Barmeath Castle

THE BARONS BELLEW WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY LOUTH, WITH 4,110 ACRES

This ancient family was amongst the first Anglo-Norman settlers in Ireland.

ROGER DE BELLEW came to Ireland with HENRY II in the 12th century.

From this gentleman, the common ancestor, descended

SIR JOHN BELLEW, knight, of Bellewstown, and the Roche, successor to his father in 1542, who married Margaret, daughter of Sir Oliver Plunkett, of Beaulieu, and left, with other issue, a son and successor,

SIR JOHN BELLEW, knight, of Bellewstown, who married the Hon Margaret Plunkett, daughter of Oliver, 1st Lord Louth. His 2nd son,

JOHN BELLEW, of Lisfranon and Grallanstown, married and had issue, the eldest son,

PATRICK BELLEW, of Lisfranon and Grallanstown, who married Mary, daughter of James Waring, of Waringstown, County Down, and had a son,

JOHN BELLEW, of Lisfranon and Grallanstown, MP for co Louth. His heir,

SIR PATRICK BELLEW, 1st Baronet, of Barmeath, or Bellew Mount, created a baronet in 1685. The 1st Baronet's descendant,

THE RT HON SIR PATRICK BELLEW, 7th Baronet, 1st Baron Bellew, was High Sheriff of Louth, 1831; MP for Louth, 1831-37; Lord-Lieutenant of Louth,1831-66; Privy Counsellor,1838; Commissioner of National Education [Ireland,1839-66.

Sir Patrick was elevated to the peerage in 1848, as BARON BELLEW, of Barmeath, County Louth. 

EDWARD JOSEPH, 2nd Baron. Sheriff of Louth,1854; Major, the Louth Militia.

CHARLES BERTRAM, 3rd Baron. Captain, 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles; Sheriff of Louth, 1875; a Representative Peer for Ireland (Liberal Unionist) 1904-11.

GEORGE LEOPOLD BRYAN, 4th Baron. Served in the Afghan War, 1878-79; the Nile Expedition 1884-85; and the South African War 1900-01; took the additional name of Bryan by Royal Warrant 1880 under the will of his uncle, George Leopold Bryan, of Jenkinstown Park, co Kilkenny; Lord-Lieutenant of Louth, 1898-1911; High Sheriff of Louth 1902; a Representative Peer for Ireland, 1914-35.

EDWARD HENRY, 5th Baron, MBE. Served in World War I, 1914-18, as Capt, RAF; MBE, 1919; he and his wife adopted, in 1918, the Hon Barbara Mary Corisande (b 1917), who married, in 1936, (div. 1948) Major Cholmeley Dering Harrison, only son of Col Cholmeley Harrison CMG CBE, and has issue.

BRYAN BERTRAM, 6th Baron, MC (1890-1981). Served in World War I, 1914-18, as Lieutenant, South Irish Horse; MC 1916.

JAMES BRYAN, 7th Baron (1920-2010). Captain, Irish Guards.

BRYAN EDWARD, 8th and present Baron (b 1943). Sometime major, Irish Guards.

BARMEATH CASTLE, near Dunleer, is one of County Louth's most outstanding country houses. The Bellew family have lived here since the 12th century.

The Castle has manifested the changing fortunes of the family: The exuberantly crenellated façade of the 1830s and the designs of Thomas Smith contribute to its appeal and the survival of some of the earlier fabric contributes to its archaeological and historical merit.

Originally the site of a medieval castle of the Pale, it was enlarged in the mid-18th century into a Georgian residence. At this stage it was a plain three storey, seven bay, double gable-ended house.

In 1839 it was enlarged and castellated to the designs of either John B Keane or Thomas Smith.

What was formerly the entrance front, gained two corner round towers and became the garden front.

To one end of the side elevation, a new entrance was created with a romanesque arch and a square entrance tower, which acted as a porte-cochère.

On the other side, a long wing with turrets and castellation was added to create a courtyard.

The original Georgian façade is still very obvious, especially on the garden front (above).

The interior is intact Georgian with fine plasterwork and a staircase. One of the upstairs rooms features Masonic emblems and was built for the purpose of lodge meetings.

The ornamental river, designed by Thomas Wright, along with the outbuildings and paired gate lodges, add to the overall original site context.