JamesBrook Hall

JamesBrook Hall

This house can be seen from across the bay from Rostellan, who owned this house ……?

It was built by the Cork business family of  Goold towards the end of the 17’th century, possibly between 1685-1688. In the three short years of the reign of James II, hence the name Jamesbrook Hall. Michael Goold the first documented owner died there in 1722. Michael married Alice Rondelet (Roudelet), the daughter of a French Huguenot Rev. who was Chaplain to the French prisoners in Kinsale. The Rostellan estate records state that the Goold’s rented Jamesbrook Hall from the Earl of Inchiquin from early in the 18’th century. Michael Goold was also an agent to William the 3’rd Earl of Inchiquin.

Kinsale French Prison

Michael’s eldest son James Goold died in 1784 and another Michael Goold in 1787. In 1775 Frances Goold married Wallis Adams.                                                                                              Wallis Adams was descendant of the Adams family of Kilbree house. (Kilbree house is a country farm-house situated outside of Castlemartyr, not to far from Jamesbrook Hall)

Kilbree House

Adams family:  Descendants of Edward Adams of Doneraile  was born in London in 1630 and had a grant of  2,038 acres in Cork from Charles II. At Edward’s death the Kilbree house went to Roger Wallis (1684-1740) Then to Samuel Adams (1714-)who married Penelope Wallis. Samuel planted 40,700 trees on the Kilbree estate. The property was left to Wallis Adams (1749-1818) who then married Frances and so joining these two houses together. Both Kilbree House and Jamesbrook Hall  went to their son Michael Goold-Adams (1778-1817) Michael Goold-Adams planted 27,620 trees at Jamesbrook Hall between 1807 and 1811. Michael Goold Adams possibly had an illegitimate daughter Anne that he gave Kilva house to as a dowry when she married CharlesTerry. As well as £110 per annum. When Charles Terry and Anne had a son they christened him Michael Goold Tyre. Michael Goold Adams married in 1800 Martha White the daughter of Simon White of Bantry Bay House and sister to the first Earl of Bantry.

Hamilton Goold Adams

Their eldest son Richard Wallis Goold Adams was born on 27’th March 1802. And died on 5 May 1873. He held the office of justice of the peace for Country Cork as well as the office of High Sherrif for country Cork in 1868. He married Sarah Wrixon Becher in 1852.  She was the daughter of Sir WM Wrixon Becher of Ballygiblin. They had seven sons. One becoming a rector, one settling in Corbally in Glanmire and the other 5

Lady Morgan accompanied by Govenor Sir Hamilton John Goold Adams presenting a bouquet on the Bombala Brisbane in 1915

joined the army. One of them Sir Hamilton J. Goold Adams , possibly the most well-known. He was a soldier and Governor. He started his career as an apprentice on a ship but changed his mind and joined the Royal Scot’s Regiment in 1878. Became Captain in 1885 and Major in 1895. He served mostly in South Africa in 1884-1901 and led several expeditions North of South Africa one of these nearly fatal. He returned to England and married Elsie Riordan of Canada and had two children . He was the High Commisioner in Cyprus in 1911 and Govenor of Queensland in 1914-1920. He left Brisbone in Jan. 1920 to retire in England but contracted Pleurisy on the ship and died in Cape Town.

The eldest son Major William Richard Goold Adams, of the first Dragoon Guards succeeded to Jamesbrook Hall. As well as holding the office of Justice of the Peace. He died unmarried in May13, 1931 so ending 250 years of unbroken possession of  Jamesbrook Hall.

Jamesbrook Hall is a detached T-plan, 5 Bay, three storey Country House. Built in 1780 with a single Bay, single storey porch to the east.

Main Block: ( facing East) Hipped slate roof, rendered chimney stacks, overhanging eaves and cast iron rain water goods. Lined and ruled rendered walls with rendered quoins. Square headed diminishing windows with limestone sills and sliding sash windows nine-to-six pane to ground floor, six-over-six to first floor and six-over-three to second floor.

Square headed opening to porch with timber panelled door set in square-headed recessed panel with rectangular recessed panel above and cut limestone threshold.

Ashlar walls to porch with central recess, carved architrave frieze and cornice. imposing facade made significant impact, elegance of classical facade enhanced by bow and fine porch  which displays high standard of stone crafting and classical influence in architrave, frieze and cornice. Diminishing openings and retention of timber sash windows enhance facade and form. The polite and elegant front facade contrasts with the block to the rear which are also of merit and retain much of the original fabric and form.

Bow to North. Square headed diminishing windows to bow without limestone without limestone sills. Timbersliding sash windows. Windows to bow are bowed. As well as sash windows and spoked fanlights. Single Bay block built-in 1700. Pitched slate roof to rear blocks , hiped and pitched slate roof to west most block, all with rendered chimney stacks.  Rough cast rendered walls. Two storeys former outbuildings , recently renovated and now in use as house.