History of Carker

The research has established that the Roche family, self styled Viscounts of Fermoy, suffered heavy confiscation under Cromwell, because of their loyalty to the king. They were unable to recover their possessions after the Restoration. Carkermore was part of the confiscated estate, and was granted to Sir Peter Courthrope. As both the sons of Sir Peter died without issue, it passed to his daughters. The succession has been traced forward to the inheritance by Nathaniel Evans in 1741.

At the outset, we consulted the calendars of wills and administrations to find documentation on the house, where we found a registered will for Nicholas Green.

Following this we searched the Registry of Deeds, which has records dating back to 1708, and two books that have detailed genealogies on Green families of Munster, This led on to the research of the families of Brodrick and Courthorpe and then the Midleton Town Papers. This report will not present the findings in order of research but in chronological order starting with a brief introduction of the Roche family.

Firstly it must be noted that the documentation indicates that the ownership of Carkermore and Carkerbeg were separate, and therefore have different ownership histories, this was confirmed by the research, which concentrated on Carkermore, Carkerbeg was originally confiscated form the Earls of Desmond in the mid 16^th century and was later sold by Sir Walter Welmond and John Spencer (son of the poet) to the St. Leger family, later Viscounts and Barons of Doneraile. This estate is often called the Manor of Doneraile, however this is not of medieval origin but a courtesy title given to the Estate and St. Leger in 1636 by Charles I.

The Roche family were French, reputedly descended form Adam de Rupe of Roch who sailed with Robert Fitzstephen (a.k.a. Strongbow) in 1169. They settled in the Fermoy area about and were one of the beneficiaries of the Anglo-Norman conquest of Munster. Though there are genealogies back to c. 1200 in the Genealogical Office, published sources start with David Roche (The Great) who died before 1488.

By this stage they had assumed the title of Viscount of Fermoy, though there seems not to be any evidence of why. As the Complete Peerage disdainfully puts: “.. of the mode of this creation, if such ever occurred, nothing is know”. They add, “this seems to be a case of audacious and successful assumption of higher titles, which could hardly have occurred anywhere else but Ireland”. They finally state that the “pedigree of this family is extremely obscure and affords no trustworthy information as to their succession in the earlier period”.

By the beginning of the 17^th century the family was represented by David Roche (1573-1635) who was a loyal royalist and suffered many losses during the Nine Years War as a result. He was the first to proclaim James I King of England when the Mayor of Cork refused to do so. He served as MP for Cork in 1623 and died “in theodour of loyalty” at Castletownroche in 1635. He married Joan daughter of James Fitzrichard Barry, Viscount of Buttevant.

Their eldest son, Maurice, had a very different fate. There was increasing political opposition form Dublin Castle to Anglo-Irish Gentry who claimed loyalty to the Crown but remained Roman Catholic. This led eventually to the Civil War of 1641 and the Cromwellian intervention in Ireland. Maurice was treated with a great deal of suspicion and appears to have been imprisoned for a short time in 1624. He chose the Confederacy side in the 1640’s and suffered a major land confiscation, valued at £50,000, in 1642. He was offered in exchange an option on an obscure piece of land in Co. Mayo, which was never taken up. He attempted to regain his land through supplications to Charles II after the Restoration but was completely unsuccessful.

Maurices wife, Catherine (nee Power), was even more unfortunate. After gallantly defending Castletownroche in 1641, she was hanged for murder of an “unknown man” on the evidence of a “strumpet”. This was believed to be an act of revenge as there was no real evidence and she had an alibi.

The family declined rapidly into genteel poverty and the occasional handout from wealthy sympathisers but the main line was extinct when Ulick Roche died in 1733. Various reputed cousins appear around this time to claim the title and there is evidence that other branches of the family held land in the Fermoy area into the 18^th century, at least, so it appears that only the main branch suffered heavily.

