Honour of Annaly - Feudal Principality & Seignory Est. 1172

👑 The Irish Legacy of the Nugents: Manors, Abbeys, Castles and Ecclesiastical Lands

The Nugent family, specifically the lineage holding the title of Baron Delvin (and later Earls of Westmeath), established one of the most powerful and enduring Anglo-Norman dynasties in Ireland. Their extensive grants and titles, spanning over 850 years, were concentrated primarily in the historic territory of the Barony of Delvin in Meath, and later across modern-day County Westmeath and County Longford (Annaly).

I. 🏰 Primary Seats and Castles

The foundation of Nugent power lay in the original grant of the Barony of Delvin in the 12th century, which established their main seats of power in Westmeath.

• Delvin Castle (Original Seat):

  • This was the initial site granted to Sir Gilbert de Nugent around 1172 by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath. It served as the original ancestral heartland of the family.

• Clonyn Castle (New Delvin Castle), Co. Westmeath:

  • The primary family seat built in 1639 near the village of Delvin by Richard Nugent, the 1st Earl of Westmeath.

• Ross Castle, Co. Meath (Near Lough Sheelin):

  • A significant tower house built in 1533 by Richard Nugent, the 12th Baron Delvin.

• Lisserdowlan Castle, Co. Longford (Annaly):

  • The former chief seat of the O'Farrells, granted to Richard Nugent, Baron Delvin, around 1609 as part of the Plantation of Longford, marking the family's control over the territory.

II. 📜 Foundational Land Grants and Manors

The family's land holdings originated with strategic grants and alliances across the Pale and its borders.

• Barony of Delvin (Co. Westmeath):

  • The paramount grant received by Sir Gilbert de Nugent in 1172, forming the core of their estates.

• Corbetstown, alias Ballycorbet (King's County/Offaly):

  • Granted to the 14th Baron Delvin in 1564 as part of the Plantation of Leix and Offaly.

• Drumcree, Dysert, and Donore (Co. Meath/Dublin Borders):

  • Acquired in the late 15th century through strategic marriage alliances (e.g., the marriage to Elizabeth Hollywood).

III. ⛪ Abbeys and Monastic Lands (Post-Dissolution)

Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, the Barons Delvin acquired valuable former religious properties and their vast accompanying estates.

• Fore Abbey (Monastery of St. Feichin), Co. Westmeath:

  • One of the most important holdings, first leased then granted outright between 1541 and 1588.

• Longford Abbey Lands (Annaly/Co. Longford):

  • Dominican Convent of Longford: Granted outright to Richard Nugent around 1552.

  • Abbey of Granard and AbbeyLara: Granted to the Baron Delvin around 1557 by Queen Mary and King Philip.

  • Abbey of Inchmore (Lough Gowna): Lease and subsequent grant of the monastic island and lands in 1567.

  • Priory of Inchcleraun (Holy Island): This island monastery in Lough Ree was also granted to Lord Delvin around 1552.

IV. 🟢 Land and Titles in Annaly (County Longford)

The Nugents’ expansion into Annaly marked their transition into major regional lords, particularly following the Plantation of Longford in the early 17th century.

• Lord Paramount of Annaly:

  • Successive Crown grants confirmed the Nugents as the Crown's direct tenant-in-chief, holding feudal superiority over the entire region.

• Captainship of the Slewght William:

  • Granted to the 14th Baron Delvin in 1565, conferring a high title of governance over a major O'Farrell clan division.

• Longford Market and Fair:

  • The family was granted the valuable right to hold a regular market and annual fair in Longford Town, including the power to collect customs and hold manorial courts.

• Plantation Land Grants (c. 1620):

  • A massive allocation of over 5,200 acres of land across the region, including areas like Lisserdawle, Cornedronee, and Aghagagh, solidifying their economic control.

Here is a definitive list of all known properties, manors, rights, and religious sites granted to the Nugents in County Longford/Annaly, primarily through Elizabethan and Jacobean patents:

🟢 Complete List of Nugent Grants in County Longford (Annaly)

I. Key Fortifications and Settlements

1. Lisserdowlan Castle (Lisardabhla): The principal castle and seat of the O'Farrell Lord of Annaly, granted by King James I.

