The Sale of the Marquis of Thomond Estate, 1857

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Sduddy
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The Sale of the Marquis of Thomond Estate, 1857

Post by Sduddy » Fri Nov 27, 2020 1:49 pm

There are not so many commentaries on Co. Clare, by travelers from abroad, in the 1850s and early 1860s, as compared with the Famine period and the immediate aftermath. And so, for a picture of Clare, as it was in 1860, Henry Coulter’s description is valuable and relied on very much. It is included in Brian Ó Dálaigh’s, The Strangers Gaze, made available to read online at http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclar ... oulter.htm

The section, below, is interesting, I think. Historians used it in the past to illustrate the ruthlessness of the new landowners, i.e. those people who had availed of the sales of land under the Incumbered Estates Court in the 1850s. But, recently, historians have shown that records of evictions do not show any increase in ruthlessness. It’s possible that some evictions were not recorded, I suppose, or that people felt doubly aggrieved at being evicted by a newcomer:
I wish to refer briefly to the position of a class of farmers, some of whom are to be found near this town, whilst others are settled in various parts of the county. I speak of a peculiar class, very rare, I think I may say unique, in Ireland, viz., farmers of humble rank, who have attained to the dignity of being owners in fee. It will be remembered, that a few years ago the great Thomond Estates, including land in every part of the county, but chiefly situate in the baronies of Islands, Inchiquin, and Burren, were sold in the Landed Estates Court. The property was disposed of in small lots, by which a larger sum was realised than would otherwise have been obtained, and nearly the whole of which were purchased by farmers, some buying their own holdings, and others the farms of their neighbours. In several instances the purchaser had accumulated sufficient means at once to pay off the purchase money; but in the majority of cases they were able to make up a portion only of the required sum, and were obliged to borrow the remainder on mortgage. They have since been making strenuous efforts to pay off the loans, but the deficient harvests of the last two years have crippled them considerably, and they now occupy a very critical position. Another season like the last would reduce many to the verge of insolvency, and a fourth bad year would ruin them completely, and throw the Thomond property, or a great part of it, again into the market. It is to be hoped, for many reasons, that these people will be able to struggle through, and to hold permanently the lands which they have thus acquired; since the establishment of a class of independent yeoman farmers amongst us would be an important circumstance, calculated to have no small influence on the social condition of the country. It is wonderful how conservative in their ideas some of these farmers have become under the magic influence of a real estate in the land, and how absolute are their notions of a landlord’s rights to do what he likes with his own; for in several instances the new proprietor did not scruple to turn out the occupier of the holding he had purchased, in a summary fashion, and under circumstances which would have formed the theme for much indignant denunciation, had the act been committed by one of the old landlords of the country. . . .

The Stranger’s Gaze; Travels in County Clare 1534 – 1950, edited by Brian Ó Dálaigh (Clasp Press).

