Extracts from an Account of the Lands of the Archbishop of Armagh for County Tyrone, By Thomas Ashe 1703
(Parish of Lissan)
Extracted from the enormous Archbishopric of Armagh Estate, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), Belfast
PRONI Ref: T848/1
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The Archbishop of Armagh owned large tracts of land in Counties Tyrone, Londonderry, Armagh, Monaghan and Louth. With the exception of place names and personal names, spelling in this document has been modernised and punctuation has been inserted where it has been judged useful and relevant. Acreages are in Irish Plantation Measure [IPM]. One Irish acre equals 1.62 statute acres.
Pre-1800 records comprise leases, rentals and surveys and a large collection of maps. Some records are in a fragile state and may be referred to using photocopies of the originals. The call numbers are catalogued DIO/4 passim
***A TRANSCRIPTION OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT CONTAINING EARLY EIGHTEENTH CENTURY SPELLING FOLLOWS AT THE END OF THIS FILE***
COUNTIES OF LONDONDERRY AND TYRONE
TENANT OF LEASE - SIR ROBERT STAPLES KNIGHT
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TOWNLAND |
OCCUPYING TENANTS AND DESCRIPTION OF TOWNLAND |
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Coleraghs als Curreaghs |
These go by the name of 2 townlands and contain 130 acres 3 roods and 8 perches IPM. The WIDOW STEWART and JAMES STEWART are tenants and have each a small farm house with barns, stables cow houses and gardens. This is coarse sandy arable and pastureland. And is bounded round about with the Lord Primate’s land. |
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Ouna Als Guinagh |
This contains 121 acres and 32 perches IPM. JOSEPH THOMPSON, MATHEW BRISBON, ARRON STEALE who have each a small farm house with barns etc and under them are 3 other tenants who have small tenements etc. It is arable and pasture land and is bounded with Lord Primate’s land and the Earl of Anglice’s quite round. There are some meadows and bog belonging to it. |
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Tattenegilta now called Lissan |
This contains 180 acres IPM. Here it is that SIR ROBERT STAPLES lives. He has made very great improvements. He has built a very extraordinary good stone house. The rooms are very noble, lofty and large. There is a very handsome common hall, a very large dining room, a large parlour (which is wainscoted with oak), a pretty closet and a good kitchen and good cellars on the first floor and under it, with larders etc. There is also a handsome staircase which leads up to the chambers in the first story which are lofty and handsome square rooms suitable to those below. There are good garrets over these chambers. The rooms are all well boarded or floored, the windows large regular and proportionable to the building. The house is well shingled. And very near to it stands a small tenement which has 3 or 4 pretty rooms in it. This was formerly the dwelling house and Sir Robert has also built a very handsome stable suitable it is to the house. It is lofted over and shingled. And also a large barn and a smaller stable. The gardens and orchards are also very large and well kept. They are suitable to the house and in the garden Sir Robert has built a very handsome summer house which is likewise covered with shingles. The orchards and gardens are finely enclosed with quick sett hedges and a pretty river or brook runs by the side of them. In his backyard are large and long turf houses and houses for hay and open on all sides for the air but covered on the top, and a very large bog house. I take notice of these last things to show the good husbandry and good contrivances of Sir Robert who lives very handsomely upon it and like (as he is) an English gentleman. In fine with great expense and very great charge he has made this place what it is for he has not only built but also by cutting drains and ditches and planting quicks very much improved the land. There are also several pretty English like houses in the town which is near his house. There are two handsome courts at the entrance into Sir Robert’s house which are enclosed with good stone walls. And about 200 yards from the said house Sir Robert has built an iron mill forge or bloomery. If a tenant can deserve encouragement on account of improvements I think that this gentleman may expect it. For his improvements are the best and greatest I have met with through my Lord Primate’s whole estate. This town land Is bounded round about with Lord Primate’s land etc. – Note on this town land stands the Parish Church of Lissan and about it are some parks called the Claggans. They contain about 12 acres very good land and near to the Church is a small stone house which was built for the sexton. |
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Drumgress |
