Estate: Trench (Woodlawn)

Associated Families

• Trench (Woodlawn) (Ashtown, Baron)
• Trench (Cangort)
• Gascoigne/Trench
• Gascoigne (Parlington)

Description

The Trench family at Woodlawn were one of a number of Trench families who came to prominence in county Galway in the 17th century. They were all descended from Frederick Trench who came to Ireland early in the 1600s. Strategic marriages into the Warburton and Power families led to the acquisition of more lands in East Galway. Much of the Woodlawn estate was originally Martin and Barnewall lands which were purchased by the Trenches in the early eighteenth century. Lord Ashtown is recorded as a non-resident proprietor in 1824. At the time of Griffith's Valuation he was one of the principal lessors in the parish of Ballymacward, barony of Kilconnell. In county Roscommon he held over a thousand acres in the parishes of Cam and Tisrara, barony of Athlone and in county Tipperary he held at least 21 townlands in the parishes of Ballingarry and Uskane, barony of Lower Ormond, inherited from the Sadleir family of Sopwell Hall. In the 1870s Lord Ashtown's estate in Galway amounted to over 8000 acres and he also held land in 7 other counties including county Waterford where he had purchased lands in the barony of Glenahiry from the Earl of Stadbrooke in the 1870s. These townlands remained in Trench ownership until purchased by the Land Commission in the 1930s. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Rev. Frederick Trench was leasing a house valued at £11 in the townland of Carrownamanagh, barony of Kilconnell, to Crawford Allen. The OS Name Books state that Mr. Birmingham acted as agent for the Trench estate. Lands at Carrowbane, the property of William Wallace Trench, were offered for sale in the Landed Estates court in November 1863. In 1852 Lord Ashtown married as his second wife Elizabeth Oliver Gascoigne, an heiress with large estates in county Limerick and Yorkshire. In the 1870s Lord Ashtown is recorded as the owner of 11,273 acres in county Limerick and 4,526 acres in county Tipperary. At the same time the Honourable Charles James Trench of Merrion Square, Dublin, owned 712 acres in county Tipperary. He was a brother of the 2nd Baron Ashtown. A nephew of the 1st Baron Ashtown Henry Trench of Glenmalyre, Queen's County (Laois) owned 699 acres in county Cork aand 671 acres in county Laois.

