ROEBUCK

ROEBUCK, a district, in the parish of TANEY, half-barony of RATHDOWN, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER, 2 ½ miles (S.) from the General Post-office, Dublin, on the road to Enniskerry, by way of Clonskea: the population is returned with the parish. Roebuck Castle, the seat of A. B. Crofton, Esq., was originally erected at a remote period and strongly fortified. About the year 1534 it was the residence of Lord Trimleston, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland; and it was occupied by James II. and the Duke of Berwick, when they encamped in this neighbourhood. It was subsequently suffered to fall into decay, until about the year 1790, when it was repaired by the then Lord Trimleston, who fitted up one of the apartments, a noble room, 50 feet in length, as a theatre. About 10 years after it was purchased by James Crofton, Esq., the father of the present proprietor, who pulled down a portion of the buildings, and modernised the remainder, of which the room before mentioned, now used as the drawing-room, is the only remaining part of the old castle.

This district is chiefly occupied by handsome villas, situated in tastefully disposed grounds, many of which command magnificent views of the bay and city of Dublin, the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, and the beautiful adjacent country. Among these are Roebuck Lodge, the residence of J. E. Hyndman, Esq., formerly the manor-house, and about 50 years since the only house in the district with the exception of the castle; Rich View, the residence of M. Powell, Esq.; Springfield, of Sir John Franks, Knt.; Roebuck House, of J. Power, Esq.; Roebuck, of John Ennis, Esq.; Mount Dillon, of the Rev. Dr. Prior; Roebuck Hall, of the Rt. Hon. Fras. Blackburne; Moorefield, of P. Curtis, Esq.; Prospect House, of Lady Harty; Roebuck Park, of George Kinahan, Esq.; Roebuck Villa, of D. Kinahan, Esq.; Farm Hill, of James Pratt, Esq.; Castle View, of A. Brewster, Esq.; Roebuck House, of J. D. Farrer, Esq.; Roebuck Grove, of Jno. Cumming, Esq.; Casino, of George Stapleton, Esq.; Rosemount, of R. Corballis, Esq.; Rose Vale, of George Thorpe, Esq.; Rose Villa, of L. E. Leipsett, Esq., M.D.; Roebuck, of R. Connor, Esq.; Bloom Villa, of Colonel Thackeray; Bird Avenue, of F. Codd, Esq.; Hermitage, of W. C. Quinn, Esq.; Friarsland, of C. Copland, Esq.; and Ivy Lodge, of Robert Billing, Esq.

Adjoining Roebuck Castle is a remarkable walnut tree, which grew out of an old wall, carrying in its trunk a large stone that is now upwards of four feet from the ground. Several coins of Elizabeth and James I. have been found here.

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