Harlech
NAME Roebuck/Roebuck House/Harlech
AREA LOCATION ROEBUCK, Harlech Downs off Goatstown Road.
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Roebuck and on both it is
annotated as Harlech.
GENERAL ‘This two storey house had a parlour, drawing room, library, breakfast parlour, seven principle
bedrooms with servant apartments and kitchen in the basement story. Walled garden, stables
for eight horses, coach house and farmyard’ (Brassington 1832). Its gatelodge is no longer
extant. The house now famous for its stainless steel gates of a dragon designed by Forge
Robinson, was refurbished and styled between 1993 and 1998 by the owners. A website
dedicated to its design was developed but is no longer online.
YEAR BUILT circa 1783
VALUATION In 1867 the valuation was 138 pounds and 30 rooms occupied by the
family on the 1901 Census.
ARCHITECT Unknown. Builder - John Walsh
SOURCES Thom’s directories, Sherrard 1783, Brassington & Gale 1832
OCCUPANTS
In 1783 there was a cabin on this holding leased by Mr Crowe, by 1832 Arthur de Burgh Crofton
has leased it to Thomas Dillon and in 1835 John Walsh had leased in from the representatives of the late
Thomas Dillon and sold his interest to Thomas Leland.
1802 Lease
1841 - 1852 William Lewis
1852 - 1855 William Lewis
1856 For Sale
1857 - 1863 Edmund Maglin Blood
1863 - 1866 John Murphy
1866 - 1868 William Murphy
1869 - 1881 Thomas Murphy
1882 - 1901 Mary Murphy (widow of Thomas)
1901 - 1905 Thomas Barrett (nephew of Mary Murphy)
1909 - 1926 James Whitney
1926 - 1928 Mrs Frances Whitney
1926 - 1835 James Whitney
1935 - 1949 George Alfred Whitney
1942 Harlech Villas built on some of the land
1947 Meadow sold (3 Acres)
1949 For Sale on 2 3/4 acres
1949 - 1969 J A Walmsley
1991 - 2010 John Hughes
2011 - 2017 For Sale
STAFF
1849 John Luff - Gatekeeper
1881 John Newman - Gardener living at gatelodge
1895 John McCormick - Gardener
1901 Bridget Gorman - General Domestic
1911 Martha Gaskin - Servant
1901 - 1903 Thomas Larkin - Dairy Manager
CURRENT
STATUS Extant - A private residence
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow, Catherine Brugha & Karen Poff
DATE April 2018
AREA LOCATION ROEBUCK, Harlech Downs off Goatstown Road.
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Roebuck and on both it is
annotated as Harlech.
GENERAL ‘This two storey house had a parlour, drawing room, library, breakfast parlour, seven principle
bedrooms with servant apartments and kitchen in the basement story. Walled garden, stables
for eight horses, coach house and farmyard’ (Brassington 1832). Its gatelodge is no longer
extant. The house now famous for its stainless steel gates of a dragon designed by Forge
Robinson, was refurbished and styled between 1993 and 1998 by the owners. A website
dedicated to its design was developed but is no longer online.
YEAR BUILT circa 1783
VALUATION In 1867 the valuation was 138 pounds and 30 rooms occupied by the
family on the 1901 Census.
ARCHITECT Unknown. Builder - John Walsh
SOURCES Thom’s directories, Sherrard 1783, Brassington & Gale 1832
OCCUPANTS
In 1783 there was a cabin on this holding leased by Mr Crowe, by 1832 Arthur de Burgh Crofton
has leased it to Thomas Dillon and in 1835 John Walsh had leased in from the representatives of the late
Thomas Dillon and sold his interest to Thomas Leland.
1802 Lease
1841 - 1852 William Lewis
1852 - 1855 William Lewis
1856 For Sale
1857 - 1863 Edmund Maglin Blood
1863 - 1866 John Murphy
1866 - 1868 William Murphy
1869 - 1881 Thomas Murphy
1882 - 1901 Mary Murphy (widow of Thomas)
1901 - 1905 Thomas Barrett (nephew of Mary Murphy)
1909 - 1926 James Whitney
1926 - 1928 Mrs Frances Whitney
1926 - 1835 James Whitney
1935 - 1949 George Alfred Whitney
1942 Harlech Villas built on some of the land
1947 Meadow sold (3 Acres)
1949 For Sale on 2 3/4 acres
1949 - 1969 J A Walmsley
1991 - 2010 John Hughes
2011 - 2017 For Sale
STAFF
1849 John Luff - Gatekeeper
1881 John Newman - Gardener living at gatelodge
1895 John McCormick - Gardener
1901 Bridget Gorman - General Domestic
1911 Martha Gaskin - Servant
1901 - 1903 Thomas Larkin - Dairy Manager
CURRENT
STATUS Extant - A private residence
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow, Catherine Brugha & Karen Poff
DATE April 2018