Photograph courtesy of Claire Hamilton
Mount Salem
NAME Mount Salem
AREA LOCATION Stillorgan on the NW corner of White's Cross (originally White Cross).
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Galloping Green
South and it is annotated as Mount Salem on both maps.
GENERAL A double fronted house in the cottage style, it is a detached four bay single storey
house with part raised basement. It has a rendered surface finish with rusticated
quoins to corners. The central door, which once had a stone portico, is approached
by a flight of six cut-granite steps, the panelled door has sidelights below a simple
fanlight. In 1853 the house was To Let/Interest in the lease For Sale and there was
an auction of household and outdoor goods, and the livestock. In 1857 the lease
was again for sale. The house was frequently rented out by the Jones sisters during
their occupancy. Christine Grace Orpen (Kit), daughter of Sir William Orpen was
born here in 1906. Originally on 3 acres, it was for sale on 1.5 acres in 1953. Some
of the original land, including the paddock was hived off for other developments
including a house called White Cross.
The coach house has been converted to a mews. Originally the entrance was from
the Dublin Road but after a CPO for road widening, the entrance was moved to the
Leopardstown Road. In 2019 the site was split and the portion with the main
house was offered for sale.
YEAR BUILT circa 1839 - possibly about the same time as Leopardstown Road was built.
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 38 pounds and in the 1901 census it is noted as having 14
rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, Registry of Deeds, Stillorgan Parish
Registers, OSI maps, 3rd Dublin Scouting records, Trove and NAI Census & Wills.
OCCUPANTS
1840 Occupied
1845 - 1851 Egan family
1849 - 1854 Knipe family
1855 - 1856 George Thomas Hayden
1858 - 1885 John Ormsby Jones
1885 - 1931 Misses Jones
1888 William Rice Meredith
1906 William Orpen
1935 - 1952 Norman Edgar Allen
1939 Barbara Knox (Owner)
1959 - 1962 Noel Richard MacGovern
STAFF
1901 Annie Fitzsimons – General Domestic
Andrew Byrne – Servant
1911 Mary Fagan – General Domestic Servant
Patrick Murphy – Gardener
CURRENT
STATUS Extant and in private ownership.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE November 2017
AREA LOCATION Stillorgan on the NW corner of White's Cross (originally White Cross).
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of Galloping Green
South and it is annotated as Mount Salem on both maps.
GENERAL A double fronted house in the cottage style, it is a detached four bay single storey
house with part raised basement. It has a rendered surface finish with rusticated
quoins to corners. The central door, which once had a stone portico, is approached
by a flight of six cut-granite steps, the panelled door has sidelights below a simple
fanlight. In 1853 the house was To Let/Interest in the lease For Sale and there was
an auction of household and outdoor goods, and the livestock. In 1857 the lease
was again for sale. The house was frequently rented out by the Jones sisters during
their occupancy. Christine Grace Orpen (Kit), daughter of Sir William Orpen was
born here in 1906. Originally on 3 acres, it was for sale on 1.5 acres in 1953. Some
of the original land, including the paddock was hived off for other developments
including a house called White Cross.
The coach house has been converted to a mews. Originally the entrance was from
the Dublin Road but after a CPO for road widening, the entrance was moved to the
Leopardstown Road. In 2019 the site was split and the portion with the main
house was offered for sale.
YEAR BUILT circa 1839 - possibly about the same time as Leopardstown Road was built.
VALUATION In 1912 the valuation was 38 pounds and in the 1901 census it is noted as having 14
rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, contemporaneous newspapers, Registry of Deeds, Stillorgan Parish
Registers, OSI maps, 3rd Dublin Scouting records, Trove and NAI Census & Wills.
OCCUPANTS
1840 Occupied
1845 - 1851 Egan family
1849 - 1854 Knipe family
1855 - 1856 George Thomas Hayden
1858 - 1885 John Ormsby Jones
1885 - 1931 Misses Jones
1888 William Rice Meredith
1906 William Orpen
1935 - 1952 Norman Edgar Allen
1939 Barbara Knox (Owner)
1959 - 1962 Noel Richard MacGovern
STAFF
1901 Annie Fitzsimons – General Domestic
Andrew Byrne – Servant
1911 Mary Fagan – General Domestic Servant
Patrick Murphy – Gardener
CURRENT
STATUS Extant and in private ownership.
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE November 2017