Gaulstown, also spelt Gallstown is a townland in

County Westmeath "Noble above nobility" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg , subdivision_type = Sovereign state, Country , subdivision_name = Republic of Ireland, Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Provinces o ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. The townland is located in between the towns of

Rochfortbridge Rochfortbridge () is a village in County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The village is located at the intersection of the R400 road (Ireland), R400 and the R446 road, R446 (formerly the N6 road (Ireland), N6) roads. As of the 2016 cen ...

and

Milltownpass Milltownpass () is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located in the south of the county on the R446 regional road (formerly the N6 national primary route). The old route was replaced by a dual-carriageway from Kinnegad to Tyrre ...

, close to the R446 regional road.. Neighbouring townlands include Bellfield, Corcloon,

Drumman Drumman, also known as Drummond is a townland in Milltownpass in County Westmeath, Ireland. The townland is in the civil parish of Pass of Kilbride and is on the border with County Offaly. The M6 Motorway cuts through the middle of the townland, a ...

, Milltown and

Windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called windmill sail, sails or blades, specifically to mill (grinding), mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and ...

to the east,

Gibbonstown Gibbonstown is a townland in County Westmeath, Ireland. The townland is located in the civil parish of Kilbride. The R400 regional road runs to the west of the area. The townland of Fearmore lies to the south, Gaulstown and Whitewell White ...

and

Gortumly Gortumly is a townland in County Westmeath, Ireland, within the civil parish of Castlelost. The R446 regional road cuts through the south of the townland with the R400 to the west. The town of Rochfortbridge is directly to the south in the townlan ...

to the west and Mahonstown to the north.

History

The townland is recorded on the Griffith Valuation in

1868 Events January–March * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Jap ...

, under Gallstown. A total of 10 tenants are listed in the

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...

, residing on property owned by the Lord Kilmaine. The Lord Kilmaine himself ( Francis Browne, 4th Baron Kilmaine) is also residing in the townland.

Gaulstown House

Gaulstown House was a large

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

that stood on the townland. The house was home of the Rochfort family for centuries, before being passed to

John Browne, 1st Baron Kilmaine John Browne, 1st Baron Kilmaine (20 May 1726 – 7 June 1794), known as Sir John Browne, 7th Baronet, from 1765 to 1789, was an Irish politician. Kilmaine was the younger son of Sir John Browne of The Neale, 5th Baronet, and Margaret Dodwell. Hi ...

and his descendents. It was largely demolished in an attack by the

Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a name used by various paramilitary organisations in Ireland throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Organisations by this name have been dedicated to irredentism through Irish republicanism, the belief tha ...

during the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

Residents of the house included: *

James Rochfort James Rochfort (died 1652) was a leading lieutenant colonel in Oliver Cromwell's Army during the English Civil War. He was better known by the nickname ''Prime Iron'' Rochfort. Early life James Rochfort was the son of James Rochfort, who in turn ...

(until his death in 1652) * Robert Rochfort (1652-1727) * George Rochfort *

Robert Rochfort, 1st Earl of Belvedere Robert Rochfort, 1st Earl of Belvedere PC (26 March 1708 – 13 November 1774) was an Anglo-Irish politician and peer. He became notorious for his abusive treatment of his second wife, Mary Molesworth. Early life He was the son of Rt. Hon. G ...

(1708-1774) *

George Rochfort, 2nd Earl of Belvedere George Augustus Rochfort, 2nd Earl of Belvedere (12 October 1738 – 13 May 1814) was an Anglo-Irish peer and politician. Early years George Augustus Rochfort was born on 12 October 1738, son of Robert Rochfort, 1st Earl of Belvedere and Hon. ...

(1738-sold the home in 1784) *

(1730–1794, purchased the home in 1784) * James Caulfeild Browne, 2nd Baron Kilmaine (1765–1825) * John Cavendish Browne, 3rd Baron Kilmaine (1794–1873) * Francis William Browne, 4th Baron Kilmaine (1843–1907) * John Edward Deane Browne, 5th Baron Kilmaine (1878–1946)

References

{{coord, 53.4351, -7.2824, region:IE-G, display=title Townlands of County Westmeath Edward Lovett Pearce buildings