into apartments and build further
houses in the grounds.
YEAR BUILT circa 1790
VALUATION In 1910 the valuation was 108 pounds
NUMBER OF
ROOMS In the 1901 census it is noted as having 21 rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, Newspapers, NAI Census & Wills, Darley diaries.
OCCUPANTS
1804 Ms Eleanor Taylor
1829 - 1832 Robert Hitchcock
1832 - 1833 George Howell
1835 - 1860 Henry Scovell
1854 - 1859 Whitmore Scovell
1863 Fielding Scovell
1863 - 1880 Hon George F Colley JP
1880 - 1883 John Henry Darley
1884 - 1912 Mrs Darley nee Lees
1912 - 1935 Frederick Digby Darley
1937 - 1952 Thomas J Cullen
1956 - 1995 Mary Immaculate School for the hearing impaired (Daughters of the Cross of Liege)
1995 - 2017 Setanta College * Saint Loman’s Special School.
2018 Planning application - D18A/0334
STAFF
1849 Michael Quigley - Gatekeeper
1881 Richard Tuthill - Gardener
1886 - 1895 James Cruise - Handyman/Painter/Gardener
1890 - 1893 Jim Cruise - Gatekeeper/Gardener
Jane - Cook
Bridget - Kitchenmaid
1890 Miss Knaggs - Tutor
1884 - 1891 Nurse
1890 - 1891 Lizzy - Parlourmaid
1891 Frances Gray - Children's maid
Eliza - Cook age about 45
Miss Harrison - Tutor
Mr Henderson - painter/odd jobs
1901 Catherine Duncan - Domestic Servant
Annie Bogie - Domestic Servant
Mary Murphy - Domestic Servant
Ellen Sheridan - Domestic Servant
Patrick Murphy - Gardener (living in gardeners cottage)
Vincent Grehan - Coachman (living at gatelodge)
1911 Bridget Phelan - Cook
Bridget Kennedy - Parlour maid
Sarah Bandon - House maid
John Reid - Motor car driver (living at gatelodge)
1930 Mr McDermot - Gardener. He and his wife Mary lived in the gatelodge.
CURRENT
STATUS Extant with planning permission D18A/1028 lodged.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE May 2017