Caledon Conservation Area Booklet September 2003

The Hamiltons and after-mid 1 7 to ~ late 18~
century
Muntir Birn was not disposed of until after the Restoration. In
1667,possession was granted to Captain WiUam Hamilton of
Lurgacullion. Hamilton was a distant relative of the Abercorn
family and as a loyal officer, had fought in Ireland, Scotland and
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England. He built himself a house close to Kinard. The house and :, ,,
the estate lands became known as 'Caledon'. As the estate village.
,#4-
Kinard also eventually adopted the name.
By the third generation of Hamiltons, the Caledon estate passed to William's
grandaughter, Margaret. In 1738 she married JohnEbyie, Sm Earl of Orrery* Orrery,
was an improving landlord who wrote that "...treesare the best monument that a
man can erect to his own memoty..." He was the biographer of JonathanSwift and a
friend of Dr Johnson. He constructed a folly-like 'bone house' in the garden
(actually faced with ox bones) which is the only element of his garden
ornamentationto still sunive.
'. .m
On the death of his kinsman, Richard,
the Earl of Corke, in 1753 Orrery
became 'Earl of Corke and Orrery'.
Margaret died in 1758 and with the
death of the Earl himself in 1762, the
Caledon estate passed to their son,
Edmund. He is noted for being a
spendthrift, "devoted to the most wretched
voluptuousness" who lived mostly in
Gloucestershire.
Rev JohnWesIey-the founder of
Methodism and friend of Canon
Congreave, the incumbent of Caledon-