Houses

House Name / Description	Townland	Civil Parish	PLU	DED	Barony	County	Map Ref
Woodlawn (H700) Wilson mentions Woodlawn as "a very superb ediface", the seat of Frederick Trench, in 1786. In 1837 Lewis recorded Woodlawn as the seat of J. Trench and mentions the extraordinary mausoleum nearby. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, the house and buildings at Woodlawn were valued at £125, one of the highest buildings valuations in county Galway at that time. In 1894 Slater refers to Woodlawn House as the seat of John Samuel Barrett. By 1906 it had a value of £150 and was in the possession of Lord Ashtown. Woodlawn House is still extant but unoccupied.	Woodlawn	Killaan	Ballinasloe	Killaan 9	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.33007 -8.48636 OSI Ref: M676312 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #73, 86.
Greenhills (H963) Samuel Barrett was leasing a house valued at £24 from John Blakeney in 1856. In 1837 Lewis had recorded Greenhills as the seat of S. Barrett. In 1885 Walford noted that it was the residence of Mrs. Barrett, widow of John Samuel Barrett. In 1906 Greenhills was part of the estate of Lord Ashtown (Trench). The house is still extant but derelict.	Greenhills	Ballymacward	Ballinasloe	Killaan 9	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.34799 -8.50008 OSI Ref: M667332 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #73, 86.
Carrowmanagh Cottage (H969) Carrowmanagh Cottage was the residence of Rev. Edward Hartigan in 1814. In 1837 Lewis records it as the seat of Thomas Bermingham. It was included in the sale of the Ashtown estate in the Encumbered Estates court in 1851. At the time of Griffith's Valuation it was leased by Rev. Frederick Trench to Crawford Allen. Some ruins remain at the site.	Carrowmanagh	Kilconnell	Ballinalsoe	Kilconnell 8	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.34839 -8.39196 OSI Ref: M739332 Discovery map #47. OS Sheet #73.
Woodlawn Hotel (H971) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Lord Ashtown was leasing a hotel property valued at £13 in the townland of Carrowmore, barony of Kilconnell, to William Menziey.	Carrowmore	Kilconnell	Ballinasloe	Killaan 9	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.34450 -8.47451 OSI Ref: M684328 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #73.
Caraunbeg (H976) Obadiah Holland was leasing a house valued at £8 and over 240 acres at Caraunbeg, parish of Killimordaly, barony of Kilconnell, from Lord Ashtown at the time of Griffith's Valuation. It is no longer extant.	Caraunbeg	Killimordaly	Loughrea	Grange 121	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.28582 -8.53684 OSI Ref: M642263 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #85.
Caraunmore/Anneville (H977) Rev. Joseph Seymour was leasing a house valued at £9 together with over 350 acres at Caraunmore, parish of Killimordaly, from the Ashtown estate at the time of Griffith's Valuation. This is possibly the house which Lewis records as Anneville, the seat of Rev. J. Seymore, in 1837. It is now a ruin.	Caraunmore	Killimordaly	Loughrea	Grange 121	Kilconnell	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.28134 -8.53379 OSI Ref: M644258 Discovery map #46. OS Sheet #85, 86, 87.
Lysterfield (H1179) Originally a Lyster property that later came into the possession of Lord Ashtown, a descendant of Anthony Lyster. The home of members of the Lyster family until the mid 1830s and occupied by Mr John Burne at the time of the first Ordnance Survey and by Henry Trench in the 1850s. Nothing now remains except some red bricks, possibly part of a fireplace, at the corner of a farmyard.	Lysterfield	Cam	Athlone	Caltragh 12	Athlone	Roscommon	Lat/Lon: 53.50173 -8.12359 OSI Ref: M918 502 Discovery map #40. OS Sheet #45.
Drumharsna (H1551) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Lord Ashtown owned the townlands of Drumharsna North and South, barony of Dunkellin. A herd's house in Drumharsna South was valued at £2. By 1906 the buildings at this property were valued at £14. These buildings are no longer extant.	Drumharsna South	Ardrahan	Gort	Cahermore 102	Dunkellin	Galway	Lat/Lon: 53.14296 -8.84295 OSI Ref: M436106 Discovery map #52. OS Sheet #113.
Castle Oliver (H2581) The original Castle Oliver or Clonodfoy was the home of the Oliver family in the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was replaced by the present building in the mid 19th century. In 1814 Castle Oliver was occupied by George Fosbery who may have been employed by the Olivers. In 1837 Lewis described the castle as being in a very dilapidated state. It then belonged to R. O. Gascoigne of the county of York whose bailiff resided in it. The new building was designed by George Fowler Jones and built in the Scottish baronial style for the Oliver Gascoignes. At the time of Griffith's Valuation the castle was valued at £75 and the house at £48 and both were in the possession of Elizabeth O. Gascoigne and her brother-in-law, Frederick Charles Trench. The house was eventually inherited by Elizabeth's step-grandson, William Cosby Trench. He was the occupier in 1906 when it was valued at £125. Restored in the early 21st century it now provides self catering accommodation and is a venue for functions such as weddings.	Castleoliver	Particles	Kilmallock	Particles 39	Coshlea	Limerick	Lat/Lon: 52.32529 -8.49434 OSI Ref: R663 194 Discovery map #73. OS Sheet #56.
Nirevale House & Mill (H4140) At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Abraham Coates was leasing this property from the Stradbrooke estate when the house and mill complex were valued at £50. Contemporary newspaper reports suggest Coates was the agent for the Stradbroke estate. In 1906 the property was part of Lord Ashtown's estate and valued at almost £24. The mill building is still extant and in use.	Ballymacarbry	Kilronan	Clonmel	Balymacarbry 11	Glenahiry	Waterford	Lat/Lon: 52.26847 -7.71872 OSI Ref: S192130 Discovery map #74. OS Sheet #5.
