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The Fetherston name can also be spelled Fetherstone, Featherston, Featherstone or Featherstonehaugh.

An 1840 Engraving of Fetherston Castle, Northumberland, England.

Fetherston Castle, Northumberland, England, was built circa. 1070 and was the original medieval home of the Fetherston family. In 1191 William the Lion (who was of Fetherston lineage) gave the manor to his daughter Isobel upon her marriage. The castle eventually passed back to the pure Featherstonehaugh lineage in the 16th century.

The Fetherston's of Ardagh

The Baronetage became extinct on the death of George Ralph Fetherston in 1923

History of Ardagh House

1. Ownership ~1703-1749
   It is generally accepted that some members of the Fetherston family had moved to Ireland by 1651. It is not clear when the first Fetherston came and settled in Ardagh. However, we do know that the first recorded Fetherston in Ardagh was Thomas Fetherston and that he bought the house and 235 acres of land, sometime in and around 1703. He bought some or all of this land from a Farrell. He died in 1749. He was the first Ardagh Featherstone to receive a Baronetage.

2. Ownership 1749-1780
   Upon the death of Thomas Fetherston, the fledling estate passed to his youngest son, Ralph Fetherston. He was married twice, first in 1752 to Elizabeth Auchmuty and later in 1757 to Sarah Wills of Willsgrove, Co Roscommon.(Teathbha Vol 2 No 1  of July 1980). He had nine children. He died in 1780.

3. Owership 1780-1819
   Upon the death of Ralph Fetherston, the estate was inherited by his only surviving son, Thomas Fetherston. He married Catherine Whitney (often referred to as Kitty) and they had eleven children. He was a member of the Irish Parliment which voted for the Act of Union in 1801, and thereafter served as Irish MP at Westminster. He died in 1819 and Catherine (Kitty) died in 1804. They are buried in the old Church of St. Patrick, in Ardagh. Catherine had a relative, Ann Ward Griffith, who lived with her for a time but it is not known how they were related.

4. Ownership 1819-1853
   Upon the death of Thomas Fetherston, the estate was inherited by his youngest son Sir George Ralph Fetherston in 1819. Sir George was born in 1784 and died on 12th July 1853. He married Frances Elizabeth Solly. They had no children.

5. Ownership 1853-1853 (6 weeks only)
   As Sir George had no children, he was succeeded by his brother Rev. Thomas Francis Fetherston in 1853, but he died six weeks later at the age of 53. He was married to Adeline Godley in 1823 and later to Anne L'Estrange. He had eleven children.

6. Ownership 1853-1865
   His oldest son, Thomas John Fetherston suceeded the Rev. Thomas Fetherston. He married Sarah Wilcock and they had three children. They did major work in extending the original house and also in re-designing Ardagh village as a tribute to his late uncle Sir George. This work involved moving the main street away from the front of the house to its present location and the creation of the village green and building of most of the present houses. Frances Elizabeth had the famous Clock Tower built and dedicated to the memory of her dear late husband. It still stands in the Village beside the Village Green. Thomas John died in 1869 (some references give 1865).

7. Ownership 1865-1923
   George Ralph Fetherston was the youngest son of Thomas John Fetherston and he succeeded Thomas John as heir in 1865 at the tender age of 13. He was the last Fetherston to own the Big house or to live in Ardagh, and thus brought to an end the Fetherston Family line in Ardagh. He was born in 1852 and died in Worchester, England in 1923. He was a very talented man and has many music compositions and other works published. He travelled widely and had many interests. He spent a lot of time away from Ardagh. In 1903 he sold the Freehold of their farms to over 300 of his tenants under the Irish Land Act of 1903 but retained the house and the surrounding lands until his death in 1923.

Ownership 1927-2008
The house was partially destroyed by fire in 1922 during the time of Irish Independence. It was sold to the Sisters of Mercy in 1927 who established a convent there. The house was again badly destroyed by fire in 1949 and the top floor had to be removed as a result. Over the years the Sisters have greatly extended and re-modelled the old house and for many years it served as a school of Domestic Science, until it was sold in 2008.

Ardagh House in 2003

Grouse Lodge

Many of the Fetherston family settled in various locations within the Irish Midlands, mostly in Counties Westmeath and Longford. For example, Grouse Lodge, in Kilcumreragh, Co Westmeath was home to the Featherstonehaugh Branch of the Featherstone Family.

 

The American Branch of the Featherston Family

There is now a branch of the Featherston family in America and recently two of this family (Elaine Boston and her daughter Carrie) visited Ardagh. This branch of the family are descended from a William Featherston, born 1710-18 who may have travelled direct from England to the United States or may have left from Ireland. It is more likely that he left from England for the United States in the early 1700s. This branch appears to have migrated from Virginia then to Tennessee, Missouri and the deep South. It is very unlikely that he was an Ardagh Fetherston, but he may have been a close relation of the Fetherston's who left England at around the same time and came to Ireland, and ultimately settled in Ardagh. On the right is his earliest known decendant, Columbus Cicero Featherston. Below are more descendants, right up to the present day.

Columbus Cicero Featherston 1847-1890 Portrait probably from 1867-70.

Henry Marion Featherston, his wife, Etta Rideout Featherston and their two children in 1912. The baby in arms is Charles Henry Featherson and the little girl is his sister Clarise Featherston.

Charles Henry Featherston in 1943 (who was baby in arms in photo on left) and his wife Ellen O'Brien Featherston, with their children Ellen Elaine and Charles Ronald.

Elaine Boston (Nee Featherston) (Pictured above right as a little girl) with her daughter Carrie in 2003 in the Former Featherston home.

Elaine Boston and Carrie in 2003 at the Clock Tower, Ardagh Village.

Many thanks to Elaine for providing these photos and family history of the American Branch of the Featherston Family. As she completes the family tree more information shall be added to this page. If you have additional information or photographs that you wish to have included please email the webmaster.

Cuthbert Fetherston
(Stanford Le Hope near Basildon, England)

When Queen Elizabeth died in 1603 the Scottish 'James Stewart' fetched his court to London and amongst his followers was Cuthbert Fetherston. He became the Kings usher and Cryer 1607-1615. For more information on Cuthbert and his decendants Henry, Sir Heneage, Sir Henry, Matthew Featherstonhaugh and Sir Harry featherstonhaugh please visit the historic Hassenbrook Hall which was their residence from 1607-1787. This site contains a beautiful Featherstone Crest and many fine Featherstone Portraits and Residences dating from the 1700s as well as other family information.

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