County Kilkenny, Ireland, History

It was not until the reign of Edward I, or about the year 1300, that surnames began to be fixed. From that period, Fitzgerald, Butler, Fitzmaurice, Grace, etc., begin to be accepted as surnames, replacing such designations as John Fitz Thomas, Theobald Fitz Walter, Oliver Fitz William, etc. Somewhere along in that period also, these names begin to appear in their Irish equivalent. Thus Fitz Gerald became McGarett, or MacGarolt, from which came Garret. Le Gras (Crassus) became Grassagh, from which Grace. The name which went in as St. Alban, or St. Aubin, came out as Tobin. Odo l'Ercedekne emerged as Cody, Mac Coady, and Archdeacon. Others of these early Kilkenny family names were Archer, Barron, Blanchville, Bryan, Burke, Butler, Cantwell, Comerford, Daton (Dalton), Denn, Forrestall, Frayne, Grace, Hackett, Howling, Keating, Lawless, Lee, Power, Purcell, Ragget, Rothe, Roche, St. Leger, Shea, Shortall, Strong, Sweetman, Wall and Walsh.

The lands they took were, in the main, those of the Gaelic dynasts of the O'Kealys, the O'Brennans, and the McGillapatricks (Fitzpatrick).

The Butlers of Ormonde selected Kilkenny City as their primary residence in 1391. Families installed by Ormonde include the Ormonde themselves and their kinsmen, the Mountgarrets, the Purcells, who were the hereditary military allies of the Butlers, the families of Roth and Archer. The first recorded Archer appears in 1307. The O'Sheas, a family of Gaelic extraction, conducted the legal business of the Ormonde lordship. The Roths settled in Ballyrafton and Ruthstown, giving their name to the townland and held their land here until 1653. Boyds in turn got part of Ruthstown. The Fitzpatrick family, a name linked with the old barony, came back to Kilmademogue.

The first Cantwell came with the first Butler, and witnessed his charter to the Cisternians at Owney. Odo Archidiekne witnessed William Marshall's charter of Kilkenny. Geoffrey and William Schortall witnessed the charter of the Abbey of Kells. The first Grace (Le Gras) was seneschal of Leinster for the first Marshal and was his cousin. The Purcells were adherents of the Butlers and captains of their army. The Powers worked up from Waterford, where they were in possession of the eastern half of that county. The Archer family held land in Corbettstown until 1653, when the Cromwellian confiscation gave all these lands to Henry Webb. The Archers were merchants in the Ormonde towns of Kilkenny and New Ross.

The Rothes, and Sheas were prominently identified with Kilkenny city. . The Rothes appear as mayors from 1403 to 1690. The Shees (Shea) came to Kilkenny from Kerry in the fifteenth century. They also were Butler captains and lawyers, and mayors of the Butler capital of Kilkenny city. The Walls and Walshs were very early comers. John de Valle (Wall) was a knight at Castleinch (Inchiologan) in 1247. The Walshs were noted in southern Kilkenny in the 13th century. The first Lawless was a burgess of Kilkenny in 1396. This family had lands in Dublin county much earlier. The Raggets appear in the first year of the 13th century. The Comerfords came to Kilkenny, about 1500, following the Butlers, with whom they held positions of trust. They got some of the properties of the Walls. The Aylwards were very early in Waterford, spreading later to Kilkenny. The Bryans were also relatively late comers. The Denns of Grenan were there in 1247. The de Fraynes, or Freneys, were prominent from the beginning of the 13th century. The Keatings were Geraldines, and so were the Barrons.

It will be easier to understand the relation that existed between these families of adventurers if we bear in mind that they were firmly united, during all those centuries, to one or other of the Palatine Lords. At first it was Strongbow, who came in 1172, leading the Anglo-Norman invasions into Ireland. Then followed the Marshals, and after them the Butlers. "Get you good lordship" was the first counsel of success in those days.
Excerpts from: Walsh from 1170 to 1690

