Hill family of Failte, Brighton Road, Foxrock
Lord George Augusta Hill married Cassandra Jane Knight
born 9 Dec 1801 21.10.1834 born 16.11.1806
Hillsborough St George’s Church Godmersham, Kent
died 08.04.1879 (77) Hanover Square died 14.03.1842 (35)
Ramleton, Donegal London Gortlee, Donegal
Lord George Augusta Hill fifth and youngest son born posthumously on 09.12.1801 at
Hillsborough to the late Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquis of Downshire and Mary Sandys,
Marchioness of Downshire. He entered the army and attained the rank of captain in the
Royal Irish Dragoons in 1825. On his 21st he received 5k, a 1/8 portion of his inheritance.
He was elected MP for Carrickfergus in 1830. He married Cassandra Jane Knight on
21.10.1834 at St George’s Church, Hanover Square and the wedding breakfast was held at
Hitchcocks at the St George’s Hotel Albermarle Street. Cassandra was the youngest daughter
of Edward Austen Knight of Godmersham Park, near Canterbury, Kent and was the niece of
Jane Austen. He took up the role of comptroller to the household of the Lord Lieutenant. In
1837 he purchased 5 small estates around Gweedore totalling 23k acres which had approx.
2.5k tenants in situ. His estate also included Gola Island. His legacy as an ‘improving’ landlord
remains a matter of debate. Gweedore was one of the few rural areas that experienced a
population increase by the end of the famine, a harbour was built at Bunbeg, a grain store and
a general store were created, cottage industries which included knitting of stockings were
formed. He opened a hotel to promote tourism and interest in local Irish culture. However, his
‘improvements’ created the loss of the roinndáil system of communal living. Cassandra died
at Gortlee House Letterkenny 15.11.1842 two days after the birth of their 4th child and is
buried at Letterkenny. His house on the banks of the River Lennon at Ramleton designed by
William Hagarty, a Derry architect was nearing completion in September 1842. His sister in law
Louisa stepped in to take care of the children,
1 Norah Mary Elizabeth Hill eldest daughter born circa 1835 married Captain the Hon
Somerset Ward 5th son of late Viscount Bangor of Castle Ward, Co Down on 26.04.1859 at
St Peter’s Church, Dublin. Somerset died in 1912 and Norah died in Newcastle Co Down
in 1920.
2 Arthur Blundell George Sandys Hill born circa 1837. He was a late captain in the army
when he married Helen Emily Trench 3rd daughter of His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin
on 16.02.1871 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. He inherited the Gweedore estate on the
death of his father. It was run by agents and evictions ensued.
3 Augustus Charles Edward Hill 2nd son born circa 1839. Augustus died on 09.12.1908 at
Hothfield in Kent, the residence of his brother, from injuries received following an accident
in which he was knocked down by a taxi.
4 Cassandra Jane Louisa Hill born 12.03.1842 at Gortlee House, Letterkenny great niece of
Jane Austen. Cassandra and her black retriever lived at Ramleton until 1895. She died
unmarried on 16.08.1901 aged 59 years at Failthe, Foxrock and is buried at Deansgrange.
She left £800 in personal estate.
George married secondly Louisa Knight his sister-in-law and 4th daughter of Edward Knight of
Godmersham Park, Kent also niece and goddaughter of Jane Austen on 11.05.1847 at Wandsbeck,
Denmark. Under the Marriage Act of 1835, it was illegal to marry your sister in law in Ireland and
England, and the legitimacy of the marriage between a widower and his deceased wife’s sister
was the subject of parliamentary debate in the British House of Commons. The same year Lord
George published a follow up book to his ‘Facts about Gweedore’ called ‘Useful hints to Donegal
tourists’ which included information on Rathlin Island. He extended the hotel in 1846. He died at
Ballyarr House, Ramelton on 08.04.1879. Louisa continued to live at Ballyarr and her sister
Marianne came to live with her. Louisa died in 29.07.1889.
5 George Marcus Wandsbeck Hill born 09.04.1849 at Pembroke Place, Dublin, great nephew
of Jane Austen. George was a barrister and after Ballyarr was sold to William Russell, he
lived with his half sister at Failte from 1900 to 1901. He moved to Hillside after her death.
He died unmarried on 22.03.1911 at Hillside, Foxrock and is buried at Deansgrange. He
left 3k in personal estate.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - August 2026
Return to Failte page
Lord George Augusta Hill married Cassandra Jane Knight
born 9 Dec 1801 21.10.1834 born 16.11.1806
Hillsborough St George’s Church Godmersham, Kent
died 08.04.1879 (77) Hanover Square died 14.03.1842 (35)
Ramleton, Donegal London Gortlee, Donegal
Lord George Augusta Hill fifth and youngest son born posthumously on 09.12.1801 at
Hillsborough to the late Arthur Hill, 2nd Marquis of Downshire and Mary Sandys,
Marchioness of Downshire. He entered the army and attained the rank of captain in the
Royal Irish Dragoons in 1825. On his 21st he received 5k, a 1/8 portion of his inheritance.
He was elected MP for Carrickfergus in 1830. He married Cassandra Jane Knight on
21.10.1834 at St George’s Church, Hanover Square and the wedding breakfast was held at
Hitchcocks at the St George’s Hotel Albermarle Street. Cassandra was the youngest daughter
of Edward Austen Knight of Godmersham Park, near Canterbury, Kent and was the niece of
Jane Austen. He took up the role of comptroller to the household of the Lord Lieutenant. In
1837 he purchased 5 small estates around Gweedore totalling 23k acres which had approx.
2.5k tenants in situ. His estate also included Gola Island. His legacy as an ‘improving’ landlord
remains a matter of debate. Gweedore was one of the few rural areas that experienced a
population increase by the end of the famine, a harbour was built at Bunbeg, a grain store and
a general store were created, cottage industries which included knitting of stockings were
formed. He opened a hotel to promote tourism and interest in local Irish culture. However, his
‘improvements’ created the loss of the roinndáil system of communal living. Cassandra died
at Gortlee House Letterkenny 15.11.1842 two days after the birth of their 4th child and is
buried at Letterkenny. His house on the banks of the River Lennon at Ramleton designed by
William Hagarty, a Derry architect was nearing completion in September 1842. His sister in law
Louisa stepped in to take care of the children,
1 Norah Mary Elizabeth Hill eldest daughter born circa 1835 married Captain the Hon
Somerset Ward 5th son of late Viscount Bangor of Castle Ward, Co Down on 26.04.1859 at
St Peter’s Church, Dublin. Somerset died in 1912 and Norah died in Newcastle Co Down
in 1920.
2 Arthur Blundell George Sandys Hill born circa 1837. He was a late captain in the army
when he married Helen Emily Trench 3rd daughter of His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin
on 16.02.1871 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. He inherited the Gweedore estate on the
death of his father. It was run by agents and evictions ensued.
3 Augustus Charles Edward Hill 2nd son born circa 1839. Augustus died on 09.12.1908 at
Hothfield in Kent, the residence of his brother, from injuries received following an accident
in which he was knocked down by a taxi.
4 Cassandra Jane Louisa Hill born 12.03.1842 at Gortlee House, Letterkenny great niece of
Jane Austen. Cassandra and her black retriever lived at Ramleton until 1895. She died
unmarried on 16.08.1901 aged 59 years at Failthe, Foxrock and is buried at Deansgrange.
She left £800 in personal estate.
George married secondly Louisa Knight his sister-in-law and 4th daughter of Edward Knight of
Godmersham Park, Kent also niece and goddaughter of Jane Austen on 11.05.1847 at Wandsbeck,
Denmark. Under the Marriage Act of 1835, it was illegal to marry your sister in law in Ireland and
England, and the legitimacy of the marriage between a widower and his deceased wife’s sister
was the subject of parliamentary debate in the British House of Commons. The same year Lord
George published a follow up book to his ‘Facts about Gweedore’ called ‘Useful hints to Donegal
tourists’ which included information on Rathlin Island. He extended the hotel in 1846. He died at
Ballyarr House, Ramelton on 08.04.1879. Louisa continued to live at Ballyarr and her sister
Marianne came to live with her. Louisa died in 29.07.1889.
5 George Marcus Wandsbeck Hill born 09.04.1849 at Pembroke Place, Dublin, great nephew
of Jane Austen. George was a barrister and after Ballyarr was sold to William Russell, he
lived with his half sister at Failte from 1900 to 1901. He moved to Hillside after her death.
He died unmarried on 22.03.1911 at Hillside, Foxrock and is buried at Deansgrange. He
left 3k in personal estate.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - August 2026
Return to Failte page
