The Lawton Paintings

In April 2026, Skibbereen & District Historical Society were gifted three old paintings that once belonged to the Lawton family of Aughadown parish.

The first of the paintings is a portrait of Hugh Lawton (1778-1859). A colourful and sometimes controversial local landlord and justice of the peace, who, for much of his life, resided in Lake Marsh House, Aughadown. Educated in Eton and Oxford the portrait of him as a child was possibly painted before he was sent off to boarding school.
The second painting is another portrait, which is believed to be of Hugh’s uncle, William Hutchinson of Bantry.

The third is a painting of a ship. One of Hugh’s sons, William Henry, was the captain of a merchant ship, the Dartmouth, and the family tradition was that the painting was of that ship.
These paintings will be on display to the public from 3pm to 8pm and at 7pm local historian William Casey will give a short talk about Hugh Lawton and the three paintings.