Built / Designed For: General Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton.

House & Family History: Rockingham was a house designed in a classical style for General Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton, a younger son of the 2nd Earl of Kingston. It was originally a house of two stories with a prominent curved central bow with a semi-circular Ionic colonnade, all topped by an impressive dome. In 1822 a third story was added to the House to provide more bedrooms; sadly, this addition obscured the dome. Rockingham contained an impressive Hall with a fine and very large imperial staircase. The House was severely burned in a 1957 fire, after which the last owner, Sir Cecil Stafford-King-Harmon, sold the Estate to the Irish Department of Lands, who demolished the ruins of the House and turned the grounds into a forest park.

Garden & Outbuildings: The Rockingham Estate was magnificent and featured a Gothic gatehouse.

John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. II, p. 46, 1855.

House Listed: Demolished

Park Listed: Unknown

Past Seat / Home of: General Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton, early 19th century; The Hon. Laurence King-Harman, 19th century; Sir Cecil Stafford-King-Harman, 2nd Bt., 20th century.

Current Ownership Type: Government

Primary Current Ownership Use: Public Park

Ownership Details: The house was demolished in the 1950s by the Irish government, who now own the grounds, which are open to the public.

House Open to Public: Grounds Only

Historic Houses Member: No