1654 The Barony of Dundalk
in
The Down Survey
1654 The Down Survey - Barony of Dundalk
THE COUNTY OF LOUTH ON THE DOWN SURVEY
(R.C. Simington, Dublin)
The distribution of the estates forfeited in consequence of the Rebellion of 1641, was primarily based on the Act passed in the English Parliament in the 17th year of Charles I. (1642). The occasion of the Act was the want of money by the English Parliament for the purpose of carrying out its military operations in the suppression of the Rebellion. It proceeded to raise this money, by way of loan, by offering two and a half million acres of the forfeited land as security: - Each person who adventured £200 to receive one thousand acres in Ulster; for £300, one thousand acres in Connaught; for £450, one thousand acres in Munster; and for £600, one thousand acres in Leinster. The Act further declared that the rights, titles, or interests which the rebels had in the land of Ireland on the 23rd October, 1641, were forfeited and deemed the actual and real possession of the King.
When the rebellion was subdued in 1652 the Commonwealth Parliament was presented with a huge list of arrears of pay due to the army. And so another Act was passed on the 27th of September, 1653, which provided for the satisfaction of this debt also, out of the forfeited estates. This debt, as a matter of fact, was mounting up to an enormous extent, and it was decided to pay the soldiers back in land – this to be done prior to the settlement of adventurers' claims.
The scheme under which the distribution of the land was to take place was another subject of the Act. Commissioners were appointed for the purpose of carrying out its direction. They were to have a survey made of the forfeited lands, and to appoint a court for receiving and hearing claims.
Of the earlier surveys made under this Act the Civil Survey was the more important. Its purpose was the discovery and description of the forfeited lands. From these discoveries and descriptions comprising the Civil Survey, lists were made, and these subsequently supplied the surveyors who admeasured and mapped the lands. This admeasurement and mapping is known as the Down Survey.
The survey of what might be called the military counties was placed in the hands of Doctor William Petty. Petty came to Ireland as a physician to the Parliamentarian army. He was not only a physician but a great mathematician, and he undertook the work on the discovery of inaccuracies in a previous geometrical survey. In his agreement (dated 11th December, 1655) with Benjamin Worsley, the General Surveyor, on behalf of the Commonwealth, Petty contracted to protract and lay down the several parcels of land, with their qualities, areas, metes, and bounds, in baronies, and to return perfect and exact maps for public use of each barony and county. This survey was completed in about thirteen months, and the distribution of the lands to the officers and soldiers was completed about the autumn of 1656.
A similar course was adopted as regards the satisfaction of the adventurers, except that the survey of lands to be set out to them was not entrusted to Petty alone. Dissatisfaction with Petty's work had been expressed by the military claimants, and a joint survey was directed to be made by Benjamin Worsley and William Petty.
This dual appointment of Benjamin Worsley and Doctor Petty to survey the residue of the forfeited lands explained very largely the reason this survey was called the Down Survey, and not, as might be imagined, Petty's survey, or Petty and Worsley's survey.
Doctor Petty, it has been seen, was contractor only for the officers' and soldiers' portion, while the adventurers' part was under joint management. A name, therefore, common to both surveys was taken which, at the same time, expressed the method of the survey, namely, "laying down" from the field books on paper the measurement of the lands in area and form. From the expressions "laying down" the Down Survey took its title, which was perhaps, all things considered, the most appropriate and expedient. Moreover it not only described the survey itself but distinguished it from the earlier estimate surveys which were made by inquisition and not by chain and scale.
Abstracts from the Civil and Down Surveys were then made, divided into counties and bound up in large volumes. These volumes were called Distribution Books, and from them the list of forfeiture (to follow) in the County of Louth is taken. In the first column the names of the persons who were the owners of the land in 1641, and who forfeited, are given; the second, the land in their possession; in the third, the names of the adventurers, officers, soldiers, Innocent Papists, and others whose services were rewarded by grants of land; and in the fourth, the acreage of the land granted.
The appearance of the same person in many cases, in the first and third columns, is explained by their having taken out either a Decree of Innocence or by their holding mortgages or charges on the land. The patents granting the lands to the new owners were made subject to these charges.
Those who claimed their innocence of having taken any part in the rebellion appeared before the Court of Claims, proved their innocence, and produced witnesses and documents to show their title to the lands they occupied. If the court was satisfied it made a Decree confirming the title of the claimants as it existed before the breaking out of the rebellion.
It will be remembered that under an Ordinance of 1652, all persons of the Catholic Religion who had not manifested their constant good affection to the Commonwealth were forfeit one-third of their estates, and to be assigned lands to the value of the other two-thirds where the Commonwealth should appoint. Acting under the Ordinance of 1653 already referred to, Commissioners held Courts at Athlone to determine the qualifications of the Catholics, and made their Decrees accordingly. At Loughrea another set of Commissioners set out the transplantation in Connaught and Clare on the basis of these Decrees.
In conclusion, it may be stated that the soldiers and adventurers were confirmed in their estates by the Acts of Settlement and Explanation of which the Down Survey was the basis. These Acts, together with the "resolution of the doubts by the Lord Lieutenant and Council upon the Act of Settlement and Explanation" formed the code under which the restoration settlement was carried to a conclusion.
CHRISTOPHER BARRES
BARONY OF DUNDALK
Parish of Dundalk
Proprietors in 1641 by the Civill Survey
Denominacons of Land by the Down Survey
Persons to whom Disposed to on the Acts
Acres Granted IPM
Severall Propriets and small parcels
Many Forfeited lands under severall propriets
The Towne and Lands of Dundalke
The Tenants and Towne of Dundalke
Lord Dungannon
Thomas Caskell
Pat Lenan
Sir Robert Reynolds
Anne Dowdall
1200
60
30
809
56
Part of ye Comons
Of ye same Towne
Lod. Of Slaine
73
The Great Bogg
Of Dundalke
Hen. Draycott
127
Another Bogg
Of ye same
Another parcel of Mr. Hammon, Prot.
Comons of ye same
2 pcalls in ye same 27 acres Lisbalregan
John Exham
81
Sr. Christr Bellew
Castletowne Bellew
Sr. Jon Bellew
708
John White I.P.
Balregan
Sr. Robt Reynolds
Lord Dungannon
194
57
Sir Christr Bellew
Tankards Rock
Sr. John Bellew
152
John Draycott of Mornanstowne
Rath
-
Alexander Mayne
Littlemill
Duke of Yorke
59
Law. Dowdall of Athlumney and James Talbott of Corstowne
Great Haggardstowne
Wm Talbott
Jane Dowdall
Duke of Yorke
Sr Jon Bellew
290
290
Sir Christr Bellew
Little Haggardstowne
Sr. Jon Bellew
1261
Parish of Ballebarlick
Garrt Talbott of Corrtowne
Ballebarlick
Lad An Dowdall
Wm Talbott
95
95
Lawrence Dowdall of Athlumney
Killally
Wm Talbott
Lad Anne Dowdall
Ld Massereene
37
37
Newtowne
Ld Massereene
Wm Talbott
Lad Anne Dowdall
37
55
55
Patk Gernon I.P.
In Gibbonstowne, called Carnabrady
-
Thomas Bolton, of Grange, Prot
In ye same called Babesland
John Babe
60
Parish of Hyanstowne
Ld. Of Lowth I.P.
Haynstowne
Gerd Aylmer
Math Plunkett
480
The same and Christr Bellew
Reynoldstowne
Math Plunkett
Gerd Aylmer
Sir Jon Bellew
Math Plunkett
73
73
Pat Gernon
Dunmoghlan, psst
Wm Shaw
380
Parish of Dunbin
Pat Gernon, Hen Gernon and Sr Richd Bellew
Dunbin
Nichl Gernon
Ld Massereene
Sr Jno Bellew
129
222
10
Sir Christr Bellew
Donaghmore
Sr Jno Bellew
319
Alexr Mapus
Thomastowne
Duke of Yorke
77
Sr Christr Bellew
Kilkerly
Sr Jno Bellew
282
William Gough
Knockgorr
William Gough
80
Parish of Lowth
Patrick Bellew, of Verdonstowne
Rahedy
Duke of Yorke
110
John Taaffe of Bragganstowne
Steevenstowne
Ballaclare
Samll Byfield
Christr Taaffe
Roger Gregory
506
13
Lord of Lowth, Henry Gernon and Barnwell of Lisfoyle
Part of Gilbertstowne, called Priorland
Roger Gregory
Gerg Aylmer
Math Plunket
12
54
Thos Plunket, Prot
Ros—ca and part of Gibbstowne
Math Plunket
920
Parish of Barronstowne
Patrick Bellew, of Verdonstowne
Barronstowne
Conegarr
Verdenstowne
Maughreagh
Begnett Barr
Duke of Yorke
Elias Shee
Duke of Yorke
194
165
613
217
Sir Christr Bellew
Phillipstowne
Carrickstucke
Sr Jno Bellew
222
111
Patrick Bellew
Rathmore
Duke of Yorke
135
Parish of Faugher
John White of Balregan
Lurgankill
Carrickedmund
Ballynamoney
Sr Robert Reynolds
Sr Robert Reynolds
334
311
98
Lord Moore, Prot.
Kilcurry
John White afsd
Annaghs
Parish of Ballymascanlan
Oliver Cashell of Dundalk, I.P.
Ballyboybegg
Duke of Yorke
152
Christr White of Maddoxtowne, I.P.
Ballyboybegg
280
Parish of Roche
Sr Christr Bellew of Castletowne
Dockavan
Edencall
Taaffebane
Cavan Reny
Freat Falmore
Clogher
Drumbilly
Little Falmore
Caine
Killyne
Sr John Bellew
92
119
190
266
192
279
285
97
284
101
E. of Kildare, Prot.
The same
Ballevinby
Dromgoole
Parish of Iniskine
Ballyfenan called by those ensuing names:-
Sr Christr Bellew
Tatenskeagh
Lisdromsonnett
Tapparan
Kilconner
Mullaghfunshinagh
Gortine
Corcullin
Corloghan
Sr Jno Bellew
81
42
72
67
79
86
70
82
The five Townes of Fewes (vitz) -
Sr Christr Bellew
Cavanmore
Taughramore
Cavan Drumkin
Carnahuly
Solagagh
Enaghvany
Clantenay
Shanmullagh
Trey
Dartrim, als Rossoonmre
Sr Jno Bellew
112
94
83
118
137
161
145
203
82
83
Parish of Carlingford
Stephen Dowdall, of Castlecooly
Castlecooly, als Cooley
Ratcurr
Johnstonne
Whitestowne
Mullaghatney
5 acres called Dowdall’s Land
Carpetas, and Madoxland
Duke of Yorke
604
161
90
165
70
59
Patr Merriman
Carlingford, with its
600
Patrick White
Hamletts, vitz
Pat Sedgrave
Leminreagh
Ld Dungannon,
Patr Cashell
Upper Mullaghtee, and
Math Plunkett
Randallsland
The same
The Towne, Tenants and Commons of Carlingford
Patrick Sedgrave, of Grange
Castlecurragh
Lisdaragh
Betaghs Rath and Monkesland
Tullatrim
205
55
372
10
Patrick Cashell, of Dundalke
Farrin Altrim and Cartullybeg
Corballis
Pucksland, 12 acres, parts of Corballis
Duke of Yorke
10
99
43
Margarett White
Ffaren Studdery
Killeniskey
22
99
Patrick Bellew, of Verdonstowne
Balltrasney
Ballymahitch
Ballurgan
Elias Shee,
Michael Bellew
Duke of Yorke
37
44
12
463
Christopr White
Ballugge
Kathn Dowdall
Math Dowdall
Duke of Yorke
Ld of Slane
410
75
Lord of Lowth
Ballmamacherry
Artullimore
Ffarrantanly and Creecan
Mary Plunkett
Templetowne
Maghernacra
Ballynamoney
Mullogh
William Legg
259
62
The same
Old Grange
45
Bagnall, Prot
Lower Mullaghty
Muchgrange
Mullabny and
Ballabun (1057 acres)
Irish Grange (157 acres)
Ballyvorey (105 acres)
Omeath (156 acres)
Abbreviations: I.P. – Irish Papist; Ld. – Lord; Papt. - Papist; Prot. – Protestant; Sr. – Sir; B. – Bishop; E. – Earl; C. – Church
This barony was the inheritance, prior to the Anglo-Norman invasion, of the O’Scanlon and O’Coleman chiefs. After the Anglo-Norman settlement it formed the estates of the Taaffes, De Gernons, De Verdons and Dromgooles.
In following the forfeitures made in 1641, the reader may meet along the way many of his ancestors, with what feeling he, alone, can tell. ‘We wish to discover out ancestors’, says Gibbon, ‘but we wish to discover them possessed of ample fortunes, adorned with honourable titles and holding an eminent rank in the class of hereditary nobles, which has been maintained for the wisest and most beneficial purposes in almost every modification of political society.’ Those who seek their ancestors in the research of the Down Survey prior to the coming of the Cromwellians, will find many whose inheritance entitled them to own eminent rank amongst the nobles of Louth. But Cromwell had no respect for rank and he swept them away to Connaught in order to make room for his own followers and favourites. And yet the very families so dispossessed were the descendants of the Anglo-Norman settlers who had, with the help of John de Courcy dispossessed the old Irish chiefs and clans of Uriel, as Louth was known prior to being formed into an English county by King John in A.D. 1210. The history of Louth was repeating itself: its new owners were on the threshold of empty homes and deserted hearths, and the land was silent as the grave.
The Dundalk Democrat, 25 September 1915
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12 April 2005