Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/363

 n s. xi. NOV. e, 1915.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

355

DUBLIN.

Besides those at Mount Pelier (5 S. xi. 386 ; 8 S. iii. 334), there were meetings held in Saul Court and the " Eagle Tavern," Cork- hill (Gilbert's ' History of Dublin,' vol. ii., 1859, p. 14; Ezshaw's Magazine, 1751, p. 447 ; Hanclcock's ' History of Tallaght,' 1899, pp. 86-92 ; Gaskin's ' Irish Varieties, ' 1887, p. 418, &c.). It is suggested that the stories of the wild scenes at the club have originated from mixing up accounts of mvsteries, miracle plays, &c., with tradi- tions of the H. F. C. (' Book of Days,' vol. i. p. 559).

MOUNT PELIER.

This hill, which lies to the extreme right of the Dublin range, is rendered conspicuous by the ruin on its summit, which at a dis- tance looks very picturesque, but on closer inspection appears ugly and ungainly. The building was erected as a hunting or shooting lodge, but the country people still tell of many a dark deed in the " Haunted House " or "The Kennel " on " Mount Pelia." It was built about 1725 by William Connolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, who utilized as material the stones of a large cairn, which up to that time stood on the summit of the hill. Behind the house are traces of a circular mound which does not appear to consist of stones or to have any connexion with the house ; it is possibly portion of an outer circle which surrounded the cairn. Shortly after the lodge was built the slated roof was blown off one night in a storm by the devil, itwas popularlybelieved, on account of the sacrilege of Mr. Connolly in desecrating the old cairn. Determined not to be beaten, he built a tremendously strong arched roof, keying the stone together as in a bridge, and this has stood natural and supernatural storms ever since.

The house had a parlour, drawing-room, and hall on the upper floor, each room having two large windows in front ; the hall-door was reached by a flight of stone steps, which were afterwards taken away and used for Lord Ely's lodge lower down the hill. On the ground floor was the kitchen with its great fire-place ; off the kitchen were servants' rooms, and over the room on the second floor were small lofts. There was also a small return room opposite the hall door behind. All the windows face north, with a few embrasures only at the back. The roof can be ascended from the western side, but it is rather a dangerous performance. The only evidence of its occupation is an announcement of the death

at Montpelier in July, 1751, of Mr. Charles Cobbe, the elder eon of the Archbishop of Dublin at that time. In 1779 the house was visited by Austin Cooper, who found it out of repair. In 1849, when Queen Victoria visited Dublin, some people lit a number of tar barrels on the roof, greatly injuring the structure.

Lower down on the western slope of the hill are the ruins of '' Mount Pelier House," originally called " Dollymount " (perhaps after Lord Ely's niece, "Dolly Monroe"), built as a shooting lodge by Henry Loftus, Earl of Ely, of Rathfarnham Castle. This house (two stories high) was built in 1763 r almost everything that could be utilized being removed from the old house on the summit. It is flanked on either side bv square embattled towers with Gothic win- dows, the whole frontage being about 400 feet in length. The rooms had marble chimneypieces and stuccoed ceilings, por- tions of which remain. In the rear were numerous out-offices, courtyards, arid stables, the house being surrounded by a fine grove of trees, most of which have vanished. Over the hall door is the crest of the Ely family, nearly obliterated, surmounted by a> coronet still quite distinct. The house is now generally known as the " Long House,'* and is erroneously supposed to have been burnt. There are sketches of both houses in Ball's 'History of Co. Dublin,' part iii. pp. 40-41. J. ARDAGH.

35, Church Avenue, Drumcondra, Dublin.

INSCRIPTIONS IN THE CHURCHYARD OF ST. MARY'S, LAMBETH.

(See ante, p. 296-)

SOUTH OF THE SOUTHERN PATH (continued).

36. Mr. Peter Heaums, d. 22 Nov., 1818, a. 55. Also his children : John Simpson, d. 5 Jan.,. 1702, a. 9 months ; John, died 9 Oct., 1793, a. 16 months; Charles, d. 20 Nov., 1796, a. 5 months ; Peter, d. 14 June, 1797, a. 6 months ; Mary, d. 15 May, 1804, a. 5 years ; Catherine* d. 18 May, 1804, a. 4 years ; Frances, d. 24 Nov., 1809, a. 5 years. Catherine, relict of the above, d. 25 Feb., 1832, a. 65. Wm. Newbrough San- ford, surgeon, son of John San ford, Esq., of Wimbledon, and son-in-law of the above, d. 1 Mav 1835, a. 44.

37. Mr. Samuel Bishop, d. 15 April, 1815, a. 42.

38. Mr. Peter Ducrow, of Ast ley's Amphi- theatre, d. 6 Jan., 1815, a. 49. Mrs. Hannah Cox, his dau., d. 9 April, 1834, a. 31. Mr. John Ducrow, his son, and brother of Andrew Ducrow, Esq., proprietor of Astley's Amphitheatre, d. 23 Mav,. 1834, a. 38.

39. ... .a. 48. John Webb, son of the above,, d. 18 Dec., 1812, a. 22. Eleanor, w. of Frederick

Webb, of Kentish Town, d. 25 Dec., 1826,.