The Clare Journal, Monday 14 Sep 1857, advertised the sale, under the Incumbered Estates Commission, of the lands of the late Marquis of Thomond, most of which were in Co. Clare, together with a very favourable, even glowing description of them:
Incumbered Estates Commission. Counties of Clare and Cork.
Sale on Tuesday, the 8th, Wednesday, the 9th, and Thursday, 10th December, 1857.
Estate of William Stanhope Taylor, Mark Antony Saurin, and Frederick Dowding, Esqrs., Trustees of the Most Noble James Marquis of Thomond, deceased, Owners and Petitioners.
The Commissioners for the Sale of Incumbered Estates in Ireland will, on Tuesday, the 8th December next, at the hour of Twelve o’Clock at Noon, at their Court, Henrietta street, Dublin, set up and sell the First Division of the “Clare Estates” of the late Marquis of Thomond, comprising Lots No. 1 to 93, inclusive; and on Wednesday, the 9th of December, 1857, the Second Division of said “Clare Estates,” comprising Lots 94 to 183, both inclusive; and will, on Thursday, the 10th day of December, 1857, at the same hour and place, set up and sell the “Cork Estates” of the said Marquis of Thomond, comprising Lots 1 to 77, inclusive.
This is followed by a list of the 183 lots, the acreage of each, rents paid, and type of lease, and also by a general description of the lots.
Descriptive Particulars: The County Clare Estate
The portion of this magnificent Estate in the county of Clare, containing over 40,000 acres, is situated in the baronies of Burren, Corcomroe, an Inchiquin, and lies to the north and west of Ennis. It consists principally of prime arable and pasture lands, with some tracts of valuable turbary, and is well intersected by roads, which afford every facility for the sale of agricultural produce. The Limerick and Ennis Railway, which it is expected will be finished before the close of the year, will afford additional facilities for the conveyance of cattle and other produce, and will bring Ennis within six hours’ journey of Dublin. The Midland Great Western Railway runs with 26 miles of the eastern portion of the estate, and affords direct communication with Galway and the west and north of Ireland.
An inspection of the rental will show that the lands are held much under their present letting value, the rents paid being in nearly every instance considerably under Griffith’s valuation, which is generally 30 to 40 per cent. under the prices at which lands have been let with the last four years. The lands are mostly held in large divisions, and the tenantry are in general independent, peaceable, and industrious.
The estate has been divided into such lots as will suit all classes of purchasers, most of them being within the reach of tenant farmers, who will thus have an opportunity of becoming owners of the soil by which they are to live; but this will not prevent large capitalists from investing their money, and acquiring landed property in one of the best agricultural counties in Ireland, and where every improvement is certain to give an ample return for the expenditure.
The lands in the baron of Burren, comprising Lots 1 to 27 inclusive, are composed principally of the limestone formation, so peculiar to this part of the country, and the pasture of which is so highly prized for its valuable feeding properties. Lots 2 and 3 for part of the Lands of Lisdoonvarna, adjoining the celebrated Spas, and within three miles of the Shore of the Atlantic. The towns of Ballyvaughan, Kilfenora, Ennistimon, and Corofin are within short distances of these lots, and there is daily communication between the former and the town of Galway, which is within one hour’s sail; weekly markets are established in the other towns, and that in Kilfenora is one of the best butter markets in the County.
Lots 28 to 50, inclusive, are situated in the barony of Corcomroe, between Corofin, Lisdoonvarna, and Ennistimon; they are chiefly rich arable and pasture lands, and there are some tracts of turbary, which are now become most valuable, in consequence of the increasing scarcity of bog for fuel. The Lands are well-circumstanced with regard to roads, which afford every facility for the conveyance of seaweed, sand, &c., as manure from the Atlantic coast, near Lahinch, and for limestone, which is also within a short distance, and they are most advantageously situated for drainage.
Lots 51 to 76, inclusive, are in the parish of Kilkeedy, in the barony of Inchiquin, in the east of the county, adjoining Galway, and within a short distance of the towns of Gort, Kinvarra, Tubber, and Corofin. They are chiefly composed of limestone pasture, and contain several divisions of rich arable soil in tillage. The Demesne and Lands of Rockvale form Lot 64, on which there is a large house, offices, and garden; the house is not at present in good preservation, but can be fully repaired at a very trifling outlay; and as there is a quantity of ancient timber on the demesne, it would form a choice residence. The town of Gort is within five miles; it a cavalry station, and a good market and post town.
The House and Lands of Rathorpe, or Attyslaney, form Lots 65 to 68, and are within four miles of Gort. The House is in good repair, surrounded by plantations. The lands are of a rich limestone soil, and those adjoining the house are well divided by beautiful hedge rows and straight fences.
