Willow Park
NAME Willow Park, Blackrock College
AREA LOCATION Rock Road, Blackrock
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Williamstown and it is annotated as Castledawson school and Blackrock
College respectively.
GENERAL Originally a three storey five bay house with bow projections on 18 acres
within an enclosed wall. In 1856 after the death of Isabella Ferrier, the eight bedroom house
on 31 acres was put up for auction in October by her late husbands executors. The lands
contained 7 dwelling houses that were rented out, leaving Willow Park house rent free and
earning a profit of £39 pa. The house had extensive stabling, a barn, dairy, coach houses and
graperies. Over the years there have been many additions. In 1925 the gates and piers from
Mount Merrion Houses were moved here.
YEAR BUILT circa 1766 built for Christopher Deey.
VALUATION In 1868 the Valuation was 177 Pounds and in the 1901 census it is noted as
having 39 rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, OSI maps, Griffith's Valuation, NAI Census & Wills
contemporaneous newspapers, Griffith's Valuation and Registry of Deeds.
OCCUPANTS
1751 Land leased from Lord Fitzwilliam to John Granger (Grainger)
1766 - 1789 Christopher Deey
1789 - 1794 Viscount Hugh Carleton
1795 - 1807 For sale
1807 - 1821 Francis Tempest Brady
1823 - 1857 James Ferrier
1858 - 1876 Henry Bewley
1877 - 1924 Sarah Pease
1925 Purchased by Blackrock College and opened as a prep school.
STAFF
1829 Mr Kelly - Gardener
1835 - 1856 Mr Thomas Austin - Gardener
1888 - 1889 Andrew Lee - Labourer/gardener living at gatelodge
1892 Mr Watt - Gardener
1894 Mr McKenzie - Gardener
1893 - 1895 Mr Watt - Gardener
1901 Isabella Hall - Laundress
Lizzie Stewart - Kitchenmaid
Louisa Franklin - Maid
Eliza Bogle - Housemaid
Margaret Berwick - Cook
George Knight - Coachman
David Anderson - Gardener
1911 Jane Wright - Cook
Kate Gerrard -Housemaid
Isabella Swift - Maid
Elizabeth Browne - Laundress
Ellen Semple - Kitchenmaid
James Kearney - Gardener living at gatelodge
CURRENT
STATUS Integrated into Blackrock College
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE May 2019
AREA LOCATION Rock Road, Blackrock
MAP LOCATION OSI maps of 1838-1845 and 1898-1913 place it in the townland of
Williamstown and it is annotated as Castledawson school and Blackrock
College respectively.
GENERAL Originally a three storey five bay house with bow projections on 18 acres
within an enclosed wall. In 1856 after the death of Isabella Ferrier, the eight bedroom house
on 31 acres was put up for auction in October by her late husbands executors. The lands
contained 7 dwelling houses that were rented out, leaving Willow Park house rent free and
earning a profit of £39 pa. The house had extensive stabling, a barn, dairy, coach houses and
graperies. Over the years there have been many additions. In 1925 the gates and piers from
Mount Merrion Houses were moved here.
YEAR BUILT circa 1766 built for Christopher Deey.
VALUATION In 1868 the Valuation was 177 Pounds and in the 1901 census it is noted as
having 39 rooms occupied by family.
ARCHITECT Unknown
SOURCES Thom’s directories, OSI maps, Griffith's Valuation, NAI Census & Wills
contemporaneous newspapers, Griffith's Valuation and Registry of Deeds.
OCCUPANTS
1751 Land leased from Lord Fitzwilliam to John Granger (Grainger)
1766 - 1789 Christopher Deey
1789 - 1794 Viscount Hugh Carleton
1795 - 1807 For sale
1807 - 1821 Francis Tempest Brady
1823 - 1857 James Ferrier
1858 - 1876 Henry Bewley
1877 - 1924 Sarah Pease
1925 Purchased by Blackrock College and opened as a prep school.
STAFF
1829 Mr Kelly - Gardener
1835 - 1856 Mr Thomas Austin - Gardener
1888 - 1889 Andrew Lee - Labourer/gardener living at gatelodge
1892 Mr Watt - Gardener
1894 Mr McKenzie - Gardener
1893 - 1895 Mr Watt - Gardener
1901 Isabella Hall - Laundress
Lizzie Stewart - Kitchenmaid
Louisa Franklin - Maid
Eliza Bogle - Housemaid
Margaret Berwick - Cook
George Knight - Coachman
David Anderson - Gardener
1911 Jane Wright - Cook
Kate Gerrard -Housemaid
Isabella Swift - Maid
Elizabeth Browne - Laundress
Ellen Semple - Kitchenmaid
James Kearney - Gardener living at gatelodge
CURRENT
STATUS Integrated into Blackrock College
CONTRIBUTOR © June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE May 2019