In 1771, the King family moved from their house in Boyle to the newly built Kingston Hall on what is now the Rockingham estate. The footprint and walled gardens of this house still exist and indicate its substantial size.[3][4] It was later referred to as Kingston Lodge or the Steward's Lodge.[5]
Rockingham house was later developed by Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton and designed by one of the preeminent architects of the day, John Nash around 1809–10.[6] The planned gardens were designed by John Sutherland around the same time and included servant's tunnels, follies, lodges and miniature castles.
In 1822, a third story was added to the house and the grand dome was removed significantly distorting Nash's original design.
A number of other notable structures were also built on the estate around the same time including stables (1845)[7] and a later gothic lodge and entrance gate.[8][9]
The house was largely damaged by a fire in 1860 and was at that stage rebuilt.
^John Clapison and Tríona Mullaney-Dignam, Rockingham: Memories of a vanished mansion (Third Edition), pps. 26-27. King House, Boyle, County Roscommon, 2013.
^John Clapison and Tríona Mullaney-Dignam, Rockingham: Memories of a vanished mansion (Third Edition), p. 26. King House, Boyle, County Roscommon, 2013.