These Lots are, with the exception of No. 76, all in a ring fence, well divided by good roads, and contain several lakes, which afford excellent trout fishing.
Lots 77 to 94 are in the parish of Ruan, between the towns of Corofin and Tubber. The lands are chiefly composed of rich pasture and arable soil, with some portions of good limestone crag, forming excellent sheep-walks and winterage for cattle. There is a quantity of turbary on Lots 77 and 78, which is extremely valuable in consequence of the scarcity of bog in this part of the country. The new river-course of the Fergus runs through the lots adjoining Ruan, and has relieved from inundation a large quantity of alluvial land capable of producing rich meadow and pasture.
Lots 95 to 110, inclusive, are in the parish of Kilnaboy, near the town of Corofin, and consist of prime tillage land and superior rocky pasture. Lots 103 to 108 are in a ring fence, and within half a mile of Corofin. The ancient and picturesque Castle of Inchiquin is on Lot 106, and the greater portion of the beautiful lake of that name. The scenery on the shore of this lake is magnificent, and its trout fishery is unsurpassed by any water in Ireland. The mountain of Clifden on the western shore of the lake affords shelter to the lands, and is planted to the summit, presenting a view which can hardly be surpassed, and the lands are capable of being converted by a man of capital and taste into a beautiful demesne.
Lots 111 to 137 are within the parishes of Rath and Dysert, near Corofin, and a portion within three miles of Ennis. They contain every variety of soil, including some superior craggy pasture and rich arable and pasture lands; they are well intersected by good roads, and some of them can be greatly increased in value by a very small outlay.
Lots 135, 138, and 139, are within the parishe of Kilnamona, and contain some of the richest parture lands in the county. They are situated within three miles of Ennis, and are intersected by roads from thence to Ennistimon and Corofin, and from their peculiar fertility and situation are most desirable farms.
Lots 140 to 183 are in the parish of Inagh, and lie nearly in a ring fence between Ennis, Miltown Malbay, and Ennistimon. They are composed of good clay soil, with some portions of valuable turbary and mountain. The present mail road from Ennis to Ennistimon runs through these lots, and they are well intersected by the new lines of road from Ennis to Ennistimon and Miltown Malbay, now in course of construction, and nearly completed. When finished they will afford additional facilities for the conveyance of produce to Ennis and the other markets, and for the introduction of seaweed and sand as manure from the Atlantic Coast, which is within four miles of the western boundary. A greater portion of these lands is capable of easy improvement by thorough drainage. The soil is naturally good, and produces luxuriant crops of oats and other cereals, and all the materials necessary for drainage, fences, &c., are on the spot in abundance.
The Inagh river runs through these lots, and affords excellent fishing, and there are some lakes which, if ornamented with timber, would make this a really picturesque and beautiful district.
The whole of the Estate is held in fee-simple, and any quit or crown rents thereon will be redeemed.
The Clare Journal of 10 Dec and 14 Dec 1857 published the names of the buyers and I have attached a list. But not all the names were published. Some lots were bought “in trust”, meaning the buyer was buying on behalf of someone else, unnamed. And several lots had been sold by private contract. Griffith’s Valuation, 1856, does not show the new owners, but the first revision of the valuation books probably does – in order to see that revision, one would need to visit the Valuation Office in Dublin. I don't think the new owners belonged to the "humble rank" - I doubt they would have seen themselves as such.

Sheila
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Sduddy
Posts: 1826
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 10:07 am

Re: The Sale of the Marquis of Thomond Estate, 1857

Post by Sduddy » Sat Nov 28, 2020 11:15 am

I’ve amended the above attachment to include the private bidders, whose names were published in The Clare Journal, Mon 16 Nov 1857:
The Thomond Estates. The private biddings for several lots of this property have been considered by the Trustees, and will be submitted this day, Monday, to the Incumbered Estates Commissioner. The Trustees will recommend the acceptance of the highest offers for many of the Lots. We subjoin a list of the bidders, and of the prices offered for several Lots by them, where the offers are approved of by the Trustees, and are likely to be accepted by the Commissioners. The biddings are considered to be unprecedentedly high.
A James Tymons is included as having made a bid, but the lot number is omitted.
The Clare Journal of the 19 November apologised for having omitted the bids, by Right Hon. F Blackburn, for lots 109 - 120 (£15,000).

Sheila
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