Staffordstown

Staffordstown is two and half miles southeast of Navan.  taffordstown house is a mid nineteenth century house of two storey over basement.  It is similar in design to nearby Ashfield and the two may have had the same architect.  A range of eighteenth century building adjoins the house.

The Cusack family held Staffordstown in medieval times and their remains are buried in the graveyard at Staffordstown.  Sir Thomas Cusack was Lord Chancellor of Ireland in the 1500s. Dying in 1571 there is a memorial stone bearing his arms at Staffordstown.  The family erected a castle at Staffordstown but there is no trace of the building today.  Robert Cusack held Staffordstown in 1689.

The Rothwell family held lands at Staffordstown. John Rothwell is recorded there in 1810.  Charles Rothwell held lands there in the 1850s.  Charles Rothwell lived at Staffordstown.  His daughter Georgina Eleanor Rothewell died in 1888.

In 1878 Georgina married Richard John Butler, son of Whitwell Butler and died ten years later in 1888.  James Butler of Priestown, Meath had a son, Richard, who became a vicar of Burnchurch, Co. Kilkenny.  Thomas Lewis O'Beirne was a good friend of Richard and when he became bishop of Meath in 1798 he asked Richard to come with him.  However Richard was settled at Burnchurch and instead Richard's son, also Richard came to the diocese of Meath.  Richard became rector of Trim in 1819 and Dean of Clonmacnoise.  He was one of the founders of the Irish Archaeological Society, for which association he edited Clyn and Dowling's Annals.  He published his book on Trim castle in 1835. In the 1830's Staffordstown parish of 616 acres was held Rev. R. Butler, Trim.

Staffordstown House was described as having a large lawn, in which there was a mound and a graveyard.  In the north west of the parish was a plantation called Staffordstown wood. Whitwell Butler was born in 1798. He was the son of Richard Butler and Martha Rothwell and brother to Rev. Richard Butler. Whitwell Butler fought in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, where he carried the Colours.  He married Elizabeth Garnett, daughter of John Paine Garnett of Arch Hall in 1833. In the 1850s Whitwell Butler held the house and lands of 335 acres at Staffordstown from Rev. Richard Butler.  Whitwell died in 1877 and was succeeded by his son, Whitwell, who died in 1881. In 1876 Whitwell Butler of Staffordstown House, Navan held 381 acres in County Meath. Whittie Butler bred racing horses at Staffordstown.

His brother, Richard John Butler, inherited the estate.  Richard was born about 1840 and died in 1908. His eldest son, also Richard John, was born in 1879 and died in 1964. In 1901 Richard John and his family were residing at Staffordstown.  In 1911 Richard J. Butler held Staffordstown but it was occupied by a cousin, Synolda French. Residing with her was Harriet Cecilia Butler, daughter of Richard John Butler.  Synolda French was one of the Butlers of Dunboyne.  When Whitwell died Synolda's father and mother moved to Staffordstown.  Synolda's mother died when Synolda was seven and so she was sent to relatives in Dublin returning to Staffordstown for holidays.

During one of these holidays a Mr. Groome visited the house.  Mr. Groome was searching for the Ark of the Covenant on Tara and Gussie Briscoe of Bellinter provided him with two workmen to provide the labour.  Synolda said there were never any British Israelites at Tara, only this one young man, who lost interest after a while and departed.

A Quaker family, the Allens, family lived at Staffordstown in the 1940s. An ancestor of theirs was Richard Allen who was very involved in the anti-slavery movement and the establishment of the Dublin Cholera Hospital.

Source: meath-roots.com

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