Saturday, March 25, 2017

Norman overlords of Ofhearghusa alias Knockanore

Norman overlords of Ofhearghusa alias Knockanore

Niall C.E.J. O’Brien

The district which in medieval times was called Ofhearghusa is a triangular area in West Waterford bounded on the east by the River Blackwater and on the north by the River Bride. The western boundary is the present county boundary between Cork and Waterford. In the time before the Normans (pre 1169) the area was part of the Déise Muman kingdom and the Diocese of Lismore. For an account of Ofhearghusa before 1169 see the article = http://celtic2realms-medievalnews.blogspot.ie/2013/09/knockanore-in-cork-or-waterford-in.html

The area of Ofhearghusa

Robert Fitzstephen

In the early days of the Norman Conquest Robert Fitz Stephen was granted the lands of Oglassin in County Cork and Ocarbry in County Limerick for eight knight fees. Later Robert Fitz Stephen leased out these lands to Alexander Fitz Maurice.[1] Robert Fitzstephen left no legitimate heirs and was succeeded by Richard de Carreu in the lands of Imokilly. Richard was succeeded about 1205 by his son Robert de Carreu who in turn was succeded by his son Richard de Carreu (c.1250s). This Richard left two sons, Thomas de Carreu (died pre 1274) and Maurice de Carreu. This Maurice de Carreu would in 1307 recover ownership of Ofhearghusa from the Fitzgerald/de Clare family as shall see below.[2]

Fitzgerald, Barons of Offaly

In the 1180s it is presumed that Prince John, as Lord of Ireland, gave Ofhearghusa to Gerald Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald, 1st Baron Offaly. Although we don’t have the exact grant document, we do have another document, dated 1185-1189, in which Prince John gave Oglassin in County Cork to Gerald Fitzmaurice.[3] This Gerald was the brother of Alexander Fitz Maurice above.[4] Oglassin was also known as Imokilly but in later documents from 1299 Oglassin and Ofhearghusa are grouped together.[5]

Gerald Fitzmaurice was succeeded by his son, Maurice Fitzgerald, 2nd Baron Offaly. On 5th July 1215 Maurice Fitzgerald agreed to pay a fine of 60 marks for his father’s lands in Oglassin with the castles of Crumech and Dungarvan.[6] The location of this castle of Dungarvan is undetermined. Dungarvan castle, Co. Waterford had been given to Thomas Fitz Anthony two days before.[7] The documents say that Crumech and Dungarvan were in Oglassin which was the area around Youghal town and later known as the manor of Inchiquin.[8] The 2nd Baron Offaly developed the town of Youghal into a recognised town and thriving seaport. Maurice Fitzgerald founded the Franciscan South Abbey.

The 2nd Baron Offaly served as justiciar of Ireland in 1232-45 and died in 1257 when he was succeeded in Ofhearghusa by his second son, Maurice Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald. The elder son, Gerald Fitzmaurice died in 1243 and was the father of Maurice Fitzgerald, 3rd Baron Offaly and grandfather of Gerald Fitzmaurice, 4th Baron Offaly. The 4th Baron died in 1287 without issue and was succeeded by his cousin, John Fitzthomas, 5th Baron of Offaly, who in 1316 was created 1st Earl of Kildare.[9]
In 1272-3 Maurice Fitzmaurice was justiciar of Ireland.[10] His term of office was short lived and without much success. In a military campaign against the O’Connors of Offaly Maurice was taken prisoner. The government made little effort towards his release. Instead King Edward appointed Geoffrey de Geneville as the new justiciar.[11]

Maurice Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was married twice. His first wife was Matilda, daughter of Gerald de Prendergast and widow of Maurice de Rochford by whom he had a daughter, Amabil. In later years Amabil gave her Connacht inheritance to her cousin, John Fitzthomas Fitzgerald. Maurice Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald married secondly to Emelina, daughter of Stephen de Longespee and heiress of half of the lands of her grandfather, Walter de Ridelisford.[12]

Thomas de Clare

Maurice Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald died in 1286 leaving female heirs.[13] At Ofhearghusa he was succeeded by his daughter, Julianne Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald. In 1274/5 Julianne Fitzmaurice married Thomas de Clare, second son of the 5th Earl of Gloucester.[14] Maurice had settled Oglassin and Ofhearghusa on Julianne in 1274 on her marriage to Thomas de Clare with provision that they regrant the land to Maurice for life with reminder to the heirs of Julianne and Thomas.[15]

