Newbridge House
Photo credit: Newbridge House, courtesy of Mark Broderick
Newbridge Demesne is the only surviving intact 18th century demesne landscape in County Dublin. The Georgian Villa, designed landscape, farmyard and walled garden are rare examples of an historic estate and have a long connection with the original owners, the Cobbe family. The original Newbridge House was built between 1698 and 1705, and the current house, designed by Scottish architect James Gibbs (and not Richard Castle as had been suggested) was completed in 1752.
The Cobbe family originated in Hampshire in England and Charles Cobbe came to Ireland in 1717 to serve as chaplain to his cousin, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Cobbe, who became Archbishop of Dublin in 1743, first bought land at Newbridge, Lanistown and Haggardstown in 1736. In 1985 Dublin County Council (later Fingal County Council) bought Newbridge Demesne from the Cobbe family and work began on repair and conservation. Newbridge House hosts the County Show, Flavours of Fingal. The farm at Newbridge hosts a large collection of farm machinery from the locality. The square and cobbled courtyard, which was designed by Robert Mack (built around 1790) features a dairy, a carpenter’s shop, a forge, stables, and a labourer’s cottage complete with original tools, implements and furniture.
One of the most significant aspects of the collections at Newbridge is an archive of Cobbe family papers including diaries, personal and family correspondence and documents dealing with landlord-tenant relationships, not only on the Donabate peninsula, but also in counties Wicklow and Louth.
Photo credit: Photograph from Life of Frances Power Cobbe, 1894
Did you know….
Frances Power Cobbe (1822-1904) ran Newbridge Demesne for almost twenty years, introducing farming methods to alleviate the suffering of tenants during the Famine. On the death of her father in 1857 she went on to travel extensively, became a lead writer for the London Echo; was involved in feminist campaigns for the vote, for women to be admitted to study at university on the same terms as men and for married women's property rights, founded the National Anti-Vivisection Society, wrote extensively on philosophical matters, retiring to Wales in 1884 with her partner Mary Lloyd.
Find out more
Newbridge House and Demesne, Conservation Plan (2019), Fingal County Council
Newbridge House and Farm https://www.newbridgehouseandfarm.com/newbridgehouse/a-brief-history/
A video from the Fingal Heritage from Above series, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKPc16v1LcQ
A video about the Red Drawing Room and conservation of the 1828 curtains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pUJsJojM6g