The Books of Survey and Distribution suggest that the lands of Carkermore were previously owned by “Morris”, Lord Roche, and were granted to a Sir Peter Courthrope and presumably included that part of the Ballyhoura Hills in Co. Cork. However there is no independent surviving documentation for the confiscation or grant and this is probably due to the Fire of London in 1666 and another in Dublin Castle in 1711, as well as the better known destruction of the Four Courts in 1922. The courthropes do not appear in records relating to Adventurers. This may be because they had arrived in Cork by the 1630’s and therefore received their grant for loyal defence and alliance with Cromwell during his campaign and in the later administration of Munster.

Peter Courthrope came from Danny, Hurstpirpoint, Sussez and leased Ballinvally Castle in 1636 at £60 per annum. From here Peter the eldest son, entered Trinity College on the 23^rd of May1639 aged 15 years. A possible sister, Catherine Courthrope, was married to Francis Peircivall in the Diocese of Cork and Ross in 1639 and if he is of the main Percival line, second to the Boyles in landholdings and political power, than the Courthrope family was well connected in Cork society.

Exactly what they did during the mid 17^th century to gain favour of a land grant is not known. They seem to have been in the second rank of the Cork elite who ran the county in the Cromwellian and Restoration periods. These major landowners ran Munster on behalf of the Dublin Administration and provided Members of Parliament until the Act of Union.

Who Peter married is not known but it may be Elizabeth Courthrope, nee Keyrle, whose will was dated 5^th December 1685. He appears to have died before 1667, at Little Island, as his will was probated the previous year in Cork and Ross. His heir Peter Junior, received a grant of Caherdangan Castle and nine plowlands form the forfeited estates of Viscount Fermoy. Peter was knighted by the Lords Justices, appointed Constable of Cork Fort and Governor of Cork in 1660, MP for Cork in 1661 and Governor of Munster in 1669. He was also Captain of a Regiment of Foot in the 1660’s. He was a signatory to a petition to the Dublin Government of “Several adventurers and soldiers before and since 1649, Connaught purchasers, and others concerned’ the Act of Settlement and Explanation of 1667. In the 1660s he was also Commissioner for the collections of Poll Tax in the County.

He firstly married Margaret, Elizabeth or Catherine, youngest daughter of Thomas Daunt of Owlpenne and Gortnagrenane, and their children were John (eldest son and heir), Peter, Francis and Catherine. He then married Elizabeth Gifford in Dublin in 1662 and their children were Elizabeth, Lucy, Anne and Penelope. There may have been other children but they would have died before he made his will in 1678, it was probated in 1680. He left his estate to John with munificent bequests to his other children and each of his daughters received £500. According to his will, the estate was to pass to Peter should John die without issue and then equally to his daughters should Peter die without issue. Their mother, Dame Elizabeth, died at Little Island before 1695 and her will was probated the previous year.

The two sons attended Trinity College. John was admitted on 5^th October 1678 aged 15 years, and Peter on the 29^th April 1681 also aged 15. John died in the Siege of Namur, Flanders c. 1695 and Peter died 23^rd August 1685 at Grenane in Templesloe Parish, Co. Tipperary. Peter’s wife was called Martha. Both died leaving no surviving issue. This meant that the estate devolved on to their sisters in the mid 1690’s; these were

1.      Frances, married Robert Meade of Ballymartle in 1682.

2.      Catherine, married William Kennedy, of Clarag in 1680, ancestors of the Kennedy-Hubert family.

3.      Elizabeth

4.      Lucy, (Alice) married Alan Brodrick in 1693, she was buried in St. Michans Parish, Dublin on the 30^th June 1703.

5.      Anne, married Laurence Clayton of Annabell, MP of Mallow, in 1698, one son was christened Courthrope. The Claytons were also intermarried with the Percivals.

6.      Penelope

There was also a Mary who married John Watkinson in 1693 who may be either Elizabeth or Penelope or perhaps cousin. The Christian names of women in this period often change or are recorded differently causing confusion.

