Dublin Estates

We have already mentioned Clotilda Tickell’s property at Glasnevin (now the Botanical Gardens), the Lord Chancellor’s house and grounds near Dublin Castle and his properties at Kilmainham and Chaplisod, near Phoenix Park. He also owned a large estate a few miles south of Dublin, granted in 1661 from lands forfeited in 1642. This included half the Barony of Rathdown, with an area of about 3,000 statute acres of farm-land, foothills and mountain running south and west from the present boundary of Leopardstown racecourse, and comprised of townlands of Kilgobin, Jamestown, Newtown Little, Rallyedmonduff, Ballybrack, Kilmashogue Newtown and Woodtown. It included the Fairy Castle at the summit of Two Rock Mountain which was sold in 1721 for about £40,000 to meet the liabilities outstanding on the death of Sir Maurice in 1703. Part of the grounds of the Lord Chancellor’s house, including what is now Eustace Street in Dublin, were sold at the same time.

When we remember the crude survey methods of two or three centuries ago, it is surprising how extremely accurately the areas (some of them very irregular, and mountainous) shown on these and other old deeds agree with the true areas given on modern Ordnance maps. This fact also says much for the permanence of townland boundaries.

These pages © Ronald Eustice, 2007