Brownlow Papers

Context

Creator(s): Brownlow family, Barons Lurgan, County Armagh

• Administrative History ↴

  Under the Plantation of Ulster, John Brownlow of Nottingham offered himself as an undertaker of land in ONeilland, Co. Armagh. He was granted the 'middle proportion' of Doughcoron in the barony of O'Neill and by patent from James I, 29 May 1610. Doughcoron contained 1,500 acres and included the townlands of Taberhany, Aghenecloghly, Keilmarigie, Tirnurye, Doughcoron, Taunaghvore, Knockneseggan, Lurgyvalyvackon, Balliblagh, Derry, Dromonavahir, Taunaghnoreinkellymory, Dromonicolla, Kanagow, Clonrolla, Lisocorran, Lorogine-Itarry, Clan-Igollavorist, Dunhjnagreih, Corakinegeir, Killaghy, Tollidegon, Tollyconnally, and Dromonikeherny. Shankill and half of Aghnecloghie, some 90 acres, were exempted from the grant and reserved as glebe land for the church. On 13 June 1610 John Brownlow's son, William, was granted by James I, 1,000 acres, the proportion of Ballynemony. This land also lay on the southern shore of Lough Neagh, adjacent to his father's land, and stretched from the upper Bann eastward to Doughcoron. His grant consisted of the townlands of Derryvieasse, Bechonill, Knockrawre, Ballynemany, Tanaghvore, Leggachory, Moynrege, Tollygalla and Teghevan. Kinenereganbeg, containing 60 acres, was exempted from the grant and reserved as glebe land for the church. With the death of John Brownlow, his son, William inherited his property. By 1620 we learn that 'He hath made a very fair town, consisting of 42 houses, all of which are inhabited with English families, and the streets all paved clean through; also two water mills, and a third mill, all for corn; and he hath store for arms in his house ... planted and estated on the land ... 57 British families ... 52 lessees and 5 freeholders ... and all these have taken the Oath of Supremacy and are able to make 100 men with arms ... and not one Irish family upon all the land.' In 1622 William was knighted by Sir Henry Cary, Viscount Falkland, lord deputy of Ireland. On 22 June 1629 there was a re-grant to Sir William Brownlow of Doughcoron and Ballynemony, now united as the manor of Brownlowsderry, comprising the townlands, of Derryinver, Derryloste, Derrytrasna, Ardmore, Derryadd, Derrymacash, Derrytagh, Ballynery, Annalost, Kinnegoe, Chanrolla, Turmoyra, Boconnell, Knockramer, Ballynamoney, Aghacommon, Tannaghmore West, Tullygalley, Legaghory, Monbrief, Taghnevan, Aughnacloy, Silverwood, Toberhavny, Tannaghmore South, Balliyblagh, Ballylurgan, Derry, Shankill, Tannaghmore North, Knocknashane, Taughrane, Drumnamoe, Dougher, Clankilvoragh, Lurgantorry, Cornakinnegar, Tullydagan, Killaghy, Tullyronnelly, Drumnykerne and Donagoreagh. While we learn from Pynnar's survey that there were no Irish on Brownlow's land in 1620, Rev. George Hill points out that 'Sir William Brownlow must have soon afterwards yielded to the temptation (which no undertakers could long withstand) of the high rents and ready payments yielded by native tenants, for it was found by inquisition that, in, 1630, he had more than the permitted number of this class on his estate ...' However, T.G.F. Patterson, writing in the County Louth Archaeological Journal disagrees, saying '... in actual fact the evidence points the other way.' He believes Sir William Brownlow was influenced by his Irish wife, Eleanor O'Doherty of Innishowen, who wished to help her compatriots and influenced her husband towards a more sympathetic policy in regard to Irish tenants. -Extracted from a full account of the Brownlow family and papers in the PRONI catalogue: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni

• Archival History ↴

  The collection was deposited with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland by Watson & Neill Solicitors, Lurgan, Co. Armagh on behalf of the late John Desmond Cavendish Brownlow, 5th Baron Lurgan.

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Donation