In reality, the two daughters concerned with what was to be known as the Courthrope Estate were Lucy and Anne. In keeping with the property laws of the period, however, it was their husbands who had the control. There are a number of surviving Deeds between Alan Brodrick and representatives of the Claytons, as Laurence had died in the meantime. It is not clear why the other sisters are not included in these transactions, but they may have died without issue before 1697.

Many, but not all, of the relevant deeds are in the Midleton Papers and cover the transactions between the two families. These cover the “Deeds of Trust” around 1697 which detail what the properties are and how they are to be divided. The second set around 1723 covers the sale of the Clayton interests to Alan Brodrick by various members of the Clayton family. It should be noted that only some of the Deeds mention Carkermore, as different parts of the estate property were dealt with in separate transactions.

The Brodricks were an important and powerful family in Co. Cork form the mid 17^th century who “had greatly benefited by the forfeitures in Ireland”. St. John Brodrick of Wandsworth, Surrey was married to Alice Clayton of Thelwell, Cheshire and arrived around 1641 as “Commissioner to Settle the Affairs of Ireland”. He received large grants of land of over 10,000 acres, presumably as an adventurer, and was responsible for building Midleton. Alan Brodrick, born c. 1656-60, was their second son and after graduating as a lawyer in 1678 settled in Ireland and by exploiting the county network won the backing of Baron Worth and was soon employing two clerks and earning £120 per annum. As a reward for supporting William of Orange he became Recorder of Cork and Kings Sergeant and was soon earning £1000 per annum finally becoming MP of Cork in 1692.

He had a long and influential Parliamentary career and was often either the main Government supporter as Speaker of the House or opposition leader of the Irish House of Commons. He was not always popular, as he fought strongly against the introduction of Wood’s Pence. But he supported the Government prosecution of Jonathan Swift who had also objected in the Drapier’s letters. Locally he fought against the possibly illegal tolls of quayage and carnage collected by the Customs at Cork as an example of corrupt and oppressive government. The Dictionary of National Biography says “Although possibly chargeable with opinionativeness, his sterling honesty, bold independence and sincere patriotism entitle him to the highest praise”. He was made Baron Midleton in 1715 and Viscount in 1718 and died in Ballylannan in 1728.

He married firstly Catherine 2^nd daughter of Redmond Barry of Rathcormack by his first wife Mary (daughter of John Boyle of Castlelyons) by whom he had a son and daughter. Secondly he married Lucy Courthrope and they had two sons and a daughter. His third wife was Anne daughter of Sir John Trevor, Master of the Rolls, and Jane (daughter of Sir John Mostyn Bart.) on 1^st December 1716 but they had no issue. She had been previously married to the Right Hon. Michael Hill of Hillsborough, Co. Down.

The surviving documentation mainly gives information about the primary ownership of Carkermore, which was part of a larger estate, under the Roche, Courthrope and Brodrick families. However there is less documentation about the tenants, tenancy agreements, and types of agriculture until the beginning of the 18^th century.

It is likely that the O’Daly family were the tenants to the Roches in the 16^th century as they are found in the townland in the Elizabethan Fiants, though how long they survived there in the 17^th century is unknown.

In 1641 a William Cook, yeoman of Carker, lodged a deposition relating to damage he had suffered in the War. In 1662 and 1663 the Subsidy Rolls record a Geo. Arnold in Carkermore holding property valued at £4/7/11½ and £5/12/6 respectively. The main business of the farm would probably be mixed stock raising and tillage.

By the end of the century Nicholas Green and John Eyre held a joint tenancy of the property though it is not possible to say exactly when they assumed possession. The first registered deed dated 1719, implies an original lease of 1697. The origin of Nicholas is not known but he does not appear to be related to any of the families about whom genealogies have been published. The Christian names of Nicholas and Bridget are not used among these protestant families and this branch may have been intermarried with Catholics at an earlier period.

The 1719 Deed is a long and complicated multi-transactional affair. It would take more study to work out the full ramifications and to put into context with the Midleton Town Deeds. It recites a deed of 20^th June 1711 whereby Lord Viscount Midleton and Laurence Clayton of Mallow, since decease, leased to John Eyre and Nicholas Green that property that Colonel John Courthrope in his life originally demised and let to Eyre and Green, namely the lands of Carkermore East and West, Clostege, Grange, Kilconnen for the lives of John, Nicholas and Walter, son of Nicholas since deceased. This included a covenant of £60 for every life renewal.

It also recites a previous deed of Easter Term 1697 to Lord Mountjoy and John Dillon who apparently leased the property to a Richard Bettsworth family were related by marriage to the Claytons and were a prominent gentry family, however it is not clear whether they farmed the estate or sublet it to Eyres and Green or others before 1697.

Between 1711 and 1719 Eyres and Green had surrendered their lease and the Deed states “that it was now just and reasonable that the said John Eyre and Nicholas Green should be put into as a good condition notwithstanding their surrender of said lease”. This resulted in a new lease of the property for lives renewable forever at a rental of £120 per annum with Bridget, wife of Nicholas, replacing Walter. This was not the end of the matter as John Eyre died before the lease was to be executed and Nicholas took complete control. He nominated Ursula Giles, his married daughter as a replacement “life” for the purpose of the lease. Whatever the original motivation for the transaction this deed effectively passed total control and practical ownership to the Green family.

Nicholas is described in this and other deeds as a “Gent” which implies that he probably sublet various parts of the property to a range of tenants for strong farmers to cottiers. One surviving example is his lease of 1722 to Christopher Cross of the lands of Fareekintoge, the “liberty of grassing of 50 collops” and turf on Clostoge mountain, and limestone from either Knockboy or Clashercarool quarry for  £20 rent per annum.

In 1712 Eyres and Green leased to Ralph Westropp, Cahirduggan Gent, a lease of the lands of Carkermore East and West, Clostoge, Ballyheaton and Grange on a short term lease of two years for £300. This was to be repaid before 29^th May 1714 with six months notice. Registered at the same time was a Deed of Mortgage whereby Green lent £550 to Westropp for three years at 7% interest per annum. The property used as security by Westropp were the Tithes of the Parsh of Kinsale, Glebelands, half plowland of Ballydeneene and the glebe and tithes of the dissolved abbey of Ballybeg.

A further deed of Deed and Release to the Westropp property relates to the Marriage Settlement of 1715 between George Giles, son of Richard Giles, merchant of Youghal, and Ursula Green. In this deed, the property was used as a guarantee by Nicholas for his unspecified contribution to the marital trust to be administered by Randalph Gethin and William Causabon.

Nicholas Green’s Will also appears in the Registery of Deeds and an abstract has been published. It was made on the 9^th December 1725 and registered 12^th January 1733, though it was not probated until 1741. His wife Bridget was the sole executor, though his sons in law and nephew Nathanial Evans, George Giles and William Funesey were: Bridget, wife of Nicholas Evans: Susanna, wife of a Nagle (under 20 years old in 1725), Bridget Nagle (under 16), Sarah Nicholas and George, Mary and Bridget Giles (first four under 18 and last two under 16). The will refers to the lands of Parkegortroe, Ballyvodane, Carkermore, Knockleague, Ballynagunnagh, Tithes of Doneraile Parish, half plowland of Ballyduinane and Cardogane.

From this it appears that Ralph Westropp forfeited some of his lands over the 1713 mortgage. This may be why the will was registered, as any registered deeds had primacy in any Court of Law over unregistered transaction. This feature unknown in the rest of the United Kingdom of the time, was to protect the “rights” of all those who had received confiscated property in the previous century.

It seems clear that Nathaniel Evans inherited Carkermore from Nicholas, through his marriage to Bridget. This connects with the documentation already collect. In conclusion, therefore, there is a clear line of ownership of Carkermore from the Roche family in the 17^th century down to Nathaniel Evans in the 1740s.

It should be noted that the documentation is not complete. What has survived is quite complicated. As stated above, transcripts of the most important sources may provide further nuances in the transaction but these will probably not affect the main findings.