Rappa Castle,
Co. Mayo
& 
Moyview
Co. Sligo

My interest in Irish country houses and castles stems from researching the history of my family and their connection with two houses, Rappa Castle in Mayo and Moyview in Sligo.

Rappa Castle in the 1890's(Picture David Hicks)

Rappa Castle lies in ruins today (Picture Copyright David Hicks)

In “ A Guide to Irish Country House”, Rappa Castle located near Crossmolina in Co. Mayo  is described as an early or mid-eighteenth century house consisting of a three storey centre block of four bays with two storey, two bay wings. The centre block and the side wings also had high pitched gable ended roofs, with tall chimneys in the gable ends. The castle was once home to the Crofton family with a castle being built on the site in the fifteenth century by the Burke family. It eventually came in to the ownership of a gentleman by the name of Francis Knox who was resident in the castle in 1798 and previously in 1786 the house was mentioned as being ‘the pleasant seat of Mr. Knox’. Francis Knox was the third son of Francis Knox of Moyne Abbey and Dorothy Annesley. Francis died in 1813 having married and produced six sons and six daughters. He was succeeded by his eldest son Annesley Gore Knox who died in 1839. He had married Harriett in 1793 who was the sister of Sir Ross Mahon. Harriett and Annesley had eight sons and five daughters.  The eldest surviving son inherited Rappa, also named Annesley who was succeeded by his son Captain Annesley Arthur Knox who was stationed in India with the army.

Harriet Knox, my great grandmother and the daughter of Captain Annesley Knox of Rappa Castle (Picture Copyright David Hicks)

This castle was once the home of my great grandmother Harriet Knox who was the daughter of Captain Annesley Arthur Knox, the landlord in the area at the time. It was said that Captain Knox mixed little in public affairs but in the hunting field his personality made a good impression with many people. In Harriet’s bible she records the death of her father at Rappa Castle on 8th April 1897. She obviously was very fond of her father as she refers to him as ' my own darling dad' which was extremely affectionate for the reserved times. Captain Knox was master of the North Mayo Harriers and soon after his death a meeting of its members was held in the Moy Hotel in Ballina to express their deep grief at losing their master.

The former gate lodge to Rappa Castle which survives today ( Picture Copyright David Hicks)

At the time of Griffith's Valuation the Rappa estate included six townlands in the parish of Bekan and one townland in parish of Aghamore, barony of Costello and at least three townlands in each of the parishes of Ardagh,Ballysakerry and Kilfian, barony of Tirawley, county Mayo. In 1876 the Rappa Estate consisted of 6,855 acres in county Mayo and 724 acres in county Galway The death of Captain Annesley Knox heralded the beginning of the end for Rappa Castle. His beloved daughter Harriet under the inheritance laws of the time was not allowed to inherit the estate. She was passed over in favour of the male line and as a result the estate passed to her uncle and his son, Ross and Ronald.

On the day of his funeral, the carriages of the local gentry began to assemble at the castle together with the tenants of the estate. His coffin was placed in the hall of the castle where on the mantelpiece were placed items associated with his love of the hunt. Of the many wreaths that’s were placed upon the coffin was one from his daughter stating –‘In fond and loving memory, from Harrie’. Captain Knox is buried on a hill near the castle, where many members of the family have been interred and their monuments exist today in a dishevelled state. One month after the death of Annesley Knox an auction was advertised under the instructions of the executors of the late Captain Knox, the entire outdoor effects of the castle, cattle, sheep, farming equipment, carts and carriages went under the hammer. After this auction the entire grazing of the estate was to be let for eleven months which extended to over 400 acres. Also sold were Captains Knox’s horses which he used for hunting and it was noted in the auction literature Captain Knox was one of the best judges of horses in the hunter class in the west of Ireland. On the day of the auction which was attended by over 300 people who were all served lunch. At the time of the 1901 census, the castle was occupied by Ross M. Knox, his wife Violet, son Ronald aged 10 and a daughter Una aged 6. Also present in the castle were a governess and two servants. By 1911 only Ross and his son Ronald are present in the castle together with four servants. 

Harriet and her husband Arthur Hicks ( Picture copyright David Hicks)

By 1901 Harriet aged 24 was living in Ely Place in Dublin and listed her birthplace as the exotic location of India and also lists herself as benefiting from a private income.  By the time of the 1911 census, Harriet had married Arthur Hicks and was living in Moyview at Rinroe in County Sligo with their three children and three servants. A year previously they had purchased the house and 159 acres for £1,210 where the family remained until the 1950’s. They first lived in Moyview Cottage but later built a two storey house nearby which survives today. Moyview Cottage was the former house of the Hon. Colonel Wingfield and from the 1850’s the house and estate was occupied by Robert Warren of Castlewarren in Cork. He was a leading expert on birds and during his time in Moyview he wrote extensively on this subject. 

The Hicks's came to live in Moyview in County Sligo, first in Moyview Cottage shown above and later built a two storey house nearby shown below (Pictures copyright of David Hicks)

The Knox’s left Rappa Castle in the 1920’s afterwards it was lived in by the Gillespie family. The upkeep of the castle became too great and it was dismantled in 1937 and now survives in a ruined state. One of the fireplaces from Rappa was installed in one of the homes of the Knox’s in nearby Killala.