Lisbryan (H4429) Lisbrien or Lisbryan, near Ballingarry, was occupied by Faulkner Esq in the 1770s and 1780s. Sir Robert Waller Baronet was occupying this house in 1814. Lewis records T. Bunbury as the proprietor in 1837. The Ordnance Survey Name Books, also refer to it as his residence, "a very extensive building of the modern style". Thomas Bunbury held the property from Lord Ashtown at the time of Griffith's Valuation when the buildings were valued at £40+. Lisbryan is still extant.	Lisbryan	Ballingarry	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.02732 -8.04323 OSI Ref: R971 974 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.
Ballymona (H4430) Ralph Smith was resident at Ballymona in 1837 and in the early 1850s. The Ordnance Survey Name Books refer to the house as " a plain modern building" in 1841. Smyth held the property from Lord Ashtown and the buildings were valued at £25. This house is now a ruin.	Ballymona	Ballingarry	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.02732 -8.00298 OSI Ref: R998 974 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.
Fairyhill (H4431) Fairyhill was the home of William Henry Cox in 1837. The Ordnance Survey Name Books describe it as "a large mansion house, the residence of Mr. Cocks [sic]" in 1841. It was occupied by Ellen Robinson in the early 1850s, when the house was valued at £19 and held from Lord Ashtown. Valued at £16 in 1906 and held by George W. Robinson. This house is still in use as a residence.	Gortinarable	Ballingarry	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.00935 -7.98957 OSI Ref: S007 954 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.
South Park (H4432) In the 1770s Abbot Esq was residing at Rahanane close to Ballingarry. Wilson, writing in 1786, also refers to Rahanane as the seat of Mr. Abbott. The house is named South Park on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map and was the home of a branch of the Atkinson family, occupied by Anthony Atkinson in 1814 and by C. Atkinson in 1837. Charles Atkinson held the property from Lord Ashtown at the time of Griffith's Valuation when the house was valued at £22. The estate of Edward Evans of Southpark, 174 acres in the barony of Lower Ormond, was advertised for sale in December 1859. South Park is still extant.	Rahinane	Ballingarry	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.02193 -8.03726 OSI Ref: R975 968 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.
Ballingarry (H4434) Situated just north of Ballingarry castle Ballingarry House was built circa 1820. Lewis records Marmaduke Thompson as resident at Ballingarry Castle in 1837 as does the Ordnance Survey Name Books in 1841 though they refer to Lord Ashtown as the proprietor. The Thompson interest in Ballingarry and Ballinahinch was for sale in June 1850. Henry Trench was the occupier in the early 1850s holding the property form Lord Ashtown. Ballingarry House is still extant and occupied.	Ballingarry	Ballingarry	Borrisokane	Balllingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.01384 -8.02235 OSI Ref: R985 959 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.
Sopwell Hall (H4444) Apparently named after an English property, Sopwell in Hertfordshire, which was inherited by the Sadleir family. In 1655 a Cromwellian soldier, Colonel Thomas Sadleir, was granted Kinelagh Castle, county Tipperary, which he renamed Sopwell Hall. This property remained in Sadleir possession until it was inherited by Mary Sadleir who, in 1754, had married Frederick Trench of Woodlawn, county Galway, the parents of the 1st Lord Ashtown. The present house was built by Mary's father, Francis Sadleir, in the mid 18th century. Wilson refers to it as the residence of Mr. Sadlier in 1786. Sopwell Hall was left to Francis Trench, brother of 1st Lord Ashtown, who was living at Sopwell Hall in 1814. In 1837 Lewis records the Trenches in possession and writes that "on the demesne are the ruins of the ancient castle formerly occupied by the Sadleir family". The Ordnance Survey Name Books, in 1840, refer to Sopwell as "a spacious building, the residence of Stewart Trench". At the time of Griffith's Valuation the 2nd Lord Ashtown, son of Francis, was occupying the house, valued at £40 and held by him in fee. By 1906 Sopwell was valued at £80 and occupied by the Honourable Cosby G. Trench. The Trench family were still resident at Sopwell Hall in the 1970s. In 1840 the Ordnance Survey Name Books noted that Sopwell was one of the largest demesnes in the country. It is still extant and very well maintained and in 2020 was offered for sale.	Sopwell	Uskane	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 52.99406 -8.04617 OSI Ref: R969 937 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #10.
Gurteen (H4501) Gurteen was the home of Willliam Smith in 1814 and of George Smith in 1837. At the time of Griffith's Valuation George Smith held the property from Lord Ashtown. The buildings were valued at £13. The Smiths were still living at Gurteen in the 1870s. Gurteen is now the centre of an agricultural college. http://www.gurteencollege.ie/index.html	Gurteen	Loughkeen	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.04260 -8.01342 OSI Ref: R991 991 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.
Castle Sheppard (H4586) The Sheppards were living here from at least the 1770s.In 1786 Wilson refers to Castle Sheppard as the seat of "Mr. Shepherd". It was the home of a junior branch of the family. William Sheppard was resident in 1837 and in the early 1850s when the house was valued at £26 and held from Lord Ashtown. William died at Castle Sheppard in 1852 without heirs and both his brothers died unmarried in India. Valued at £18 in 1906 and occupied by the Honourable Cosby G. Trench. This house is now a ruin.	Creeragh	Uskane	Borrisokane	Ballingarry 12	Lower Ormond	Tipperary	Lat/Lon: 53.00755 -8.03278 OSI Ref: R978 952 Discovery map #53. OS Sheet #8.

Archival sources

• Irish Architectural Archive: Raheen. Photographs. 030/048
• Irish Architectural Archive: Woodlawn. Photographs & Press Cuttings. 022/097.
• Limerick City Museum: Estate records relating to the Ashtown’s Castle Oliver estate, accounts ledger 1875-1889; workmen’s time book, 1913-1921; account books for years ending 30 April 1886 & 1889, William Uniacke Townsend and Charles Eyre Townsend for Lady Ashtown; unused account book. LM1999.0001-0005
• Limerick City Museum: Estate records relating to the Ashtown’s Castle Oliver estate, accounts ledger 1875-1889; workmen’s time book, 1913-1921; account books for years ending 30 April 1886 & 1889, William Uniacke Townsend and Charles Eyre Townsend for Lady Ashtown; unused account book. LM1999.0001-0005
• National Archives of Ireland: Landed Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), William Wallace Trench, 16 July 1863, Vol 69, 39/034, 19 November 1863, Vol 70, MRGS 39/035, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Archives of Ireland: Deeds, leases etc re estates in Cos Roscommon, Galway, Mayo, Limerick, Tipperary, Clare, Westmeath, Kings Co (Offaly), Dublin of the Trench family of Cangort Park, including reference to other members of the Trench family, 18th-19th centuries. 99/56/10
• National Archives of Ireland: Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Thompson Fozier & Thompson Abbott & others, 21 June 1850, Vol 1 (64), MRGS 39/001, (microfilm copy in NUIG)
• National Library of Ireland: Household account book, Ashtown estate, 1800-1804. Ms.34948.
• National Library of Ireland: Pedigree of Trench of Ballinasloe, Garbally and Woodlawn. 1574-1800. GO. Ms.164, p.203.
• National Library of Ireland: Copies of correspondence of various members of the Trench family, 1772-1890. Microfilm n.4878, p. 4910.
• National Library of Ireland: Rent ledgers of the estates of Lord Ashtown in Co Limerick, 1839-1882. MSS 5823-5827
• National Library of Ireland: Ashtown Estate: An agricultural note book containing mainly prices of corn, an account of weather conditions, etc., 1789-1828 & 2 account books of daily expenditure covering the periods Oct. 1767-1770 and 1787-91. Microfilm P204
• National Library of Ireland: Rental of the estates of Frederick Mason Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown, in Cos. Offaly, Tipperary and Galway, 1858-64. Ms 1769
• National Library of Ireland: Rentals and accounts of the estates of Frederick Mason Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown, in Cos. Offaly, Tipperary and Galway, 1852-9, 1859-64, 1864-69, 1869-74. Ms 1765-1768
• Roscrea Heritage Society Centre, Damer House, Roscrea: Estate of Cosby Godolphin Trench, lands of Creeragh, Shinrone, Castlesheppard Estate, Co. Tipperary: Martin Costello, Daniel Cleary, Delahunty & others – Land Commission Papers, 1928. Box 57

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. : Ballinasloe Union, 70 (Carrownamanagh), 75 (Carrowmore), 79 (Woodlawn). .
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Loughrea Union, 63 (Caraunmore and Caraunbeg)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Athlone Union, 60 (Lysterfield)
• GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Barony of Lower Ormond, 16 (Ballingarry & Ballymona), 18 (Gortinarable & Lisbryan), 20 (Rahinane), 102 (Gurteen), 174 (Sopwell), 171 (Creeragh)
• BATEMAN, John. The great landowners of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Harrison, 1883. : 16
• DUTTON, Hely. Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway. Dublin: Royal Dublin Society, 1824. : 417
• 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] : 12, 450
• LEET, Ambrose. A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 358 (Sopwell), 391 (Woodlawn)
• LEWIS, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: Vol I, 114 (Ballingarry Castle - Marmaduke Thompson), Vol. II, 124 (Woodlawn), II, 672 (Sopwell),
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Galway, http://places.galwaylibrary.ie/default.html: Ahascragh Parish
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Roscommon: I, 197 (Lysterfield - Burne)
• ORDNANCE SURVEY NAME BOOKS, County Tipperary: Vol.I, Parish of Ballingarry, p.149, 150 [Fairy Hill House]. Vol.IX, Parish of Uskane, p.267, 270.
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion..., HC 1906, c, 177: 292 (Ballymacarbry), 308 (Greenhills & Woodlawn), 319 (Drumharsna)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion..., HC 1906, c, 177: 272 (Creeragh & Sopwell)
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. 15th Annual Report of the Commissioners of Public Records Ireland, 1825. Vol XVI, Appendix III. Abstracts of the conveyances from the trustees of the Forfeited Estates and Interests in Ireland in 1688'.: 368
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of names of proprietors and area and valuation of properties in counties in Ireland, held in fee or perpetuity or long leases at chief rents, 1876. (412) LXXX. 395: 148 (Galway), 163 (Roscommon).
• PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland. HC 1876, LXXX: 136, 146, 158, 171, 173, 293.
• SLATER, Isaac. Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats. (Manchester: 1894) : xxv, 224 (Clonodfoy Castle)
• 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: 76, 192 (Rahanane)
• WALFORD, Edward. 'The County families of the United Kingdom. London: Chatto & Windus, 1885): p.32
• WILSON, William. The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers Directory Through Ireland. The author: Dublin, 1786 : 119 (Woodlawn)

Modern printed sources

• Decies: Journal of the Waterford Archaeological and Historical Society: DESMOND, Michael. Land ownership in Glenahiry in the eighteenth century. LX (200%, p.238
• Jnl. of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society: MERCER, Bríd. History of the Woodlawn estate: 1550-1800. LXIII (2011), 73-87
• BENCE-JONES, Mark. A Guide to Irish Country Houses. Revised ed. London: Constable, 1988. : 73-74 (Castle Oliver), 286 (Woodlawn)
• BLAKE, Tarquin. Abandoned mansions of Ireland II: more portraits of forgotten stately homes Cork: Collins Press, 2012. : 104-115 (Woodlawn)
• COOKE-TRENCH, Thomas R.F. A memoir of the Trench family. [n.p] privately printed, 1897.: All
• CRAIG, Maurice & Craig, Michael. Mausolea Hibernica. Dublin: The Lilliput Press, 1999. : 112-113.
• DOHERTY, Bernadette (ed). Woodlawn: a history. (Dublin: The History Press/Woodlawn Heritage Group, 2016). : Mercer, Bríd. 'A seat improved entirely in the modern English taste': the history of Woodlawn estate, 1750-1850. pp.52-61.
• DOHERTY, Bernadette (ed). Woodlawn: a history. (Dublin: The History Press/Woodlawn Heritage Group, 2016). : Quinn, Eimear. The politics of the Barons of Ashtown and the Woodlawn estate. pp. 62-70.
• DOHERTY, Bernadette (ed). Woodlawn: a history. (Dublin: The History Press/Woodlawn Heritage Group, 2016). : Carey, Anne. The architectural history and context of Woodlawn House. pp. 85-87.
• FLYNN, John S. Ballymacward: The Story of an East Galway Parish. The author, 1991: 88-103.
• MELVIN, Patrick. Estates and landed society in Galway. (Dublin: Éamonn de Búrca, 2012). : 37-38
• MOSLEY, Charles (ed). Burke's Peerage and Baronetage. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999: 123-130.
• MULLIGAN, Kevin. Vain transitory splendours: the Irish country house and the art of John Nankivell. Dublin: Irish Georgian Society, 2018. : Woodlawn, pp.156-157.
• NATIONAL LIBRARY OF IRELAND. Special Lists.: Summary Catalogue of material in deed boxes in the strong room of McGillicuddy, Darley & Orpen, solicitors, Kildare St, Dublin, includes records re Trench estates (unsorted collection in NA). Special List 350