Landed Estates
University of Galway

Courtenay

The introduction to the Devon rentals at the Limerick City Archives states that "the Devon Estate in Newcastle West was granted to Sir William Courtenay, Knight of Powerham in Devonshire, on 23 September 1591" and that the estate eventually amounted to 85,000 acres. Various land sales reduced the size of the estate over the years until the final sale of 1908. The Devon estate was mainly located in the barony of Glenquin in the south west of county Limerick. In 1786, Wilson mentions a house at Newcastle, "the seat of the Rev. Mr. Locke, with a well-improved demesne, and a plain elegant church, built by Viscount Courtney". Lewis writes that the entire parish of Grange was the property of the Courtenay family "but the greater part was sold during the life of the late Earl of Devon". In the mid 19th century it was mainly located in the parishes of Monagay and Killedy but also in Grange, Mahoonagh and Newcastle. The Earl of Devon also held land in the parishes of Ardagh, Newcastle and Rathronan, barony of Shanid, county Limerick. Alfred Furlong of Newcastle was the agent in the early 1840s and Lewis records him as resident at Courtenay Castle. The Curling family took over in 1848 and Edward Curling, his son, Charles Edward Napier Curling and grandson, Richbell Curling, were successively land agents to the Devon estate, The castle at Newcastle West was eventually bought by the Curlings in the early 20th century. In the 1870s the Earl of Devon of Powderham Castle, Exeter, owned 33,026 acres in county Limerick. The Devon estate was sold in 1908. Gibbon Raleigh's lease of 105 acres of Ballinvullin, barony of Glenquin, which he held from the Earl of Devon for 31 years from 1861 was advertised for sale in January 1874.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Dromin Dromin Grange Newcastle Newcastle 117 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R292 336
OS Sheet: 36
Discovery map: 64 		Photo of Dromin
Moyveedy Moveedy Grange Newcastle Newcastle 117 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R307 345
OS Sheet: 36
Discovery map: 64 		Photo of Moyveedy
Cloonyscrehane Cloonyscrehane Monagay Newcastle Newcastle 117 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R292 325
OS Sheet: 36
Discovery map: 64
Cullenagh Cullenagh Monagay Newcastle Newcastle 117 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R277 336
OS Sheet: 36
Discovery map: 64
Woodlawn Knockane Monagay Newcastle Newcastle 117 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R276 333
OS Sheet: 36
Discovery map: 64
Lissurland Lissurland Monagay Newcastle Monagay 107 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R246 285
OS Sheet: 44
Discovery map: 72
Newcastle Castle Demesne Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle 117 Glenquin Limerick OSI Ref: R278 337
OS Sheet: 36
Discovery map: 64 		Photo of Newcastle

Archival sources

  • Rental of the estate of Lord Viscount Courtenay, 1762 and receiving rental of the Devon estate, county Limerick, 1861-1862. Digital Archive Collection, 1E LA P6; Limerick City Archives
  • Photocopy of the sale rental of "some acres" of the Devon estate, 22 July 1808. P23/1; Limerick City Archives
  • Sale rental of 11,000 acres of the Devon estate in Rathkeale & Newcastle West, county Limerick, & Charleville, county Cork, 16 Dec 1817. P23/2; Limerick City Archives
  • Sale rental of part of the Devon estate in Newcastle West, the property of the Right Honourable Charles Pepys, public auction of 129 lots, Oct 1910. P23/20; Limerick City Archives
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Raleigh, 16 Jan 1874, Vol 113 (6), MRGS 39/052, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Family & estate papers re the Courtenay estates at Powderham and Newcastle, Co Limerick, 12th-20th centuries. D1508M [Irish deeds & papers. D1508M-1/T/1/1-6]; Devon Record Office, Exeter
  • Report on the Irish estate in Co Limerick, 1847. Contact the Estate Office, Longleat, Warminster BA12 7NW; Private Possession
  • Deeds, family & estate papers including 19th century Co Limerick rentals, 14th-20th centuries. Contact the Archivist, Powderham Castle, Exeter EX6 8JQ.; Private Possession
  • Hickleton Papers, include miscellaneous Courtenay papers & diaries, including 20 page memorandum re sale of Irish estates 1851, 1800-1900. HALIFAX A/3; Borthwick Institute for Archives, University of York
  • Book of 23 maps of estate of W. Courtenay baronet in barony of Connello, Co Limerick by William Molans, 1709. 16 F 2; National Library of Ireland
  • Plan of town of Newcastle, barony of Glenquin, showing houses, holdings etc, mid 18th century. 16 H 22 (18) ; National Library of Ireland
  • Marquis of Bath’s Library, Longleat: Box Irish: report to Earl of Fortescue on Devon estates in Co Limerick, by J.L. (?) Kennedy, 1 Mar 1847. Microfilm P 5894; National Library of Ireland
  • Deeds & wills re property in Cos Limerick & Cork of Furlong family, includes reference to families of Courtenay, Upton, Furlong-Smith & Newman. D.19,731-19,782, T.8087-8090; National Archives of Ireland
  • Documents re Courtney estate in baronies of Connello Upper & Lower, 1633-1830. M.6971; National Library of Ireland
  • Deeds re Co Limerick estates of Roger Hamill & Lord Courtenay c 1797-1825. D/2159; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Account book of Irish estates of 3rd Viscount Courtenary, 1801-1802; House of Lords, Record Office
  • Miscellaneous Co Limerick legal & estate papers 1795-1812. 2741M/B1-3; Devon Record Office, Exeter
  • Papers of the Dover Family of Bittering, Boscombe Lodge, Hampshire & London, include statement of accounts, Devon Estate in Co. Limerick, 1843-1844. BRA 1118/115 ; Norfolk Record Office
  • Rental of estates of William, Lord Courtenay in Co Limerick, 1818-1830. M.6971; National Archives of Ireland
  • Courtenay of Powderham Collection [London solicitors], with documents re Irish estate, including rental 1864-1865, c1500-1959. L1508M; Devon Record Office, Exeter

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources