Estate: Martin (later Wood-Martin)

Associated Families

• Martin
• Wood

Description

The Martin family owned extensive property in Sligo town and surrounding area. Many served in political life of the county and the town. In the 19th century the Martin estate became united with the equally signicant Wood estate. Some rentals of the Martin estate were offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court in 1851. The historian and antiquarian, W.G. Wood-Martin, was of this family. The family also held property in County Galway. Abraham Martin of Cleveragh is recorded as owning 396 acres in county Galway in the 1870s. Reverend Henry Martin is recorded as owning over 1000 acres in county Leitrim in the 1870s.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Cleveragh (H58) Capt. James Martin was the lessor of a property valued at £18 at Cleaveragh Demesne, barony of Carbury at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It was being leased by Robert Wilson. It continued in Martin ownership until the twentieth century though frequently occupied by tenants. The house and demesne were eventually bought by Sligo Borough Council with the intention of creating a town park though this was only partially realised. The house was demolished in 1999.	Cleaveragh Demesne	St. John's	Sligo	Calry 58	Carbury	Sligo	Lat/Lon: 54.26200 -8.45275 OSI Ref: G705349 Discovery map #25. OS Sheet #14.
Rockbrook (H175) Rockbrook was originally a Phibbs property. It later came into the possession of Abraham Martin of Cleveragh who leased it to the Cogan family and later to the Lougheed estate. It was occupied by John Lougheed at the time of Griffith's Valuation when it was valued at £3. Johnston states that the estate was divided by the Land Commission in the 1920s and that the house was sold by Mrs. Lougheed in 1938. It burnt down in 1945 and only the ruins remain today.	Rockbrook	Ballynakill	Sligo	Drumcolumb 50	Tirerrill	Sligo	Lat/Lon: 54.14459 -8.36730 OSI Ref: G760218 Discovery map #25. OS Sheet #27.
Bloomfield (H196) Johnston states that Bloomfield was once part of the Phibbs estate before passing into the ownership of the Martins of Cleaveragh. In 1814 it was occupied by William White. James Martin owned the property at the time of Griffith's Valuation when it was valued at almost £6 and leased to Joseph Robinson. It remained in the Robinson family until the twentieth century and was demolished in 1948.	Lavally	Ballysumaghan	Sligo	Drumcolumb 50	Tirerrill	Sligo	Lat/Lon: 54.18058 -8.35077 OSI Ref: G771258 Discovery map #25. OS Sheet #27.
Ellenville or Ardaghowen (H705) The first edition OS Map suggests the house on this site was known at that time as Ellenville. It is now known as Ardaghown, still extant but derelict and was under renovation in 2006. McTernan indicates that it was originally built as a dower house for the Wynne estate. In the 1850s it was held by Owen Wynne from Capt. James Martin and valued at £35.	Rathquarter	Calry	Sligo	Sligo North Urban 57	Carbury	Sligo	Lat/Lon: 54.27187 -8.45747 OSI Ref: G702360 Discovery map #25. OS Sheet #14.
Esker Lodge (H829) James Martin was leasing a property valued at £15 from Andrew Browne's estate at Esker, barony of Tiaquin, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It is labelled Esker Lodge on both the 1st and 25-inch edition Ordnance Survey maps. A small amount of ruins remain at the site.	Esker	Ballymacward	Mountbellew	Annagh 143	Tiaquin	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.41277 -8.47978 OSI Ref: M681 404 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #60.
Violet Hill (H1587) At the time of Griffith's Valuation Thomas McDonnell was leasing an extensive mill complex and a house at Shannon Oughter, from the Martin estate. The entire property was valued at over £30.	Shannon Oughter	Calry	Shannon	Drumcliff East 55	Carbury	Sligo	Lat/Lon: 54.29072 -8.46228 OSI Ref: G699381 Discovery map #25. OS Sheet #14.

Archival sources

• National Archives of Ireland: Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Martin, 20 May 1851, Vol 7, MRGS 39/003 (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Library of Ireland: GO MSS 108, confirmation of arms to the descendents of Abraham Martin of Bloomfield.
• Sligo County Library: Rentals of Wood-Martin estate, 1879-1882, 1883-95, 1898-1902, Robinson Collection
• Sligo County Library: Map of North Sligo and part of Leitrim, carried out for Capt. Martin of Sligo Fishery, 1814.
• Sligo County Library: Map of river & estuary, estate of Abraham Martin. c.1830.
• Sligo County Library: Map of Drumree & Lavally, estate of James Martin, c.1860.
• Sligo County Library: Map of lands in parish of Drumcolumb, estate of Abraham Martin, 1826.
• Sligo County Library: Map of Garavogue river and adjacent properties of Abraham Martin, 1834.
• Sligo County Library: Map of Bloomfield, estate of James Martin, 1855.
• Sligo County Library: Maps of estate of James Martin, 1859-60.
• Sligo County Library: Valuation of Wood-Martin estate, later 19th century. Robinson Collection.
• Sligo County Library: Timber book, Cleveragh estate, 1889-98. Robinson Collection.
• Sligo County Library: Rentals of the estates of Col. Wood-Martin, 1898-1902.
• Sligo County Library: Weekly rent book of Col. W.G. Wood-Martin's estate, 1902-04. Robinson Collection.
• Sligo County Library: Details of case of George Jones Martin, re will of his father, Rev. Henry Martin of Aughrim, 1856. F.C./D.5/127.
• Sligo County Library: Map of properties in east Sligo town owned by Abraham Martin, 1823. S.R.

Contemporary printed sources

Many of these resources are now available online. For a list with Web links please see the Online Printed Sources Links

• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Sligo Union, 77 (Violet Hill), 160 (Cleaveragh), 224 (Bloomfield),
• 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. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 307, 482
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 394
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol II, 30
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Sligo: Vol I 161, Vol II, 317
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 298, 305, 322
• SLATER, Isaac. Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats. (Manchester: 1894) : xxv & 85

Modern printed sources

• Sligo Field Club Journal: IRELAND, Aideen. Commemorating the life and contribution to Sligo heritage of Col. W.G. Wood-Martin, 1847-1917. 3 (2017), pp.57-69.
• Sligo Field Club Journal: IRELAND, Aideen. William C. Wood-Martin and William F. Wakeman: an unlikely friendship. IV (2018), pp.84-100.
• BURKE, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons, 1912: 463-464.
• McTERNAN, John C. Sligo: the light of bygone days, Vol.I Houses of Sligo and associated families. Sligo: Avena Publications, 2009. : 31-32 (Bloomfield) 55-57 (Cleveragh), 173-174 (Rockbrook), 241-243 (Ardaghowen or Ellenville)