(1640)
From the end of the high medieval period (c.1350) to the time of just prior to the Cromwell confiscations (c.1650), County Kilkenny (and Tipperary) came to be dominated by the Butler families, headed by the earl of Ormond who at different times had ruled from Nenagh, Carrick-on-Suir and, most particularly, from Kilkenny city. The Butlers had become dominant land owners in the towns of Roscrea, Nenagh, Thurles, Cahir, Gowran, Knocktopher, Inistioge and Callan thereby controlling the core areas of the economy. The Ormond Butler lands of Kilkenny practically commanded all the frontier territories of the county, as well as part of the rich middle core from Dunmore in the north to the former monastic lands of Jerpoint. Lord Mountgarret (of Butler ancestry) dominated the lowlands along the strategic territories fronting the former Gaelic zone to the north. Likewise other key Ormond allies held frontier lands bordering the county, including the Graces to the north-west, and the Purcells and the Cantwells to the north-east. In addition, underneath the Butler over-lordship, the head tenants on the individual manors were for the most part lesser Butlers, or members of other leading English landed families such as the Comerfords.

The remainder of the rich central lowlands of county Kilkenny was dominated by Norman families such as the Shortalls, the St.Legers and the Blanchfields. Further dominating the lowland scene were leading merchant families of Kilkenny city and allies/kinsmen of the Butlers -- the Shees, the Rothes, and the Archers. In addition, the Bishop of Ossory held over 5,000 acres scattered throughout this lowland core.

To the south, the complex hierarchical territories of the Walsh family (the Lords of the Mountain) extend right across the county from Tibberaghny in the west to near Rosbercon in the east. Here Robert Walsh alone held over 10,000 acres. Other key centres in this upland region were manned by members of the extended kingroup of the Walshes. This kinship strategy was also characteristic of all the major families in Tipperary, Kilkenny and elsewhere, revealing the interweaving of 'Gaelic' and 'feudal' strategies of land management and social control. The remainder of the south was dominated by long established landed families: the Forstalls dominated in the parishes of Ballygurrim and Kilmakevoge; the Fitzgeralds are lords of Brownsford and Gurteen, William Gaule held 1,631 acres around Dunkitt and Gaulskill; Edmund Dalton, near Piltown, controlled 2,179 acres; while the families like the Denns and the Freneys were also strongly represented. Some descendants of Waterford merchant families such as the Stranges and the Grants were well-established in the lands fringing the lower courses of the navigable rivers.

County Kilkenny was therefore dominated up to the 1640's by a long established territorial, political and social hierarchy headed by the earl of Ormond, who directly ruled over 50,000 plantation acres. The next level in the hierarchy was represented by Lord Mountgarret with close to 20,000 acres. Then came a third layer of eight major owners, John Grace, Robert Walsh, Sir Edmund Butler, Henry Archer, John Bryan, the Bishop of Ossory, Phillip Purcell and Robert Shee, each with estates of 5,000 to 10,000 acres. Beneath this group was a further eleven landowners, including Shortall, Strange, Blanchfield, Freney, Fitzgerald, Dalton, Cantwell, Rothe, Denn, Forstall, and St. Leger. Underneath this group included three Fitzgeralds, two Butlers, two Walshes, one Strange, one Grant, one Purcell, one Dobbin, one Sweetman, one Comerford, one Shortall, one Walton and one Dalton. Then came smaller landowners, 22 with estates from 500 to 900 acres from William Drilling to Thomas Grant. A further 29 held estates from 330 to 490 acres beginning with James St. Leger down to Joseph Walsh. A further 41 smaller landowners held estates/farms from 200 to 280 acres.

The total list of landowners included at least 13 each of the Walshes and Butlers, 11 Shortalls, 8 St. Legers, 7 Fitzgeralds, 6 each of the Archdeacon/Codys and Graces, 5 each of the Forstalls and Dobbins, 4 each of the Comerfords, Denns, Grants, Rothes and Shees. At least 3 Blanchfield families are represented, and two each from the following families: Cantwells, Sweetmans, Gauls, Freneys, Kealys, Aylwards, Howlings, Bryans and Cowleys.

The Gaelic lands of Kilkenny, in contrast, had almost disappeared by 1640. In the previous 60 years the vast patrimony of the O'Brennans of Fassadinin had been whittled down to a pathetic 60 acres by the insidious penetration of the earl of Ormond and his Old English henchman, and finally obliterated by the creation of the great modern estate of the Wandesfords centered in Castlecomer. Only the Ryans from their hearth-land in Idrone in Carlow kept a residual if resilient foothold in the Leighlin parishes of east county Kilkenny. In the extreme north-east the Bryan family (a branch of the Idrone O'Byrnes of Carlow but now clearly assimilated to the Old English order) manned the gap on the edge of the former woodlands and bog-lands of the Gaelic fastnesses of the north-west. The Gaelic substratum being very deep, beneath the Cambro-Norman landowners, the surviving hearth money records of the 1660s bring up the layers of Cahills, Hennessys, Phelans, Keefes, Meaghers, Murphys, Brennans, Brophys, and Delaneys interwoven in complex webs throughout the townlands, villages and towns.
Excerpts from Kilkenny History and Society

Beginning in the mid 1600's, the profile of landowners in Kilkenny changed dramatically once more. The coming of Cromwellian and Williamite forces brought the end of Catholic land ownership, the transplantation of the Old English families into Connacht, as well as the movement of family members serving in the 'Jacobite' army into the armed forces of foreign countries. The ascendancy of the New English Families into Kilkenny reached its peak by the year 1703.

The Cromwellian Protestant Settlement (1650-1690)
The arrival of Oliver Cromwell's army in Kilkenny by 1650, dealt a devastating blow to the Old English (Anglo-Norman Catholic) landed gentry. Following defeat, many families remained on as the tenantry of the county, while others transplanted themselves into Connacht. Of the families which are said to have moved in the 1650's included those of Redmund and Peter Archdeacon, Nicholas Aylward, Richard Blanchfield, Richard Bourke, John Briscoe, Peter Bulger, Edward Butler (Lord Viscount Galmoy), James and Richard and Pierce Butler, John Comerford, James Cowley, Walter and Edmund Dalton, Patrick and Thomas and William Denn, Nicholas and William Dobbin, Giles Fannyng, Nicholas and John Fitzgerald, Edmond and Pierce and Robert Forstall, Thomas Freeny, Edmond Grace, Margaret and Edmond Grant, Capt. Anthony Harison, Thomas and William Kelly, Richard Merry, Thomas and Redmund Purcell, John Rochford, Sir Robert and Edward Roth, William Rourke, George and William St. Leger, Richard and Robert and William and John Shee, Thomas and Leonard and Nicholas Shortall, Peter Strange, David Tobin, Anstace Woodlock, William and Margaret Walsh (wife of Col. Pierce Walsh).

Just prior to 1641, the majority of landed proprietors in County Kilkenny were Catholics of Anglo-Norman descent.
By the end of the seventeenth century this class had largely been replaced by New English Protestant landlords, many of whom were Cromwellian officers, soldiers and supporters whose pay had been satisfied by land grants. Still a large part of Kilkenny was controlled by the Duke of Ormond and other Butler lands. Among the more prominent New English landed gentry were Colonel John Ponsonby, Colonel William Warden, Captain James Stopford, Lord Arthur Ranelagh, Sir Algernon May, John Peck, Thomas Hewetson, Captain Joseph Cuffe, the Countess of Mountrath, Colonel Daniel Redmond, Thomas Lestrange, Sir Charles Meredith, Lt. Arthur St. George, Sir Christopher Wandesforde, Lord Vaux, Captain William Halsey, and the Duke of York.

Other Cromwellian landholders included Captain Charles Gore, Lt. Christopher Mathews, Sir George Askew, Sir Henry Pierce, Captain Thomas Tomlins, Theophilus Eaton, Colonel Oliver Wheeler, Sir Charles Wheeler, Sir John Temple, Captain John Jones, Charles Hewetson, Sir Francis Gore, Captain Isaac Jackson, Oliver Tallent, Captain Anthony Stampe, Allen Tench, John Jessop, Colonel Francis Willoughby, Captain Thomas Evans, Captain Henry Webb, Major Joseph Deane, Captain Bryan Mansergh, John Hurd, Maudlin Fisher, Major Thomas Adams, Captain George Bishop, Robert Mihill, Nathaniel Cooper, Christopher Render, Sir George Hamilton, Christopher Lovett, John Ashburnham, Sir William Petty, Captain William Shore, among others.

The Williamite Ascendancy (1691-1703)
By the late 1600's, the Williamite victory in Ireland was followed by the confiscation of most 'Jacobite' estates. Forfeited estates of Kilkenny Jacobites in 1702 included those of Henry Archer, Edmund Blanchfield, Walter Bryan, James Bolger, Edward Fitzgerald, Viscount Piers Galmoy, John Grace, Richard Grace, Robert Grace Jr., John Larkan, Walter Lawless, Charles Ryan, and Robert Walsh.

The list of the Williamite base of the landed ascendancy in Kilkenny included James Agar (Gowran), Rev Arthur Anderson, James Anderson (Dublin), Arthur Bush (Dublin), Col. George Carpenter (Oxford), Dr. Marmaduke Coghill, Sir Richard Cox, Thomas Crawford (Kilkenny), Griffith Drisdall (Kilkenny), Lewis Dubay (Dublin), John Eaton (Mt. Eaton), Capt. Ralph Gore (Kilkenny), John Hartstronge (Bishop of Ossory), Joseph Kelly (Kellymount), John Kent (Waterford), John Langrishe (Knocktopher), William Mainwaring (Dublin), Jeremiah Marsh (Dean of Killmore), Col. William Ponsonby (Bessborough), Abraham Roth (Lower Grange), Richard St. George (Dublin), Philip Savage (Court of Exchequer), Stephen Sweet (Kilkenny), Rev. Thomas Way, William Wilkinson (Tinture), Edward Worth (Rathfarnham), as well as close to 18,000 acres acquired by the Hollow Sword Blade Company of London.

This new landed gentry bore little resemblance to the Ireland envisioned by the Cromwellian land commissioners. The old Catholic order had been destroyed but it had been replaced, not with Protestant yeomanry, but by a handful of powerful Protestant landowners, many of whom were non-residents. Kilkenny's tenantry remained Catholic, largely Old Irish, as it had been before 1641, but it was augmented by many former Old English proprietors. The Cromwellian commissioners had not intended to lay the basis of a narrow gentry class, but the failure of the majority of Kilkenny's grantees to take possession or take up residence upon their lands, allowed a small number of enterprising men to gain possession of vast amounts of land.
Excerpts from Kilkenny History and Society

The early history of the abbey
St Francis's Abbey is located at the northeastern end of the medieval Hightown of Kilkenny. The Franciscans came to Ireland in around 1226, and St Francis's Abbey was founded sometime between 1231, when its benefactor, Richard Marshall, succeeded his brother, William, as earl of Pembroke and lord of Leinster, and April 1234, when he died from wounds sustained in battle on the Curragh of Kildare. The first definite date for the abbey is October 15, 1245, when it received a royal grant for clothing.

The abbey started as a small rectangular chapel but then expanded as funds allowed, reaching out from the city walls to the River Nore and becoming important enough to hold the provincial chapters of the friars in 1267 and 1308. Development continued throughout the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This expansion was, however, rapidly halted with the dissolution of the monasteries in the sixteenth century.

On August 25, 1543, three years after its dissolution, the abbey was given by royal grant to Walter Archer, sovereign of the city and the Corporation of Kilkenny. In 1550, the friars were expelled by John Bale, 'bishop' of Ossory. They returned in 1553 during the reign of Queen Mary but were again expelled in 1559 when Elizabeth I succeeded her sister.

The post-dissolution recovery
During the reign of Elizabeth I, the abbey was turned to secular uses. The people of Kilkenny appealed to Walter Archer to use the church for worship, and in 1603, the city authorities voiced their request to Lord Mountjoy, the lord deputy, who refused. However, mass was being celebrated there in 1606, when a fine chalice was presented to the abbey by the Archer family. With the accession of James I, the monastery was rededicated, but the abbey had fallen into such a state of disrepair that it could not be used in 1612. Nevertheless, when the Franciscans returned to their old friary, the original high altar was still standing, and the friars continued to improve their abbey throughout the seventeenth century. There is a recorded succession of guardians from the dissolution of the monasteries up to the period of the Confederation of Kilkenny in the 1640s.

ST. PATRICK'S Parish, Kilkenny, Ireland

Church Records

Parish	Townland	Acres	Diocese
St. Patrick's	Archergrove	102	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Archersleas	147	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Ardscradum	12	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Baunreagh	151	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Birchfield	158	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Castleblunden	190	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Clonmoran	127	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Cox's Fields	12	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Danville	143	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Deansground	35	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Dicksborough	136	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Donaghmore	53	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Drakeland Lower	104	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Drakeland Middle	230	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Drakeland Upper	40	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Dukesmeadows	37	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Gallowshill	86	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Gardens	30	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Holdensrath	320	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Joinersfolly	116	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Kilcreen	118	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Kylebeg	211	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Loughboy	109	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Margaret's-Fields	34	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Mortgage Fields	48	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Palmerstown	57	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Poulgour	131	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Raggetsland	97	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Reviewfields	138	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Shellumsrath	128	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Smithsland North	106	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Smithsland South	66	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Springhill	148	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Warrington	487	Ossory
St. Patrick's	Wetland	65	Ossory

Knights' Fees in County Kilkenny
13th & 14th century

Following the initial Anglo-Norman incursions in Ireland in the late 12th century Richard 'Strongbow' de Clare was created Lord of Leinster by the King of England. As lord, Strongbow began to grant territory to his favorites in exchange for military service (knight service). These grants of land were expressed in terms of knights' fees, with payment due from each tenant-in-chief to their lord who was ultimatel accountable to the King of England. For example the cantred (barony) of Overk, representing most of southern co. Kilkenny, was held of 7 knights' fees, a relatively large area compared to some of the smaller parcels of land which were often held at a fraction of a knight's fee. The granting of lands, and knight's fees, continued under Strongbow's successor, the Earl Marshal, beginning in the 1190's and also through their descendants.

The tables below represents a snapshot of those who were granted lands and held them under knights' fees as recorded in the feodaries of 1247, 1317 and 1327. Sources are given at the bottom of each table. The lists below represent a partial list of these second tier of Anglo-Norman adventurers, holding knights' fees under their lord, and maintaining sub-tenants and military allies for their new territories. The lands they held were those of the Irish who often lived alongside the new tenants, sometimes in opposition but at times in alliance with this Anglo-Norman landed gentry.

The De Clare Purparty (1247)

Tenant's Name Fees Place Name Probable Location

Stephen de Hereford 2 Rathdueny Rathdowney, baronies of Clandonagh and Clarmallagh, Co. Leix

William Hogechin
(de Hogeky) 1/4 unspecified possibly near Callan; ?Rathduff, Stonecarthy parish

William de Drohull 1 Dumer Dunmore, barony of Fassadinin

Hugh son of David
(Hugh de Drohull) 3/4 Tiberch unidentified

Robert de Drohull 1 Macill unidentified

Thomas son of Richard Janyn
(Fanyn) 1/2 Glothementhau unidentified

John de Pyonies
(Pioniis or Pyomes) 1/8 Glascro Clashnacrow, barony of Crannagh

Fulk son of Warin 1 3/4 Rafhtafli unidentified

Gilbert Smyth 1 1/2 and 1/3 Culcassyn Coolcashin, barony of Galmoy

John de Ebroc'
(de Ebroicis)
Devereux 2 Acheteyr Achad Togarta, including Aharney, barony of Galmoy, and Donaghmore, barony of Fassadinin

David de Rocheford 1/2 Kilmechar Kilmacar, barony of Fassadinin

William le Gras
(Crassy) 1/2 Offerkelan Offerlane, barony of Upperwoods

Philip Oumer
(Dumer) 1/2 and 1/2 Dysert and Closthau Dysart, barony of Fassadinin

Richard de Troye
(Troia) 1/4 and 1/4 Bablorcan and Drumdelgyn Ballylarkin, barony of Crannagh; Thornback in Troyswood, parish of St. Canice, barony of Crannagh

William de sancto Leodegaro
St. Leger 1/2 and 1/2 Rosconnyl and Taluchambroc Rosconnell, barony of Fassadinin and also in Co. Leix. Tullaghanbrogue, baronies of Crannagh and Shillelocher.

Richard de Rocheford 1/4 Sewin Sheffin, baronies of Crannagh and Galmoy

Thomas de Rocheford
(Miles de Rocheford) 1/4 and 1/8 Lavertach and Carrik Killaree and Carrigeen, parish of Odagh, barony of Crannagh

William le Gras
(Crassi) 1/4 Tulachrothan Tullaroan, barony of Crannagh

Roland Bloet
(Bluet) 1/4 Rathele presumably Rathealy, parish of Tullaroan, barony of Cranagh

Franco Theutonicus
(de Tyeys) 1/10 Damach possibly Damma, parish of Ballycallan, barony of Crannagh

William Archid'
(le Archer) 1/4 Archery Archerstown, parish of St. Patrick's, liberty of Kilkenny

William son of Maurice
Fitzgerald 1/2 Kiltrafh Burnchurch, barony of Shillelogher

Reimund de Vall[e]
(John de Valle) 1/2 Theolechan Inchyolaghan or Castleinch, barony of Shillelogher

Henry de Erl[egh]
(de Herlegh) 1/2 and 1/4 in Nova Villa [et] in Cullak Earlstown, barony of Shillelogher

John son of Geoffrey [FitzRobert] 1 1/2 Kenles Kells, barony of Kells

Matthew son of Griffin [FitzWilliam]
(Reymund son of Griffin) 1 3/4 Knokechnoker and Nova Villa Knocktopher, barony of Knocktopher; and Newtown-Jerpoint or Jerpoint church, barony of Knocktopher

Thomas de sancto Albino 1/2 Killamery Killamery, barony of Kells

Nicholas Avenell 1/4 Kilfidragfh Kilferagh, barony of Shillelogher

Gerard Ruff
de Rupe
(William de Dene) 1 1/2 Ogensy Ogenti, the district around Thomastown, barony of Gowran

David Grant
(le Graunt) 1/2 Rossenan and Logeran Rossinan, baronies of Knocktopher and Ida; Logeran - unidentified

Reginald de Kernet (de Kernek) 1/10 Killemer ? Killarney, barony of Gowran

Theobald le Butiller
(Pincerna) 4 Baligaveran Gowran, barony of Gowran

Res de Ardern 1/2 Acheneneth and Tirrusk Athnenegh, Tirrusk, in parish of Kilmanagh, barony of Crannagh

William Maillard
(Maylard) 1/4 Maylard Mallardstown, barony of Kells

William de Cromhall
(Hugh Purcell) 1/4 Achenirke Urlingford, barony of Galmoy

David son of Miles
(Miles son of David) 7 Overk Barony of Iverk (and much of the modern barony of Ida)

Henry Malherbe 1/10 unspecified possibly ? Coolbally, parish of Aghaboe, barony of Clarmallagh, Co. Leix

Roger de Penbroc 1/8 Lisdumery Lisdowney, parish of Aharney, barony of Galmoy

Source: Chancery Miscellanea, P.R.O. London (File 88/4, no. 70) collated with the list in the Calendar Patent Rolls, 1366. These, while giving the dimensions of each fee, do not name its location. These are supplied from the Calendar Patent Rolls, 1279. Variants of the tenant's names in this list are shown in brackets. The above table is from "Knights' Fees in Counties Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny", Dublin Stationery Office, 1950.

Partition of 1317
Share of Hugh le Despenser and Alianora his wife

Tenant's Name Fees Place Name Probable Location

Roger son of Miles
(late of James le Botler) 7 Nouerk & Obargan (Overk, Obargon) Barony of Iverk and much of the modern barony of Ida

heirs of Davide le Grant
(unnamed) 1/2 Logheran, Killache, Rosnan
(Lotheran, Kilbannon & Rosnan) Logheran - unidentified; Killahy, baronies of Knocktopher and Iverk; Rossinan, baronies of Knocktopher and Ida;

Walter de Cusac
(late of James le Botiller) 1 3/4 Knottefre & Nova Villa Gerpontes
(Cnoctofre & Nova Villa Jeriponte) Knocktopher, barony of Knocktopher; and Newtown-Jerpoint or Jerpoint church, barony of Knocktopher

heir of David de St. Albino
(John son of David de St. Albino) 1/2 Kylamery
(Kilamerii) Killamery, barony of Kells

William larcher
(John le Red)
Archer 1/4 Archereston
(Archeriston) Archerstown, parish of St. Patrick's, liberty of Kilkenny

Roger de Penbrok
(Roger Pembroke) 1/8 Lisdomtchy
(Lesdounn) Lisdowney, parish of Aharney, barony of Galmoy

Nathaniel Avenel
(Andrew Avenel) 1/4 Kilfeteran
(Kylfethragh) Kilferagh, barony of Shillelogher

John de Erlaye (John de Erley) 1/2 and 1/14 Nova Villa de Erlay & Nova Coyllagh
(Nova Villa de Erleii & Nove Villa de Coyllagh) Earlstown, barony of Shillelogher

William de Kenfeg
(William Kenfeg) 1/4 Ragultheby
(Rathgulby) Rathculbin, parish of Earlstown, barony of Shillelogher

Maurice son of Maurice
(William son of Maurice) 1/2 Kiltramyn
(Kyltuyn) Burnchurch, barony of Shillelogher

William le Whyte
(John son of David de sancto Albino & Richard Cheivr) 1/4 Mailardston
(Maylardeston) Mallardstown, barony of Kells

Thomas de Sakvill
(William Houtillagh) 1/4 Rathmeduffe
(Raudoff) described as near Callan; ?Rathduff, Stonecarthy parish

John de Valle
(unnamed) 1/2 Cheleghan
(Inchwoleghan) Inchyolaghan or Castleinch, barony of Shillelogher

Edmund le Botiller 4 Balligaveran & elsewhere Gowran, barony of Gowran

Gilbert Smythe
(Smith) 1 1/2 and 1/3 Coultassyn & elsewhere
(Demassyn & elsewhere) Coolcashin, barony of Galmoy

heir of Richard de Retford
(de Rocheford) 1/4 Sleuyn
(Slewyn) Sheffin, baronies of Crannagh and Galmoy

William de Rocheford
(Edmund de Rocheford) 1/4
1/4 & 1/8 Laghertac & Carryk
(Latheragh & Cairyg) Killaree and Carrigeen, parish of Odagh, barony of Crannagh

heir of Geoffrey de Foresthal
(Geoffrey Forestall) 1/10 le Damagh
(Damagh) possibly Damma, parish of Ballycallan, barony of Crannagh

heir of Henry Malherbe 1/10 Gulbal ..
(Coulbally) possibly ? Coolbally, parish of Aghaboe, barony of Clarmallagh, Co. Leix

heir of John son of Geoffrey
(John son of Geoffrey) 1 1/2 Kenles & Donymegan
(Kenles & Donnymeghe) Kells, barony of Kells and Dunnamaggan, barony of Kells

heir of Robert de Carriou
(de Crepen) 1 Dungarvan & elsewhere Dungarvan, barony of Gowran

Stephen de Oxon
(de Excestr.) 2 Aghtayr
(Aghtheyre) Achad Togarta, including Aharney, barony of Galmoy, and Donaghmore, barony of Fassadinin

heir of John Dounner
(John Duner) 1 Dysare (?) Cloffkan (?)
(in deserto Lonlard, or Lorlaid) Dysart, barony of Fassadinin

Ralph Wigor'
(Bigot) 1/4 Athemotar (?)
(Aghm' cart) Aghmacart, barony of Clarmallgh, Co. Leix

Edward le Gras
(Bras) 1/2 G.d.yres (?)
(Gortynges) possibly ? Gorteen, parish of Aghmacart, barony of Clarmallagh, Co. Leix

Robert de la Lyserne
(William son of William Lercedekne) 1/10 Killerne
(Kylkerne) ? Killarney, barony of Gowran

Thomas Anteyn & parceners
(heir of Thomas de Dene & heir of Richard Lercedekne) 1 1/2 Ogenty & elsewhere Ogenti, the district around Thomastown, barony of Gowran

John de Weston
(Adam de Weston) 1/4 Rathel
(Rathele) presumably Rathealy, parish of Tullaroan, barony of Cranagh