This contains 109 acres and32 perches. JAMES STEWART is tenant and has upon it a small farm house with a barn, stable, cow house and garden. It is good arable and pasture land and Lord Primate’s land with Derrycrume and the Society’s land bounds this round. |
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Crevagh and Tamnchagan |
These 2 lie together and are undistinguishable and contain together 198 acres IPM. MR JOHN FARQUOR is tenant and has upon it a pretty good farm house with a stable, etc. as above. It is good arable and pasture land Lord Primate’s and the Earl of Anglice’s land bound it round. |
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Clonteginne |
This contains 76 acres 1 rood and 24 perches IPM. It is good arable and pasture land and MR NICHOLAS RAW is tenant. |
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Faggarran |
This is called by the Survey a townland and a half and it contains 212 acres IPM. Mr. NICHOLAS RAW is tenant and has upon it a small farm house with a barn, stable. It is good arable and pasture land. Lord Primate’s and Lord Anglice’s lands bound these last round about. |
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Rossmore |
This contains 237 acres IPM. Part of this Sir Robert Staples keeps in his own hands. The rest he sets to DARBY McBRIDE and ROBERT HOPKINS who each have a small farm house with barns etc. On this townland there is a good corn mill. It is built with lime and stone and stands upon Lissan River. The land is like to that next above and there is a good turf bog upon it. It joins and bounds with Derrecramme the Society land on one side and Lord Primate’s land bounds it elsewhere. |
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Muff |
This contains 166 acres 3 roods and 8 perches IPM. JOSEPH WRIGHT and WILLIAM WRIGHT are tenants. The first has a good stone farm house, the other has a house but it is not so good. They have each a stable, a barn, a cow house and a garden. It is for the most part very good arable and pasture land. And over against William Wright’s house is a small young oak, ash and alder wood which the tenants take great care of. There are good meadows belonging to this farm. |
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Killebaske |
This contains 241 acres IPM. GEORGE MCCONKE, DAVID STARRETT and JOHN WITHERSPOONE are tenants and have each a small farm house with barns etc. The greatest part of it is very good arable and pasture land and most of it is now under corn. There are also good meadows belonging to it. These last two town lands lie together and are bounded with the Society’s land on one part and Lord Primate’s land bounds the rest. |
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Drumard |
This contains 280 acres IPM. WILLIAM MILLS, JOHN HARTNESS and ROBERT MILLS are tenants and have each a small farm house with barns, etc. One half or thereabouts of this farm is coarse pasture land, the rest is good arable land and there is some meadows belonging to it. It is bounded as above. |
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Kenneice als Cannis |
This contains 142 acres 3 roods and 8 perches IPM. JOHN HAMILTON and THOMAS SCOTT are tenants and have each a small farm house etc. It is good arable and pasture land and Lord Primate’s land bounds it roundabout. |
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Knock:adoo |
This contains 431 acres 2 roods and 16 perches IPM. JAMES HARTNESS and ADDAM HARTNESS are tenants. On this farm stands the most considerable part of the Lord Primate’s woods. There are great numbers of oak trees standing with bark on and greater numbers of decayed oaks without bark. There are also some thousands (I do believe I may say) of stumps or bottoms of old trees besides what have been dug up and made charcoal of. All which show that there have been vast quantities of timber carried off this farm. I am told SIR ROBERT STAPLES has been very active to keep others from destroying this wood and he has promised me that he will … continue to do the same, he living near it. There is of this farm about one third good arable land and there are some good meadows. Lord Primate’s land bounds it quite round. There is a great under wood in which there are great numbers of young oaks, etc. |
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Ballindinta |
This contains 569 acres IPM. MURTOGH McKILLHENA and FRANCIS McGEVERAN who have each a small farm house with barns etc. There is on this farm a great number of oak trees but most of them are decayed and without bark. They are called in the country pearns or rand pikes. And there are greater numbers of old stumps or bottoms of trees cut off which shows as above. This townland goes over the mountain Slavgallen and bounds upon MR CARY’S land and Lord Primate’s land bounds It elsewhere. The greater part of this farm is coarse grazing land, the rest is coarse arable and pasture. |
