Swift (Lynn)
The Rev Thomas Swift of Herefordshire had a number of sons by his wife Elizabeth Dryden and died in 1658. His fifth son Jonathan, a Dublin solicitor, was the father of the Very Rev Jonathan Swift, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. From the Rev Thomas’ eldest son Godwin descend the Swifts of Lynn, county Westmeath. Godwin’s son Meade Swift of Lynn, born 1682 married Mary daughter of John L’Estrange of Keoltown, county Westmeath. From this marriage descend the Swifts of Lynn and Keoltown. The town and lands of Lynn amounting to about 700 acres were bought by Robert Edgeworth of Longwood, county Meath for £200, from the Trustees for forfeited estates in 1703. As well as owning land, members of the Swift family found employment as barristers and doctors. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation (publ. 1854) the Swifts held land in the parishes of Lynn and Mullingar. Ninety eight acres of the townland of Lynn and the house known as Lynn Lodge were put up for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court in July 1850 by James Scott Molloy, assignee of Richard Swift, the owner. In the mid-1870s John Swift of Keoltown owned 454 acres while the representatives of Richard Swift owned 480 acres in county Westmeath.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guilford House | Guilford or Davidstown | Clonfad | Mullingar | Clonfad 100 | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N407393
OS Sheet: 33 Discovery map: 48 |
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| Lynn Lodge | Lynn | Lynn | Mullingar | Belvidere 80 | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N438511
OS Sheet: 28 Discovery map: 41 |
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| Lynn House | Lynn | Lynn | Mullingar | Belvidere 80 | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N422497
OS Sheet: 28 Discovery map: 48 |
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| La Mancha | Lynn | Lynn | Mullingar | Belvidere 80 | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N424491
OS Sheet: 28 Discovery map: 48 |
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| Lynnbury | Lynn | Lynn | Mullingar | Belvidere 80 | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N427495
OS Sheet: 28 Discovery map: 48 |
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| Clonmoyle House | Tullanisky | Lynn | Mullingar | Belvidere 80 | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N446494
OS Sheet: 26 Discovery map: 48 |
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| Lakefield/Keoltown House | Keoltown | Mullingar | Mullingar | Hopestown | Westmeath |
OSI Ref: N388496
OS Sheet: 25 Discovery map: 48 |
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Archival sources
- Encumbered Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), Molloy and Swift, 2 July 1850, Vol 2 (1), MRGS 39/001, (microfilm copy in UG); National Archives of Ireland
- Edgworth (Packington) and Mary Edgworth appellants versus Edward Edgworth re forfeited estate of Sir Edward Tyrell in Longwood, etc., Co. Meath and in Westmeath and Kildare leased in part to Mead Swift. Appellants' case and respondent's case. Feb., 1740. House of Lords Appeals: Vol. 4a; King's Inn Library
- Marriage settlement of Richard Swift of Lynn, Co Westmeath and Martha Bryan of Dublin, 15 Oct 1813. D 26,731; National Library of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 86
- 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'.: 356, 367
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Mullingar Union, 134 (Guilford); 145 (Lynn and La Mancha); 146 (Tullanisky); 216 (Keoltown)
- LEET, Ambrose. ''A directory to the market towns, villages, gentlemen's seats, and other noted places in Ireland''. Dublin: Printed by B. Smith, 1814 : 118 (Clonmoyle House); 259 (La Mancha); 278 (Lynn House)
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: II, 325
- 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: 250
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 366