Thomas de Clare initially attended Oxford University with the intention of a clerical career but changed his mind. At first he sided with Simon de Montfort against King Henry III but later changed sides and fought for the king at Evesham. Thomas de Clare gained many seized estates and became a wealthy person. In April 1269 Thomas de Clare began his association with Ireland when he gained the wardship of Maurice Fitzgerald, 3rd Baron of Offaly. His marriage to Julianne Fitzgerald gained him lands in Munster and Connacht. In about 1276 Thomas de Clare exchanged his English property with Robert de Muscegros and acquired the large lordship of Bunratty. In January 1276 King Edward made a grant of all of Thomond to de Clare.[16]

It is possible that Thomas de Clare built the riverside section of Strancally Castle. this part of the castle is a rectangular building known as a hall house and were popular in the late 13th century and early 14th century. In the 15th/16th century a tower house was built onto the west side of the castle.

Gilbert de Clare

Thomas de Clare died in 1288 and was succeeded by his son Gilbert de Clare. The inquisition post mortem taken in October 1288 showed that Thomas de Clare held Ofhearghusa and other land at Youghal, Any in Limerick and Bunratty in Clare. Half the land of Ofhearghusa was leased to Jordan de Exeter by the service of 20s and doing yearly suit at the manor court of Inchiquin. The other half of Ofhearghusa was leased to Reginald de Dene on the same terms.[17] In about 1299 Maurice de Carreu, as heir of Robert Fitz Stephen claimed that the heirs of Thomas de Clare held Oglassin and Ofhearghusa from him by service that he was unable to collect.[18]

Gilbert de Clare came of age in 1302 when documents report that his mother had granted Oglassin to her cousin John FitzThomas to hold for the minority. It is presumed that Gilbert came into possession of Oglassin and Ofhearghusa after 1302. In 1308 Gilbert de Clare died without issue and was succeeded by his brother Richard de Clare.[19]

Fitzstephen/Carew re-establishment

In 1307/1310 King Edward II returned to Maurice de Carreu the eight knight fees in Oglassin and Ocarbry wrongly taken from him by previous monarchs.[20] This grant to Maurice de Carreu restored the Fitzstephen/Carew family as overlords of Ofhearghusa which they held of the king. The Fitzgerald/de Clare family were thus sub-tenants of Maurice de Carreu while the de Exeter and de Dene families were tenants of Fitzgerald/de Clare. The ordinary tenant farmers who lived and worked the land of Ofhearghusa were below de Exeter and de Dene. Nineteen century landlordism in Ofhearghusa was simpler. See 19th century local landlords at https://niallbrn.wordpress.com/2013/09/01/kilwatermoy-landlords-in-1851/?frame-nonce=a0db86c8e2

Maurice de Carreu was succeeded in about 1320 by his son, Thomas de Carreu when he got seisin of his father’s lands. In 1336, Thomas de Carreu made a quit-claim of Olethan to David Fitz David de Barry. In 1329 he had enfeoffed Maurice FitzThomas Fitzgerald, later 1st Earl of Desmond, of half of the lordship of Desmond but this was judged illegal by the government as Robert FitzStephen was declared a bastard and died without heirs.[21] This didn’t concern Maurice FitzThomas as he took control anyway. In the sixteenth century Peter de Carew of Devon claimed to be a heir of Thomas de Carreu and sought to acquire Imokilly without success.

Richard de Clare

In 1318 Richard de Clare was killed at the battle of Dysert O’Dea in modern-day County Clare. The defeat, by the hands of the O’Briens, dealt a fatal blow to English power in Clare and North Munster.[22]

Thomas de Clare and Margaret de Badlesmere

Richard de Clare was succeeded at Ofhearghusa and elsewhere by his son Thomas de Clare. This young man did not long enjoy his inheritance as he died in 1321. Thomas de Clare was succeeded by his two aunts, Margaret (wife of Sir Bartholomew de Badlesmere) and Maud (wife of Sir Robert de Well), sisters of Richard de Clare. In 1321 Thomas de Clare had 1½ knight fees in Ofhearghusa leased to Stephen de Exeter while Isabel (wife of Gilbert de Clare) had as her dower land the other 1½ knight’s fees in Ofhearghusa which she leased to Thomas de Dene.[23] The same 1321 inquisition post mortem said that Thomas de Clare held Youghal and Inchiquin from the heirs of Robert Fitz Stephen by the service of 100 shillings or 2½ knight fees.[24] For more on the de Exeter family see =  http://celtic2realms-medievalnews.blogspot.ie/2016/11/affane-athmethan-civil-parish-in.html  

