Cradockstown, County Kildare

The Cradockstown estate, south-east of Naas, and including parts of the neighbouring townlands of Baltracey, Eadestown and Philipstown, was one of the earliest Eustace family properties and was thereafter held by the Eustaces of Cradockstown for more than four centuries in an unbroken line. They were buried in the nearby churchyard of Tipper but no monument remains, nor is there now any sign of their castle. The name of the last of the line, Colonel William Eustace, carved in the stable-yard of Cradockstown House is now their sole memorial. The estate contains one of the two Longstones of Punchestown.

The lands were forfeited by Lord John de Boneville (who was killed by Arnold FitzEustace LePoer in 1309 (see p. 273). De Bonvile’s forfeited lands were granted to “Walter de Istelepe” possibly a misspelling of Eustace) in 1317 and by 1366 had come into the hands of Richard FitzEustace, (perhaps the son of the Robert FitzEustace, Lord Treasurer of Ireland 1327-30, who is difficult to place) who by his wife Margaret left a son Robert, who was High Sheriff of Kildare in 1375 and 1378, when he must have died in office, for the estate was then held in custody by John Eustace of Newland during the minority of Robert’s son (Thomas?). Robert’s grandson, William (probably the William FitzThomas who was High Sheriff in 1408) was one of the Coroners of the County from 1422 till 1435, and died about 1452. During the minority of his son, David, the estate was placed in the custody of Roland FitzEustace, later Lord Portlester.

David’s son, William, was High Sheriff in 1509 and by 1514 had added Phillipstown to the estate, held from the 10th Earl of Kildare. His son, Richard, was a King’s Juror in 1535 and 1537, and was the father of Nicholas Eustace whose name often occurs in the old records. He was a Juror in 154! and 1551, a co-lessee of the Tipper tythes in 1547, High Sheriff in 1556, and received a pardon the next year. In 1558 he was a Keeper (Justice) of the Peace, and in 1559 was elected MR for the County, but he died the same year, leaving by his wife, Rose Aylmer, a son ALEXANDER.

The family continued as follows: Alexander Eustace married Maud, daughter of 2nd Viscount Baltinglass and died 1576 leaving a son Nicholas Eustace, born 1572, a juror in 1613, who married Janet, daughter of Robert Talbot. William Eustace the eldest of their seven children was a juror in 1634 and married Jane, daughter of Nicholas Whyte of Leixlip. His lands (which included Cradockstown, Phulipstown and part of Rathmore, and also Broadfield in Bren’cktown parish” which was restored as part of the town and fields of Naas) were forfeited after 1641, but only temporarily and passed to Christopher Eustace, the elder of his two sons. Christopher Eustace married Anne Fielding but died young leaving her with six infant children who were placed under the guardianship of their uncle Thomas Eustace, a Jesuit. William Eustace, the eldest married in 1702 Mary daughter of Thomas Aylmer of Lyons, and died in 1746 leaving four children. Alexander Eustace the eldest married in 1719 Jane, daughter of Patrick Lattin of Morristown Lattin (see Castlekeely), and died in 1752 leaving six children; William (Colonel); Mary who married Sir Duke Gifford, Bart., of Castle Jordan, Co. Meath; Anne who married Caulfield of Lomonstown, Co. Wicklow; and Alexander, John and George who did not marry.

Colonel William, Eustace, the eldest, at first lived in the Eustace castle at Naas. In 1762 he commanded a regiment of Grenadiers in Germany, and in 1768 was High Sheriff of County Kildare. At the Spring Assizes of 1772 he was one of the Gentlemen of Kildare, and in 1779 was one of the signatories (headed by Lord Allen) of the resolution not to use imported goods until trade restrictions were removed. The same year he and Robert Graydon drew up and approved for the signature of the Duke of Leinster the first of fifty-two Naas Volunteers” agreeing to form a troop of dragoons under Lord Allen. He died without issue, his estate passing to his sisters, Mary Gifford and Anne Cauldfield. Mary’s line became extinct, and the Cauldfields sold to Mr. John La Touche, who had bought Harristown and several other Eustace estates. The property (including the small townland of Bullock Park and parts of Rathmore) was acquired by the Dillon family and sold in 1858 by the executors of Mary Anne Agnes Dillon, who had married Arthur Francis, brother of the 3rd Viscount Southwell. The gross rents were then £1,566.

 These pages © Ronald Eustice, 2007