Maurice de Aderne
(David Druhull) 1 Aghnefegh & Turmysky
(Aghnenegh & Dormysky) Athnenegh, Tirrusk, in parish of Kilmanagh, barony of Crannagh

John de Thornebrugge
(Bartholomew Tonbryg, or Tornbryg) 1/8 Glaskero
(Glascro) Clashnacrow, barony of Crannagh

Philip Purcel
(pc'cel) 1/4 Aghuryl
(Aghnyrle) Urlingford, barony of Galmoy

Philip Purcel
(same Philip) 1/4 Balligauenan
(Ballygennan) possibly ? Ballygeehin, parish of Aghaboe, barony of Clarmallagh, Co. Leix

heir of Hugh de Druhall
(Thomas Pembroke) 3/4 Tiberydbrytayn
(Tybrittann) Tubbridbritain, barony of Crannagh

Edmund le Botiller 2 Rathedouny
(Rathdowney) Rathdowney

heir of Philip son of Fulk
(Fulk son of Walter) 1 3/4 Clonemecorkeran, Rathbetagh & elsewhere in Moyar[f]
(Clonmccorkeran, Rathbeagh & elsewhere in Moyarf) Rathbeagh, baronies of Galmoy and Fassadinin. Clonmccorkeran - unidentified.

Richard de Cantwell 1/20 Goterayssemy & Aghmetant
(Gorgrussemii & Aghm'cart) Acghmacart, barony of Clarmallagh, Co. Leix. Goteratssemy - unidentified

Gilbert Shorth
(Shorthalls) 1/12 Ballidosgill
(Ballydowyll) Ballydowel, parish of Ballinamara, barony of Crannagh

William de St. Leodegario
(heir of William de St. Leodegario)
St. Leger 1/2 Theloghanbrok
(Tythanbrog) Tullaghanbrogue, baronies of Crannagh and Shillelocher.

William de St. Leodegario
(heir of same William) 1/2 Rosconyl Rosconnell, barony of Fassadinin and also in Co. Leix.

Thomas de Fanyn
(Thomas Fannyn) 1/2 Cloghmantagh
(Clomantagh) Clomantagh, barony of Crannagh

Edmund le Gras
(William le Gras) 1/4 Tillarouthan
(Tyllaghrothan) Tullaroan, barony of Crannagh

Hamo le Gras
(heir of Edmund le Gras) 1/4 Tyreskes & Tirscolan
(Tyryskelkess & Tyrcollan) Offerlane, barony of Upperwoods

Theobald de Troye
(Maurice Troy) 1/2 Ballilorgan, Drandelgy & Troystan
(Ballikan, Drumdelgyn & Troyeston) Ballylarkin, barony of Crannagh; Thornback in Troyswood, parish of St. Canice, barony of Crannagh

John de Rocheford 3/4 Kilmeker & Balligauyn Kilmacar, barony of Fassadinin

William de Druhull
(heir of William Druhull) 1 Dunmore & elsewhere Dunmore, barony of Fassadinin

Geoffrey de Rocheford
(heir of Walter le Rocheford, William Catmars clerk, & others) 1 Methil
(Mothul) Mothell, barony of Fassadinin

Source: Chancery Miscellanea, P.R.O., London (File 9/24). Variants from British Museum, Addl. MS. 4791, are given in brackets [likely an older version]. The fees are given in the order of the original document. The above table is from "Knights' Fees in Counties Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny", Dublin Stationery Office, 1950.

John Rothe married Rose Archer, daughter of another leading Kilkenny dynasty and they lived in style and comfort with their family of four sons and eight daughters in their home, "The Rothe House" which was built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers (1560-1620). (Use your back button to return here)

Townlands of County Kilkenny Ireland

Townland Acres Barony Parish PLU in 1857

Archergrove 102 Shillelogher St. Patrick's Kilkenny

Archersleas 147 Shillelogher St. Patrick's Kilkenny

Archersrath 107 Gowran St. John's Kilkenny

Archerstreet Lot 88 Shillelogher St. Canice Kilkenny

Extracted from the General Alphabetical Index of Townlands - Based on the 1851 Census.

ST. PATRICK'S Parish, Kilkenny, Ireland

Church Records

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