Landed Estates
University of Galway

Trench (Woodlawn)

The Trench family at Woodlawn were one of a number of Trench families who came to prominence in county Galway in the 17th century. They were all descended from Frederick Trench who came to Ireland early in the 1600s. Strategic marriages into the Warburton and Power families led to the acquisition of more lands in East Galway. Much of the Woodlawn estate was originally Martin and Barnewall lands which were purchased by the Trenches in the early eighteenth century. Lord Ashtown is recorded as a non-resident proprietor in 1824. At the time of Griffith's Valuation he was one of the principal lessors in the parish of Ballymacward, barony of Kilconnell. In county Roscommon he held over a thousand acres in the parishes of Cam and Tisrara, barony of Athlone and in county Tipperary he held at least 21 townlands in the parishes of Ballingarry and Uskane, barony of Lower Ormond, inherited from the Sadleir family of Sopwell Hall. In the 1870s Lord Ashtown's estate in Galway amounted to over 8000 acres and he also held land in 7 other counties including county Waterford where he had purchased lands in the barony of Glenahiry from the Earl of Stadbrooke in the 1870s. These townlands remained in Trench ownership until purchased by the Land Commission in the 1930s. At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Rev. Frederick Trench was leasing a house valued at £11 in the townland of Carrownamanagh, barony of Kilconnell, to Crawford Allen. The OS Name Books state that Mr. Birmingham acted as agent for the Trench estate. Lands at Carrowbane, the property of William Wallace Trench, were offered for sale in the Landed Estates court in November 1863. In 1852 Lord Ashtown married as his second wife Elizabeth Oliver Gascoigne, an heiress with large estates in county Limerick and Yorkshire. In the 1870s Lord Ashtown is recorded as the owner of 11,273 acres in county Limerick and 4,526 acres in county Tipperary. At the same time the Honourable Charles James Trench of Merrion Square, Dublin, owned 712 acres in county Tipperary. He was a brother of the 2nd Baron Ashtown. A nephew of the 1st Baron Ashtown Henry Trench of Glenmalyre, Queen's County (Laois) owned 699 acres in county Cork aand 671 acres in county Laois.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Woodlawn Woodlawn Killaan Ballinasloe Killaan 9 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M676312
OS Sheet: 73, 86
Discovery map: 46 		Photo of Woodlawn
Carrowmanagh Cottage Carrowmanagh Kilconnell Ballinalsoe Kilconnell 8 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M739332
OS Sheet: 73
Discovery map: 47
Woodlawn Hotel Carrowmore Kilconnell Ballinasloe Killaan 9 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M684328
OS Sheet: 73
Discovery map: 46
Caraunbeg Caraunbeg Killimordaly Loughrea Grange 121 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M642263
OS Sheet: 85
Discovery map: 46
Caraunmore/Anneville Caraunmore Killimordaly Loughrea Grange 121 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M644258
OS Sheet: 85, 86, 87
Discovery map: 46
Greenhills Greenhills Ballymacward Ballinasloe Killaan 9 Kilconnell Galway OSI Ref: M667332
OS Sheet: 73, 86
Discovery map: 46 		Photo of Greenhills
Lysterfield Lysterfield Cam Athlone Caltragh 12 Athlone Roscommon OSI Ref: M918 502
OS Sheet: 45
Discovery map: 40 		Photo of Lysterfield
Drumharsna Drumharsna South Ardrahan Gort Cahermore 102 Dunkellin Galway OSI Ref: M436106
OS Sheet: 113
Discovery map: 52
Castle Oliver Castleoliver Particles Kilmallock Particles 39 Coshlea Limerick OSI Ref: R663 194
OS Sheet: 56
Discovery map: 73 		Photo of Castle Oliver
Lisbryan Lisbryan Ballingarry Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R971 974
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53 		Photo of Lisbryan
Ballymona Ballymona Ballingarry Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R998 974
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53
Fairyhill Gortinarable Ballingarry Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: S007 954
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53 		Photo of Fairyhill
South Park Rahinane Ballingarry Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R975 968
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53 		Photo of South Park
Ballingarry Ballingarry Ballingarry Borrisokane Balllingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R985 959
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53 		Photo of Ballingarry
Sopwell Hall Sopwell Uskane Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R969 937
OS Sheet: 10
Discovery map: 53 		Photo of Sopwell Hall
Gurteen Gurteen Loughkeen Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R991 991
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53
Castle Sheppard Creeragh Uskane Borrisokane Ballingarry 12 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R978 952
OS Sheet: 8
Discovery map: 53
Nirevale House & Mill Ballymacarbry Kilronan Clonmel Balymacarbry 11 Glenahiry Waterford OSI Ref: S192130
OS Sheet: 5
Discovery map: 74 		Photo of Nirevale House & Mill

Archival sources

  • Landed Estates' Court Rentals (O'Brien), William Wallace Trench, 16 July 1863, Vol 69, 39/034, 19 November 1863, Vol 70, MRGS 39/035, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Household account book, Ashtown estate, 1800-1804. Ms.34948.; National Library of Ireland
  • Raheen. Photographs. 030/048; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Woodlawn. Photographs & Press Cuttings. 022/097.; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Pedigree of Trench of Ballinasloe, Garbally and Woodlawn. 1574-1800. GO. Ms.164, p.203. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Copies of correspondence of various members of the Trench family, 1772-1890. Microfilm n.4878, p. 4910. ; National Library of Ireland
  • Deeds, leases etc re estates in Cos Roscommon, Galway, Mayo, Limerick, Tipperary, Clare, Westmeath, Kings Co (Offaly), Dublin of the Trench family of Cangort Park, including reference to other members of the Trench family, 18th-19th centuries. 99/56/10; National Archives of Ireland
  • Estate records relating to the Ashtown’s Castle Oliver estate, accounts ledger 1875-1889; workmen’s time book, 1913-1921; account books for years ending 30 April 1886 & 1889, William Uniacke Townsend and Charles Eyre Townsend for Lady Ashtown; unused account book. LM1999.0001-0005; Limerick City Museum
  • Rent ledgers of the estates of Lord Ashtown in Co Limerick, 1839-1882. MSS 5823-5827 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Estate records relating to the Ashtown’s Castle Oliver estate, accounts ledger 1875-1889; workmen’s time book, 1913-1921; account books for years ending 30 April 1886 & 1889, William Uniacke Townsend and Charles Eyre Townsend for Lady Ashtown; unused account book. LM1999.0001-0005 ; Limerick City Museum
  • Ashtown Estate: An agricultural note book containing mainly prices of corn, an account of weather conditions, etc., 1789-1828 & 2 account books of daily expenditure covering the periods Oct. 1767-1770 and 1787-91. Microfilm P204 ; National Library of Ireland
  • Rental of the estates of Frederick Mason Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown, in Cos. Offaly, Tipperary and Galway, 1858-64. Ms 1769; National Library of Ireland
  • Rentals and accounts of the estates of Frederick Mason Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown, in Cos. Offaly, Tipperary and Galway, 1852-9, 1859-64, 1864-69, 1869-74. Ms 1765-1768; National Library of Ireland
  • Encumbered Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Thompson Fozier & Thompson Abbott & others, 21 June 1850, Vol 1 (64), MRGS 39/001, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Estate of Cosby Godolphin Trench, lands of Creeragh, Shinrone, Castlesheppard Estate, Co. Tipperary: Martin Costello, Daniel Cleary, Delahunty & others – Land Commission Papers, 1928. Box 57; Roscrea Heritage Society Centre, Damer House, Roscrea

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources