House - 17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

Land at Ballynaclash was granted to John Langhorne, a son-in-law of Lord Deputy Chichtester, in 1613, and a small castle of two and a half storeys and a court or bawn had been built by 1621 (Loeber and Stouthamer Loeber 1987, 189). By this time it was owned by Sir Adam Loftus, who also owned an estate at Rahale (WX032-039----), c. 11 km to the W. By 1641 Loftus had let or transferred Ballynaclash to George Cheevers, a Catholic, who, according to the Civil Survey (1654-6) owned 605 acres and a ruined stone house in Ballyvollowe (Ballyvaldon) parish in Ballyvaldon, Ballyconnigar, Balina and Ballineclassy townlands (Simington 1953, 57). The house is said to have been burnt by Patrick Longe c. 1651, supposedly to prevent it falling into the hands of Catholic rebels, but the circumstances are equivocal (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 497-500). The remains of a circular tower survived until c. 1980, but there are no visible remains of any structure now at ground level.

See the attached section from the Down Survey (1656-8) parish map (N at right) reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (Ms 725)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 5 September, 2012

References

Loeber, R. and Stouthamer-Loeber, M. 1987 The lost architecture of the Wexford Plantation. In K. Whelan and W. Nolan (eds), Wexford: history and society, 173-200. Dublin. Geography Publications.

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1953 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. IX: county of Wexford. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.