Landed Estates
University of Galway

Morton (Kilnacrott)

In the early 19th century Charles Carr Morton, son of Charles Morton, physician and librarian at the British Museum (two of his wives were members of the Pratt family), had a home at Drumroragh Lodge in the parish of Crosserlough, county Cavan. He married Charlotte Tatlow, second daughter of John Tatlow of Crover, by whom he had a number of children, including Pierce Morton (1803-1859). In 1839 Pierce married Louisa Somerville and they had four children. Pierce was a Cambridge mathematician. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records the building of Kilnacrott House for Pierce Morton about 1845 on land granted to Robert Morton at the time of the Cromwellian confiscations. He was a member of the Castlerahan Relief Committee during the Famine but by 1847 much of his estate, in the parishes of Crosserlough, Drung, Kildrumsherdan, Denn and Killinkere, was in the Court of Chancery and the following lands were advertised for sale ‘Cornabest, Cornacarrow, Cornakill and Liscannon in the barony of Tullygarvey; Finternagh, barony of Clankee; Quilliboy or Coleboy [Cullaboy], barony of Clanmahon; Coolkill, Cullow and Kilnacrott including the mansion house, Latnadronagh, Lehary [Lecharry] and Mullacaslan and Tonylion, baonry of Castlerahan’. These lands were bought by James Fay, except for Cullaboy which was purchased by James Knight circa 1851. The demesne and mansion house Drumrora, parish of Crosserlough, were advertised for sale on 21 June 1855 and appear to have been purchased by Morton’s relative John Tatlow. The 70 acre townland of Tedeehen Middle in the parish of Crosserlough was the only townland held by Pierce Morton at the time of Griffith’s Valuation (publ. 1857). He left Ireland to work in South Africa in 1851 and died there in 1859. The Anglo-Celt, gives details of the sale of Morton Estate, dated 25 March 1847, http://www.irelandoldnews.com/Cavan/1847/AUC.html

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Drumroragh Lodge Drumroragh Crosserlough Cavan Kilnaleck Castlerahan Cavan OSI Ref: N486889
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34
Kilnacrott Cottage/House Kilnacrott Crosserlough Cavan Kilnaleck Castlerahan Cavan OSI Ref: N505876
OS Sheet: 38
Discovery map: 34

Archival sources

  • Papers in the Chancery case of Rev. J. Rolleston, and others v. Morton Pierce, relating to lands in Cos. Meath and Cavan, 1840-7, including fine of Ballintogher, Co. Meath, John Pratt to Luke Gardiner, 1722. M. 5760; National Archives of Ireland
  • About 130 documents relating to the families of Pratt, Gardiner, Rolleston and Morton and their lands in Counties Meath and Westmeath but mainly in County Cavan - copies of documents, c. 1705-1847, prepared for use in the case of Rolleston v. Morton, 1845-7. Ms 11,450; National Library of Ireland
  • Farnham Papers, Manuscript Collection List 95; National Library of Ireland
  • Order made by the Court of the Commissioners for Sale of Incumbered Estates in Ireland in the matter of the estate of Pierce Morton, owner, exparte, and Reverend John Rolleston and another, petitioners. Upon motion made by solicitor for the purchaser of the estate, ordered that the Sheriff of the county of Cavan go to the lands and cause them to be delivered into the possession of the purchaser who is named as Joseph Knight. Lands affected are Cullaboy otherwise Coleby, barony of Clonmahon, county Cavan, containing 227 acres and 17 perches statute measure, 5 February 1851. P017/0059; Cavan County Archives Service, Small Private Collections
  • Private Act (Printed), 7 & 8 Victoria I, c. 18, An Act for authorizing the Sale of certain Estates in the Cos Meath and Cavan, limited by the Settlement executed on the marriage of Pierce Morton and Louisa Morton otherwise Somerville, his Wife, and for applying the Monies thence arising in Payment of Incumbrances affecting the said Estates prior to said Settlement, 1844. HL/PO/PB/1/1844/7& 8V1n227; Parliamentary Archives
  • Manuscript book of maps of Charles Morton's estate in county Cavan, 1768 [Peter Millard]; Private Possession
  • Records of the Scott family, Omagh, county Tyrone and Scott's Mills; Copy letter book of letters from Charles Morton addressed from Otley St Mary, Dublin, and Harrow, to his parents, his sister Marion and his brother Pierce, 1810-1818. D1884/1/3; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • A letter from Dr Charles Morton of the British Museum to Sir Robert Murray Keith asking him to obtain 2 volumes on the late Emperor's collection of gold and silver coins. 1777. D2433/D/1/201; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
  • Petition of Dr Charles Morton and Mary, Lady Savile, his wife, to the Lords of the [British] Treasury about the debt to the crown of her late father, John Pratt, a former Receiver-General and Deputy Vice-Treasurer for Ireland, [1770s]. DIO/4/11/4; Public Record Office, Northern Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources