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Estate: Travers

Associated Families

Description

History suggests that the Travers family acquired much of the land fomerly owned by the Abbey of Timoleague. Boyle Travers was among the principal lessors in the parish of Kilnagross and Catherine Travers in the parish of Castleventry, barony of East Carbery, at the time of Griffith's Valuation, while John Moore Travers held land in the parish of Ballinaboy, barony of Cork and Joseph Travers in the parish of Rostellan, barony of Imokilly. Kate Travers was also among the principal lessors in the parish of Kilkerranmore and Jonas and John M.Travers in the parish of Lislee, both in the barony of Ibane & Barryroe. The representatives of Robert Travers were among the principal lessors in the parish of Ballymodan, barony of Kinalmeaky. Jonas Travers had several commercial maritime interests as well as the development of the fishing industry on the Cork coast. In the 1870s, the representatives of Jonas Travers owned almost 1000 acres in county Cork, while Robert Travers of Timoleague owned over 700 acres, Henry B. Travers of Ballymacowen House, Clonakilty, owned almost 500 acres and Captain Augustus Travers owned 860 acres.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Ballynamona House (H2982) John M. Travers was leasing this property together with over 135 acres to Thomas Beech in or at the time of Griffith's Valuation. A house is still extant at the site.	Ballynamona	Lislee	Clonakilty	Butlerstown 59	Ibane & Barryroe	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.63284 -8.73522 OSI Ref: W491425 Discovery map #87. OS Sheet #136.
Butlerstown House (H2983) Jonas Travers held Butlerstown House in fee at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when it was valued at £32. Lewis refers to it as the seat of J.Travers in 1837. The history of the house indicates that he had commissioned its building sometime in the early nineteenth century. It was still a Travers seat in 1894. See www.butlerstownhouse.com In 2009 it was for sale.	Butlerstown	Lislee	Clonakilty	Butlerstown 59	Ibane & Barryroe	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.60318 -8.73329 OSI Ref: W492392 Discovery map #87. OS Sheet #136.
Lissycrimeen House (H2985) Occupied by George Travers, leasing from Jonas Travers at the time of Griffith's valuation, when it was valued at £13 10s. Some old wall boundaries are the only physical evidence at the site.	Lissycrimeen	Lislee	Clonakilty	Butlerstown 59	Ibane & Barryroe	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.59583 -8.75915 OSI Ref: W474384 Discovery map #89. OS Sheet #136.
Timoleague House (H3000) In 1837 Lewis refers to Timoleague House as the seat of G. Travers. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, it was held in fee by Robert Travers and valued at £21. This house was burnt in December 1920 along with the ancient castle nearby. The Travers family built another house close by which is still extant and occupied.	Castle Lower	Timoleague	Clonakilty	Timoleague 64	Ibane & Barryroe	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.64523 -8.76431 OSI Ref: W471439 Discovery map #89. OS Sheet #123.
Ummera (H3001) Robert Travers was leasing this property to Samuel McCaul at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when it was valued at £14. Lewis refers to it as the seat of Rev. B. Swete in 1837. In 1814 Leet notes Ummery as the seat of Rev. A. Sealy. Ummera House is still extant.	Ummera	Timoleague	Clonakilty	Timoleague 64	Ibane & Barryroe	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.65515 -8.76015 OSI Ref: W474450 Discovery map #89. OS Sheet #123.
Garrycloyne (H3202) Leet records Robert McCarthy occupying Garrycloyne in 1814. "Burkes Irish Family Records" states that Garrycloyne Castle was acquired by Samuel Philip Townshend from John Travers in 1837. The buildings were valued at £45 in the early 1850s and held by Samuel Townsend in fee. The house was later the home of the Barrys. In the 1940s the roof was taken off the house and it has remained a ruin ever since.	Garrycloyne	Garrycloyne	Cork	Greenfort 73	Barretts	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.97341 -8.59233 OSI Ref: W593 803 Discovery map #80. OS Sheet #62.
Birchhill Cottage/Birchhill House (H3204) This house was occupied by John Travers at the time of Griffith's Valuation. He held it from Francis Wyse and it was valued at £10.10 shillings. Jane Clerke occupied a mansion house valued at £20 in this townland in 1906. It is labelled Birchhill Cottage on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map but as Birchhill House on the 25-edition of the 1890s. A house is still extant at the site.	Knocknabehy	Grenagh	Cork	Greenfort 73	Barretts	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.97972 -8.58805 OSI Ref: W596 810 Discovery map #80. OS Sheet #62.
Roundhill House (H3548) This house was the home of Travers Esq in the 1770s. The representatives of Robert Travers were leasing this property to Timothy Crowley at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when it was valued at £198 including the nearby mill complex. Both buildings are still extant.	Roundhill	Ballymodan	Bandon	Ballymodan 1	Kinalmeaky	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.73340 -8.75277 OSI Ref: W480537 Discovery map #86. OS Sheet #110.
Whitegate House (H3613) In 1786 Wilson refers to Whitegate as the seat of Thomas Travers. It was the home of Mrs Gertrude Fitzgerald (nee Blakeney Lyon), wife of Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald, in 1837 and at the time of Griffith's Valutaion when it was valued at £25 and held from Robert U. P. Fitzgerald. The property passed in the mid 1850s to the niece of R.U. Fitzgerald, Anne Penrose, who was married to Thomas Stewart. Still extant and occupied.	Ballincaroonig	Aghada	Middleton	Corkbeg 257	Imokilly	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.82457 -8.23209 OSI Ref: W840 636 Discovery map #81. OS Sheet #88.
Clifton (H3812) John Moore Travers inhabited this house in the first half of the 19th century. At the time of Griffith's Valuation Clifton was valued at £65 and held from the Earl of Bandon. John M. Travers only child Elizabeth married in 1827 Sir William Henry St Lawrence Clarke, Baronet. Later the home of Nicholas Murphy and in the 20th century in use as a convent.	Ballintemple	St Finbars	Cork	Blackrock 95	Cork	Cork	Lat/Lon: 51.89597 -8.41406 OSI Ref: W715 716 Discovery map #87. OS Sheet #74.

Archival sources

Cork County Library: Irish Tourist Association Survey files, Parish of Timoleague
National Archives of Ireland: Will of Robert Travers of Coolconorthy, barony of East Carbury, Co Cork includes reference to his brothers Rev Boyle Travers & Walter Travers, 3 Feb 1727. Langrishe Collection, Small Accs Index 1/714, T.12765b No 2
National Archives of Ireland: Marriage settlement of Sir Robert Travers & Miss Harnett Belfour, [Co Cork]. W.B. Scott, solicitor's collection, Small Accs Index 76. D.9757
National Archives of Ireland: Baker, Ringwood & Gordon, solicitors' collection, includes papers dealing with estate of Mary Isabella Travers under the Land Acts, 1909. Small Accs. Index 105, M.4136(1-13)
National Archives of Ireland: Westropp Deposits (1933 & 1935), include records re Travers property, 1695-1857, T.649, D.5197-5225
National Library of Ireland: Notes on Travers marriages, c.1756 -- 1844. Genealogical Office: Ms.144, pp.66-7
National Library of Ireland: Detailed abstracts of wills, administrations and marriage licence bonds of Travers of Ballycurren, Butlerstown, Kilgobnet, Clonskilty, Ballymacowen, of Cork City and Dublin City, 1700 -- 1832. Genealogical Office: Ms.139, pp.106-12
National Library of Ireland: Abstract of deed dated 10 October, 1735 between Jehosaphat Hulcat of Cork, and Joyce Sweet and Benjamin, her husband of Kinsale. Mentions Travers and Lucas families, 1735. National Library of Ireland, Genealogical Office: Ms. 144, p. 35

Contemporary printed sources

GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND, 1850-1858. : Ibane & Barryroe, 56 (Ballynamona), 65 (Lissycrimeen), 92 (Castle Lower), 96 (Ummera)
GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND, 1850-1858. : Barretts Barony, 15 (Knocknabehy)
GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND, 1850-1858. : Kinalmeaky Barony, 18 (Roundhill)
GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND, 1850-1858. : Cork Barony, 58 (Ballintemple)
HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878: 450
LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: I, 208 (Clifton), 650 (Garrycloyne),
PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 136
SLATER, Isaac. Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats. (Manchester: 1894) : xxiii, 147
TAYLOR, George & SKINNER, Andrew. Maps of the Roads of Ireland, surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783. Facsimile of 2nd edition. Shannon: Irish University Press, 1969: 170 (Roundhill)
WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 228 (Inishannon), 250 (Whitegate)

Modern printed sources

Jnl. of the Blarney and District Historical Society, known as Old Blarney.: DUGGAN, J.J. Garrycloyne - Story of a townland. I (1989), 46-53
Jnl. of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society.: Travers, family of. Ser. 2, Vol. XI, (1905), p. 197,
Éire-Ireland: DONNELLY, James S. Jnr. Big House burning in county Cork during the Irish revolution, 1920-1921. XLVII, 3&4, Fall-Winter (2012), pp.141-197
BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 85 (Clifton)
MONTGOMERY-MASSINGBERD, Hugh (ed). Burke's Irish Family Records. London: Burke's Peerage, 1976: 1128-1138

Email: info@landedestates.ie. Landed Estates Database, 1.2.7b2, 18 May 2011, Phase II beta