Giles de Badlesmere and his four sisters

Margaret de Badlesmere was succeeded by her son, Giles de Badlesmere. In 1320 Giles de Badlesmere died without any children and was succeeded by his four sisters; Margery (wife of Sir William de Roos), Maud (wife of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford), Elizabeth (wife of William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton) and Margaret (wife of Sir John Tiptoft). Giles de Badlesmere left extensive property in Kent, Sussex, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Essex as well as the de Clare lands in Ireland.[25]

Thus the new owners of Ofhearghusa were all English absentee owners. Maurice Fitzthomas Fitzgerald, 1st Earl of Desmond claimed that Giles de Badlesmere held his Irish property from Maurice and not from the King.[26] With this claim Maurice Fitzgerald made war in Munster and attacked Youghal. In 1329 Maurice Fitzthomas said that he had purchased the lordship of Youghal and Inchiquin from Thomas de Carreu, heir of Robert Fitz Stephen.[27] Maurice Fitzthomas occupied the Youghal area from about 1321 until 1346. In about 1348 the large Irish estate of the Fitzgerald/de Clare inheritance was divided into four parts with each sister getting an equal share.

The four parts of Inchiquin become one unit

In 1360 the 3rd Earl of March inherited the quarter of Youghal and Inchiquin formerly held by the Earl of Northampton. In 1367 the Earl of Oxford gave his quarter share of Inchiquin to the Earl of Ormond.[28]

In 1369 William de Windsor arrived in Ireland as the new Lord Lieutenant. Among his tasks was the restoration of English power. One of the barriers to this was the ownership of much of the English part of Ireland by absentee lords living in England. The local Anglo-Irish gentry had often complained about absentee owners not paying their share of the defence budget. In 1368 an ordinance or Act of Absentees was passed which required these absentee owners to live in Ireland or send men-at-arms on pain of forfeiture.[29]

In 1370 the quarter of Inchiquin held by Lord de Roos was seized by the government under the Act of Absentees but was restored in the following year. In 1372 the government again seized the quarter share of Lord Roos. At about the same time Lord Roos gave his share to William de Hampsterley in an effort to avoid forfeiture and to at least get something for the property.[30] On 18th March 1372 William de Hampsterley made a grant to William de Windsor of his quarter share of Youghal and Inchiquin. William de Windsor appointed John Ducket and Thomas de Holihurst as his attorneys to receive the property.[31]

In February 1367 Robert Tiptoft granted his quarter share of Inchiquin to John Hankyn, King’s serjeant-at-arms, to get round any forfeiture under the Act of Absentees. In October 1369 John Hankyn granted the same to James Butler, Earl of Ormond. In October 1372, Margaret, wife of the Robert Tiptoft, quitclaimed the quarter share of Inchiquin to the Earl of Ormond. Margaret subsequently married Sir John Cheyne and in 1378 they both quitclaimed the quarter share to the Earl of Ormond.[32]

On 24th October 1367 and 18th October 1368 Thomas de Veer made a grant of his quarter share of Youghal and Inchiquin to James Butler, Earl of Ormond, and Elizabeth his wife.[33] The Earl of Ormond now had two parts of Inchiquin.

In 1374 the 3rd Earl of March gave his quarter share of Inchiquin to John Ducket, Ralph de Beltisford and Thomas Holihurst.[34] These three people were associates of William de Windsor, John Ducket was even his brother-in-law.[35] The three recipients subsequently gave the quarter share to William de Windsor, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Thus by 1385 William de Windsor had acquired half of the manor of Inchiquin (including half of Youghal) along with half of the land of Ofhearghusa (Knockanore). William de Windsor gave his share of Ofhearghusa to two tenants, Thomas Uniacke and David de Capella to hold by two knight’s fees each.[36]

Sometime before 1405 James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond gave the manor of Rincrew to his niece and unofficial spouse, Katherine of Desmond, daughter of Gerald Fitzmaurice, 3rd Earl of Desmond. It seems the Earl of Ormond acquired Rincrew from Robert Tiptoft or from Thomas de Veer as their quarter share of the Badlesmere inheritance. In 1443 Katherine of Desmond gave Rincrew manor to her nephew, Gerald Mór Fitzgerald, later 1st Lord of the Decies. The Fitzgerald family held Templemichael, alias Rincrew, until 1750 when they sold it to Richard Dawson of Dublin.[37] For more on Templemichael under the Fitzgeralds of Dromana see = https://niallbrn.wordpress.com/2015/03/24/the-dromana-estate-in-1640/?frame-nonce=fc141a7c57

On 12th April 1413 John Windsor (nephew of William de Windsor) granted the barony of Inchiquin to Arthur Ormesby to hold of the chief lord. This was to avoid forfeiture under the Absentee Act which was a bit of an irony as his uncle got the land under the same Act.[38] Elsewhere Arthur Ormesby is said to be son of Margaret, daughter of William de Windsor, late Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.[39] In 1413 or 1420 James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond, granted a series of liberties to the town of Youghal.[40] In October 1419 James Butler was mentioned s lord of Youghal.[41] In February 1420 Arthur Ormesby made a grant in full seisin of Youghal and Inchiquin along with the advowson of Youghal to James Butler, Earl of Ormond.[42]

Earls of Desmond begin to acquire Ofhearghusa

In January 1422, James Butler, Earl of Ormond, made James Fitzgerald, 7th Earl of Desmond, his seneschal of Imokilly, Inchiquin and Youghal for life.[43] At about the same time (1420) the Earl of Desmond was lord of Aghern, Mogeely, Lisfinny, Sheanmore, and Tallow.[44] In 1298 Thomas Fitzmaurice of Shanid owned half of Tulachrath (Tallow) which was rented by John le Poher as a free tenant.[45] This 1298 part of Tallow is presumingly the later manor of Lisfinny north of the River Bride. The Tallow of 1420 is presumingly the town and civil parish of Tallow south of the River Bride. The Earl of Desmond must have acquired Tallow from one of the four heirs of Giles de Badlesmere or had occupied it since the time of the first Earl of Desmond and claimed ownership by default. As the medieval archives of the Earls of Desmond have not survived we are left with gaps in the story of the Ofhearghusa overlords and medieval owners that may never be filled in. 

In May 1429 James Butler, Earl of Ormond, proposed to give Thomas, son of James Fitzgerald, Earl of Desmond, the town and advowson of Youghal along with the Barony of Inchiquin as part of the marriage agreement between Thomas Fitzgerald and Anne Butler, daughter of the said James Butler.[46] But this agreement failed to happen as the marriage did not go through.[47]

By 1460 James Fitzgerald, Earl of Desmond, had acquired all of Youghal and those parts of Ofhearghusa (excluding Rincrew) that he did not previously own such as Strancally.  

In 1460 the four parishes that made up medieval Ofhearghusa were divided among at least three owners. The parish of Templemichael was divided between the Fitzgeralds of Dromana, Lords of the Decies, and Molana Abbey while the parish of Kilwatermoy was of uncertain ownership. The Roche family owned parts of Kilwatermoy in 1640 and may have acquired it in ancient times.[48] For more on Molana Abbey see = http://celtic2realms-medievalnews.blogspot.ie/2013/09/molana-abbey-in-county-waterford-ireland.html

The 7th Earl of Desmond was now overlord and owner of two of the four medieval parishes of Ofhearghusa, namely, Tallow and Kilcockan. This Desmond ownership remained until after the Second Desmond Rebellion (1579-1583) when the Earldom of Desmond was seized by the English government and divided among English courtiers with Sir Walter Raleigh acquiring most of Ofhearghusa.

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[1] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 95
[2] Goddard Henry Orpen, Ireland under the Normans 1169-1333 (Dublin, 2005), vol. iii, p. 154
[3] G. Mac Niocaill (ed.), The Red Book of the Earls of Kildare (Dublin, 1964), no. 1
[4] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 95
[5] Paul MacCotter, Medieval Ireland: Territorial, Political and Economic Divisions (Dublin, 2008), p. 161
[6] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland (5 vols. Kraus reprint 1974),  vol. 1 (1171-1251), nos. 586
[7] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 1 (1171-1251), no. 576
[8] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 1 (1171-1251), no. 598
[9] Goddard Henry Orpen, Ireland under the Normans 1169-1333 (Dublin, 2005), vol. iv, pp. 128, 129
[10] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 2 (1252-1284), nos. 937, 940
[11] J.T. Gilbert, History of the Viceroys of Ireland (James Duffy, Dublin, 1865), p. 143
[12] Goddard Henry Orpen, Ireland under the Normans 1169-1333 (Dublin, 2005), vol. iv, p. 129
[13] Goddard Henry Orpen, Ireland under the Normans 1169-1333 (Dublin, 2005), vol. iv, p. 112
[14] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 2 (1252-1284), no. 2210
[15] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 96
[16] Ronan Mackay, ‘Thomas de Clare’, in Dictionary of Irish Biography (Royal Irish Academy), p. 533
[17] J.E.E.S. Sharp (ed.) Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Vol. II, Edward 1 (Kraus reprint, 1973), no. 696
[18] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 96
[19] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), pp. 96, 97
[20] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 96; Goddard Henry Orpen, Ireland under the Normans 1169-1333 (Dublin, 2005), vol. iii, p. 154
[21] Goddard Henry Orpen, Ireland under the Normans 1169-1333 (Dublin, 2005), vol. iii, p. 154
[22] J.T. Gilbert, History of the Viceroys of Ireland (James Duffy, Dublin, 1865), p. 143
[23] J.E.E.S. Sharp (ed.) Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Vol. VI, Edward II (Kraus reprint, 1973), no. 275
[24] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 97
[25] J.E.E.S. Sharp (ed.) Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Vol. VIII, Edward III (Kraus reprint, 1973), no. 185
[26] J.E.E.S. Sharp (ed.) Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Vol. VIII, Edward III (Kraus reprint, 1973), no. 185, p. 148
[27] Paul MacCotter, ‘The Sub-infeudation and Descent of the Fitzstephen/Carew Moiety of Desmond (Part II)’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 102 (1997), p. 97
[28] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1934), vol. II, p. 102
[29] A.J. Otway-Ruthven, A history of Medieval Ireland (London, 1980), 296; Sheelah H. Harbison, ‘The Absentee Problem in Waterford and East Cork during William of Windsor’s Administration, l369-'76’, in Decies, No. 23 (1983), p. 6
[30] Sheelah H. Harbison, ‘The Absentee Problem in Waterford and East Cork during William of Windsor’s Administration, l369-'76’, in Decies, No. 23 (1983), pp. 8, 9
[31] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1934), vol. II, p. 125
[32] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1934), vol. II, pp. 107, 113, 118, 127, 154
[33] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, pp. 368, 369, 380, 381
[34] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1934), vol. II, p. 128
[35] Sheelah H. Harbison, ‘The Absentee Problem in Waterford and East Cork during William of Windsor’s Administration, l369-'76’, in Decies, No. 23 (1983), p. 9
[36] Sheelah H. Harbison, ‘The Absentee Problem in Waterford and East Cork during William of Windsor’s Administration, l369-'76’, in Decies, No. 23 (1983), p. 9 with reference to C.C.H., p. 129, no. 57
[37] Kenneth Nicholls, ‘The development of Lordship in County Cork, 1300-1600’, in Patrick O’Flanagan & Cornelius G. Buttimer (ed.), Cork History and Society (Geography Publications, Dublin, 1993), p. 188, 209, note 228; P.R.O.N.I., Villiers-Stuart papers, T.3131/B/20/8, c.1750 Account of the purchase price for Templemichael
[38] Sheelah H. Harbison, ‘The Absentee Problem in Waterford and East Cork during William of Windsor’s Administration, l369-'76’, in Decies, No. 23 (1983), p. 14
[39] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, pp. 3, 26
[40] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, pp. 3, 4, 5
[41] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, p. 21
[42] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, p. 26
[43] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, pp. 38, 39
[44] Gabriel O’Connell Redmond, ‘The castles in North-East Cork and Near its Borders’, in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, vol. 24 (1918), p. 62
[45] H.S. Sweetman (ed.), Calendar of documents relating to Ireland, vol. 4 (1293-1301), no. 551, p. 262
[46] Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds (Dublin, 1935), vol. III, p. 72
[47] Gerald O’Carroll, The Earls of Desmond: The Rise and Fall of a Munster Lordship (Limerick, 2013), p. 32, note 7
[48] Robert C. Simington (ed.), The Civil Survey A.D. 1654-1656 County of Waterford Vol. VI with appendices (Stationery Office, Dublin, 1942), p. 19