Ruins of Killua Castle, County Westmeath, Ireland.
Killua Castle is the ancestral home of the Chapman Family who were granted the lands around Killua in 1667 as payment for services during the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland. It is located in County Westmeath, Ireland.
The Chapman Family can count many distinguished members of both the Irish and British Parliaments among its members and has important historical connections with Sir Walter Raleigh and Lawrence of Arabia, who was the illegitimate son of Thomas Chapman of South Hill (near Delvin). The original castle/house at Killua was probably demolished when the present edifice was constructed c.1780 by Sir Benjamin Chapman. It is believed that the renowned architect Thomas Cooley (1740-1784) may have been responsible for the design of the new classical residence at Killua, c.1780.
Other prominent lines of the family have immigrated to America leaving a noteworthy posterity there.
Killua Castle was originally the property of the Knights Hospitalliers of St. John before its confiscation of Sir Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil Wars.
Raleigh Obelisk[]
Sir Walter Raleigh Plaque, erected by Sir Thomas Chapman, 1810 (the "G" is probably vandalism).
The obelisk, erected in 1810 by Sir Thomas Chapman some 200m to 300m from the house, marks the position where Sir Walter Raleigh planted some of the first potatoes that he imported to Ireland.[1] Antoine Parmentier who promoted the cultivation of potatoes for human consumption and the Spanish conquistadores who first imported them from South America along the south and west Irish coast are also associated with Irish potato promotion. However, it is uncertain who is initially responsible of the first potato plantation in Ireland, even though Raleigh is frequently credited with this milestone in Irish history.
Sir Walter Raleigh Commemoration Obelisk, erected by the Chapmans in 1810
The inscription on the obelisk currently reads "Sir Walter G. Raleigh," but there is no other evidence that Raleigh had a middle name, and the "G" appears to be vandalism added after the original inscription. The obelisk has been recently restored through a grant from the Irish Georgian Society.
- Building of Ireland
- Killua Castle
- [1]
- - 2009-Oct-31 : Irish Times reports update on Killua Castle, which has quite the local reputation as a haunted house.
- - TE Lawrence Studies Website - Much family history here.
Early Chapman Family History[]
This family appears to have been of ancient extraction and to have long resided in and near the town of Hinckley, Leicestershire, England. The first Chapmans to remove to Ireland (in the days of the Irish Rebellion), were two brothers, John and William Chapman. They were supported by Sir Walter Raleigh (who was their cousin maternal-german and early resident of Killua Castle) in procuring a sizeable tract of land in the County of Kerry. After the fall of their patron, the Chapmans were olbiged to sell the property for a noteworthy sum of 26,400 pounds to the first Earl of Cork. John died 8 years after that alienation and William died twelve years after that. William was survived by the one son, Captain Benjamin Chapman.
Barons of Killia[]
Benjamin Chapman (1621-) was a captain in the armies of Cromwell that fought in the English Civil War. He was awarded with the estate of Killua Castle in Ireland. One line of his family were barons of Killua Castle. One very prominent descendant here was T.E. Lawrence, AKA Lawrence of Arabia.
- Benjamin Chapman (1754-1810) - 1st Chapman Baronet ( BChapman, WChapman, BChapman1) - a practicing Barrister in 1768. He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Law (LL.D.) by Dublin University. Grandson of the Captain.
- Sir Thomas Chapman (1756-1837) - 2nd Chapman Baronet - Brother of 1st Baronet,
- Montagu Lowther Chapman (1808-1853) - 3rd Chapman Baronet - Member of Parliament for Westmeath Co, Ireland (1830-1841), Sheriff of Westmeath Co (1841), Died at Sea near Australia. No issue.
- Sir Benjamin James Chapman (1810-1888) - 4th Chapman Baronet - Brother of 3rd Baronet, He was a practising Barrister in 1835. Member of Parliament (M.P.) for County Westmeath between 1841 and 1847.
- Sir Montagu Richard Chapman (1853-1907) - 5th Chapman Baronet - He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the 9th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Militia). He held the office of Sheriff of County Westmeath in 1889.
- Sir Benjamin Rupert Chapman (1865-1914) - 6th Chapman Baronet - brother of Montagu, but no issue. title passes to nephew.
- Thomas R.T. Chapman (1846-1919) - 7th Chapman Baronet - Noteworthy as the father of Thomas Edward Lawrence (1888-1935) (AKA: Lawrence of Arabia.)