2. The Bawne and Town and Lands of Lisserdawle: The fortified enclosure and settlement surrounding the main Lisserdowlan Castle.

3. The Castle of the Moate (Moate/Mote): Granted along with five cartrons of land there, forfeited from Rossey O'Farroll.

4. Castle and Lands of Lisnevoa (Lisnavea): A distinct castle site granted along with two cartrons of land.

5. Castle Nugent (near Granard): The site of a later family residence, marking the consolidation of their lordship in the north.

II. Monastic Properties and Church Lands

These grants transferred both the physical buildings and the extensive economic estates attached to them.

6. Dominican Convent of Longford (Friary of Longford): Granted outright to Richard Nugent around 1552.

7. Abbey of Granard (St. Mary's Priory): Granted with all attached lands, tithes, and appurtenances (c. 1557).

8. AbbeyLara (or Abbeylara): Granted with its town and hereditaments (c. 1557).

9. Abbey of Inchmore (Inishmore), Lough Gowna: Granted as a lease and later outright in 1567.

10. Priory of Inchcleraun (Holy Island), Lough Ree: This monastic island was granted (c. 1552).

11. Abbey of All Saints, Lough Ree: The lease included the site, possessions, and notably the Moiety (half) of the lands of Ardagh (a major ecclesiastical center).

III. Feudal Rights and Governance

These grants confirmed political and legal control over the entire territory.

12. Lord Paramount of Annaly: The transfer of feudal superiority, making the Nugents the Crown's chief tenant and administrator in the region.

13. Captainship of the Slewght William (Clan William): A powerful title of governance and custody over a major O'Farrell clan division, granted in 1565.

14. Longford Market and Fair: The right to hold a Thursday market and an annual fair in Longford Town, including the right to collect customs and tolls.

15. Rights to Courts: The establishment of the Curia Baronis (Baron's Court) to administer justice within the Nugent manors.

IV. Major Plantation Land Grants (c. 1620)

The official grants during the Plantation of Longford secured thousands of acres, cementing their economic power. This list represents the named townlands/cartrons included in the major patent to Richard, Lord Baron of Delvin:

16. Smere (Land Area)

17. Cornedronee (Land Area)

18. Rosseduife (Land Area)

19. Drumshanaly (Land Area)

20. Faghowry (Land Area)

21. Doonbeggan (Land Area)

22. Cleynragh (Land Area)

23. Birrenagh (Land Area)

24. Crott (Land Area)

25. Aghagagh (Land Area)

26. Dromowry (Land Area)

27. Aghekine (Land Area)

28. Lisgarry (Land Area)

29. Agherclogh (Land Area)

30. Ballyranell (Land Area)

31. Coolegawen (Land Area)

32. Ballyneraghan (Land Area)

33. Portegurtenwoghtragh (Land Area)

34. Portegurtenyeightragh (Land Area)

35. Cartronvore (Land Area)

This extensive list covers the vast spectrum of grants—from symbolic seats of power to religious estates, political titles, and thousands of acres of land—all contributing to the Nugents' status as the most powerful family in Annaly.

The specific number of manors established by the Nugents, Barons Delvin, in County Longford (Annaly) is a key point in understanding the legal administration of their vast holdings. While the detailed grants included 35 distinct castles, abbeys, feudal rights, and numerous townlands, the total number of operational manors—legal entities empowered to hold courts (curia baronis), collect certain rents, and exert local jurisdiction—is  smaller. These numerous grants were typically consolidated into a few strategically positioned feudal lordships. The evidence suggests the Nugents likely administered their Annaly lands through three major manorial units: the Manor of Lisserdowlan (the administrative capital centered on the main castle and the Longford market), the Manor of Granard (governing the large abbey and associated lands), and a smaller Manor of Inchmore/Inchcleraun (controlling the economic outputs of the monastic islands). These three manors collectively served as the governmental framework for managing the entire complex collection of 35 assets and the thousands of acres of land received from the Crown.