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Derrenan and Derrelisk |
These 2 are undistinguishable by their mears and bounds but they contain together 397 acres IPM. JOHN MILLER, WILLIAM BELL and JOHN BELL are tenants and have each a small farm house with barns etc. This is coarse arable and pasture land. It goes up the hill from Kannece to the height of the hill next to SlavGallen and the Lord Primate’s land lies round about it. |
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Tullenure |
This contains 234 acres IPM. THOMAS O’PUE, PATRICK O’CONNELLAN, CORMUCK O’CONNELLAN and BRYAN O’DONNELLAN are tenants and each have a small farm house, etc. Most of it is coarse grazing land, the rest is in parks and under oats. Lord Primate’s land round about it. |
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Brackagh Moyboy and Toberan Mountaines |
These together contain estimated 1085 acres IPM but note the lessee only holds Brackagh which is but a sessiagh and contains about 108 acres 27 perches. The other two (viz.) Moybog and Toberan mountain (so much as I could ride to for bog) I viewed. Since my return to Dublin searching the Surveyors Office I found these 3 denominations undistinguishable and to contain together as above noted. The Toberan mountain is coarse grazing land. MR CUNNINGHAM holds it per Lease no 7 --- CAPT WILLIAM BETTE and his tenants hold it and Brackagh, as by my notes when on the view. –Note that Brockagh is coarse arable and pasture land. This Brackagh is about a 10th part of the Toberan mountain Moyboy also. Note Moyboy is in Lease as in No 7 as is Toberan mountain. The woods In this lease lie near Maghrefelt a market town and about 3 miles from Lissan. |
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TOWNLAND |
PARISH |
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Coleraghs als Curreaghs [Coolreaghs] |
Lissan [County Tyrone] |
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Ouna Als Guinagh [Unagh] |
Lissan [County Tyrone] |
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Tattenegilta now called Lissan |
Lissan [County Tyrone] |
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Drumgress [Drumgrass] |
Lissan [County Tyrone] |
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Crevagh and Tamnchagan [Creevagh and Tamnyhagan] |
Lissan [County Tyrone] |
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Clonteginne [Cluntyganny] |
Lissan {County Tyrone] |
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Faggarran [Feegarran] |
Lissan [County Tyrone] |
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Rossmore |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Muff |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Killebaske [Killybasky] |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Drumard |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Kenneice als Cannis [Caneese] |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Knock:adoo [Knockadoo] |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Ballindinta [Tintagh?] |
Lissan (County Londonderry)? |
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Derrenan and Derrelisk [Dirnan] |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Tullenure [Tullynure] |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
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Brackagh Moyboy and Toberan Mountaines [Brackagh, Mobuy and ??] |
Lissan (County Londonderry) |
T848/1
OF
The Archbishop
Of
Armagh
A View or An Account taken
by Thomas Ashe Esq
In Anno
1703
The Following Pages Containe Only The Notes & Observations of the said Tho. Ashe Made & Taken For the help of his Memory) at the time of his View – To which he has Since Collected (Out of the Surveyor’s Office) and Added The Numbers of Acres contain’d in all the Town Lands belonging to The said ArchBishoprick – An Undertaking not (in the Memory of man) before Attempted by any of the Lord Primats Receivers. And begun & finished at the Charge & Expense of the said Tho. Ashe In Anno 1703
County’s of Londonderry and Tyrone
Sr Robert Staples
130 – 3- 8 Coleraghs als Curreaghs These goe by the Name of 2 Town lands And contain 130 Acres 3 Roods & 8 Perches Irish Plantacon Measure The Widdow Stewart & James Stewart are Tenants & have each a small Farme house with Barnes Stables Cow Houses & Gardens This course sandy Arrable & Pastureland And is bounded Round about with the Lord Primate’s Land.
121 - - 32 Ouna Als Guinagh This Contains 121 Acres & 32 Perches Ireish Plantacion Measure Joseph Thompson Mathew Brisbon Arron Steale who have each a small Farme House with Barnes, etc., etc. & under them are 3 other Tenants who have small Tenements etc It is Arrable & Pasture Land & is bounded with Lord Primat’s Land & the Earl of Anglice’s quite Round There are Some Meadow’s & Bogg belonging to it.
180 - - Tattenegilta now called Lissan This Contains 180 acres Ireish Plantacon Measure Here it is that Sr Robert Staples lives. He has made very great Improvements He has built a very Extraordinary good Stone House The Roomes are very Noble Lofty & Large There is a very hansome common Hall a very large Dineing Roome a Large Parlor (which is Wainscoted with Oake) a Pretty Closett and a good Kitchen & good Sellars on the first Floor & under it, with Larders etc There is alsoe a Hansome Stairecase which Leads up to the Chambers in the first story which are Lofty and hansome Square Rooms Suitable to those below There are good Garratts over these Chambers The Roomes are all well Boarded or Floor’d, the Windows Large Regular & Proportionable to the building. The House is well Shingled And very near to it Stands a small Tenement which has 3 or 4 Pretty Roomes in it. This was Formerly the Dwelling House And Sr Robert has alsoe built a very Hansom Stable suitable it is to the House. It is Lofted over and Shingled. And alsoe a Large Barne And a smaller Stable The Garden’s & Orchards are alsoe very Large and well kept; They are Suitable to the House And in the Garden Sr Robert has built a very Hansome Summer House which is likewise Covered with Shingles. The Orchards & Gardens are finely Inclos’d with Quicksett Hedges & a Pretty River or Brook Runn’s by the side of them. In his Backyard are Large & Long Turf Houses & houses for Hay & open on All sides for the Aire but cover’d on the Topp And a very large Bogg House I take notice of These last things to show the good Husbandry & good Contrivances of Sr Robert who lives very Handsomly upon it And like ( as he is) An English Gentleman In fine with great expence & very great charge He has made this Place what it is for he has not only Built but also by Cutting Draines & Ditches & Planting Quicks very much Improv’d the Land There are also several Pretty English like Houses in the Town which is near his House There are two Hansom Courts att the Entrance Into Sr Roberts house which are Inclosed with good Stone Walls And about 200 Yards from the said House Sr Robert has built An Iron mill Forge or Bloomery If a Tenant can deserve Encouragemt on Account of Improvements I think that this Gentleman may expect it For his improvements are the Best and Greatest I have met with through my Lord Primat’s whole Estate This Towne Land Is bounded Round about with Lord Primat’s Land etc – Note on this Town Land stands the Parish Church of Lissan & about it are Some Parks called the Claggans They contain about 12 Acres very good Land and near to the Church is a small Stone House which was built for the Sexton
County of Londonderry
109- - 32 Drumgress This Contains 109 Acres &32 Perches Ireish Plantacon Measure James Stewart is Tenant And has upon it a small Farme House with a Barne Stable Cow House & Garden it is good Arrable & Pasture Land and Lord Primate’ Land with Derrycrume and the Society’s Land bounds this Round.
198 - - Crevagh & Tamnchagan These 2 Lye together and are Undistinguishable and contain together 198 acres Ireish Plantacon Measure Mr John Farquor is Tenant and has upon it a Pretty good Farme House with a Stable & Ut supa It is good Arrable & Pasture Land Lord Primate’s and the Earl of Anglice’s Land Bound it Round.
076 -1 – 24 Clonteginne This Contains 76 Acres 1 Rood & 24 Perches Ireish Plantacion Measure It is good Arrable & Pasture Land and Mr Nicholas Raw is Tenant.
212 - - Faggarran This is Called by the Survey a Town Land & a half & it Contains 212 acres Ireish Plantacon Measure Mr Nicholas Raw is Tenant & has upon it a small Farme House with a Barne Stable It is good Arrable & Pasture Land Lord Primat’s & Lord Anglice’s Lands Bound These last Roundabout.
237 - - Rossmore This Contains 237 acres Ireish Plantacion Measure Part of this Sr Robert Staples keep’s in his own hand’s The rest He setts to Darby McBride & Robert Hopkins who each have a small Farme House with Barnes etc On this Town Land there is a good Corne Mill It is built with Lime & Stone & stands upon Lissan River The Land is like to that next above And there is a good Turf Bogg upon it It joynes & Bounds with Derrecramme The Society Land on one side & Lord Primat’s Land Bounds it elsewhere.
166 – 3 – 08 Muff This Contains 166 A3 Roods & 8 Perches Ireish Plantacon Measure Joseph Wright & William Wright are Tenants. The first has a good Stone Farm house the other has a House but it is not so good. They have each a Stable a Barne a Cow House & a Garden It is for the most part very good Arrable & Pasture Land And over against William Wright’s House is a small young Oak Ash & Aulder Wood which the Tenants take great care of There are good Meadows belonging to this Farme.
241 - - Killebaske This Contains 241 acres Ireish Plantacon Measure George McConke David Starrett and John Witherspoone are Tenants and have each a small Farme House with Barnes etc The Greatest part of it is very good Arrable & Pasture Land & most of it is now Under Corne There are alsoe good Meadow’s belonging to it These last two Towne Lands Lye together And are Bounded with the Society’s Land on one part & Lord Primate’s Land Bounds the Rest.
280 - - Drumard This Contains 280 acres Ireish Plantacion Measure Willm Mills John Hartness & Robert Mills are Tenants And have each a small Farme House with Barnes etc One half or thereabouts of this Farme is corse Pasture Land The rest is good Arrable Land and there is Some Meadows belonging to it It is bounded Ut Supa.
142 -3 -08 Kenneice als Cannis This Contains 142 acres 3 roods & 8 perches Irish Plantacion Measure John Hamilton & Thomas Scott are Tenants and have each a small Farme House etc It is good Arrable & Pasture Land & Lord Primat’s Land Bounds it Roundabout.
431 02-16 Knock:adoo This Contains 431 Acres 2 Roods & 16 Perches Ireish Plantacon Measure James Hartness & Addam Hartness are Tenants On this Farme Stands the most considerable part of the Lord Primat’s Woods There are great Numbers of Oak Trees standing with Bark on and greater numbers of Decay’d Oaks without Bark There are alsoe some Thousands ( I do believe I may say) of Stumps or Bottoms of old trees besides what have been Dugg up & made Charcole of. All which show That there have been Vast Quantityes of Timber Carryed off this Farme I am tould Sr Robert Staples has been very Active to keep Others from destroying this Wood And he has Promis’d me that he will … continue to doe the Same He livieng near it There is Of this Farme about one third good Arrable Land and there are some good Meadows Lord Primat’s Land Bounds it quite round There is a great Under Wood in which There are great Numbers of Young Oaks etc.
569- - Ballindinta This contains 569 acres Ireish Plantacion Measure Murtogh McKillhena & Francis McGeveran who have each a small Farme House with Barnes etc There is on this Farme a great Number of Oak Trees But most of them are decay’d & without Barke They are Call’d in the Countrey Pearns or Rand Pikes And there are greater Numbers of Old Stumps or Bottoms of Trees Cutt off which show’s ut supa This Town Land goes over the Mountain Slavgallen & Bounds upon Mr Cary’s Land & Lord Primat’s Land Bounds It elsewhere The greater part of this Farme is corse Graysing Land the Rest is corse Arrable and Pasture.
397 - - Derrenan & Derrelisk These 2 are Undistinguishable by their Mears & Bounds But they contain together 397 Acres Ireish Plantacion Measure John Miller William Bell & John Bell are Tenants And have each a small Farme House with Barnes etc This is corce Arrable And Pasture Land It goes up the Hill from Kannece to the height of the Hill next to Slav Gallen and the Lord Primat’s Land Lyes round about it.
234 - - - Tullenure This Contains 234 Acres Ireish Plantacon Measure Thomas OPue Patrick OConnellan Cormuck OConnellan & Bryan ODonnellan are Tenants & each have a small Farme House etc Most of it is corse Graysing Land The rest is in Parkes and under Oates Lord Primat’s Land Round about it.
Brackagh Moyboy & Toberan Mountaines These together contain est 1085 Acres Ireish Plantacion Measure but note the Lessee only holds Brackagh which is but a Sessiogh and Contains about 108.27 The other two (viz.) Moybog & Toberan Mountain ( so much as I could ride to for Bogg) I viewed - Since my Returne to Dublin searching the Surveyors Office I found these 3 Denominations Undistiguishable And to contain together as above Noted The Toberan Mountain is course Graysing Land Mr Cunningham holds it per Lease no 7 --- Capt William Bette and his Tenants hold it and Brackagh as by my Notes when on the view –Note that Brockagh is corse Arrable & Pasture Land This Brackagh is about a 10th pt of the Toberan Mountain Moyboy also Note Moyboy is in Lease as in No 7 as is Toberan Mountain The Wood’s In this Lease Lye near Maghrefelt a Markett Town & about 3 miles from Lissan.