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Helena Townsend (218)

Notes for Helena Townsend

Page 92 of Green's 'Index to the Marriage Licence Bonds of the Diocese of Cloyne' 1630-1800 records a Marriage Bond dated 1752. Helena was the first wife of the Rev Arthur Herbert (1 & 1a) of Cahernane (2) and Currans Co Kerry and Rector of Tralee and later of Myross. See Burke's Irish Landed Gentry 1912 - Herbert.

Of the children:

Richard Townsend Herbert of Cahernane and Currans was an MP in the Irish Parliament for many years. He succeeded to Currans on his father's death and inherited Cahernane from his grand-uncle, Arthur Herbert of Cahernane and Brewsterfield.(3) Married first, Emily, daughter of Thomas Herbert MP for Muckross and and had a son - Reverend Arthur Herbert who was born on 15 March 1783 and married Jane Denny, daughter of Reverend Maynard Denny (4) and Penelope Stoughton. He died in 1832. Married second, Jane, daughter of Anthony Stoughton (5) of Ballyhorgan.(5a)

Arthur Herbert was Rector of Myross, Co Cork. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Herbert MP of Muckross (6) and had a daughter Helena (7) who married George Daunt (8) of Newborough (9) in 1786; his maternal great grandmother was Penelope Townsend [119]. Arthur and Mary and their daughter Helena, who died on 24 October 1862 aged 56, are buried in St Barrahane's Church in Castletownshend.

In a letter (10) to Dr Thomas Townsend [5A10] dated 28 Jan 1927 Richard Arthur Townsend [259] writes that Myross was purchased by the Rev Arthur Herbert of Cahernane in about 1799 from Mr Jervois of Brade. When the Rev Arthur Herbert died in 1818 of typhus in Cork his wife, Mary, sold the property in 1820 to Lord Kingston who subsequently sold it to Mr FH Copinger sometime between 1824 and 1837. John Sealy Townsend [507] bought Myross from Mr Copinger sometime between 1837 and 1846. 'Pigot's Directory 1824' shows Lord Kingston as the owner of Myross, 'Lewis' Topographical Dictionary 1837' shows "FH Copinger Esq” as the owner and 'Slater's Directory 1846' shows "Townsend, John Sealy Esq, Miros Wood" as the owner.

(1) Arthur was born in 1726 and died after 1785. His will is dated 30 December 1785. His second wife was Jane, daughter of the Rev Thomas Collis and widow of Frederick Mullins of Burnham, eldest brother of the 1st Baron Ventry, and died in 1760 having had a daughter Frances Herbert who married Richard Digby of Cork in 1794. See the entry for Katherine Townsend [109] whose daughter, Elizabeth Gunn, married Thomas Mullins who was elevated to the peerage of Ireland on 31 July 1800 as the 1st Baron Ventry.

(1a) The entry for Herbert (Cahernane) in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "The Herberts of Cahernane descended from the same family as those at Muckross. Smith indicates that two members of the family received lands in Kerry after the Desmond rebellion, Sir William Herbert received over 13,000 acres while Charles Herbert received over 3000 acres. Over 300 acres of Rev. Richard Herbert's estate at Tullig, barony of Magunihy, was offered for sale in the Encumbered Estates Court in 1858. In 1865, the Brewsterfield property of Arthur Orpen and Elizabeth Herbert was offered for sale in the Landed Estates Court as well as premises in Killarney town. In the 1870s the Cahernane family estate amounted to over 3000 acres in county Kerry. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation, the representatives of Rev. B. Herbert were among the principal lessors in the parish of Killaha while Rev. Edward Herbert was a principal lessor in the parish of Kilnanare, both in the barony of Magunihy. Rev. Richard Herbert held several townlands in the parish of Currans, barony of Trughanacmy. Lands held under lease by Timothy Kennedy from Rev. Richard Herbert's estate were offered for sale in the Land Judges' Court in 1881." The Herberts of Muckross are also listed in this entry.

(2) The entry for Cahernane in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Cahernane House was the property of Rev. Richard Herbert at the time of Griffith’s Valuation, when it was valued at £22. Lewis mentions it as the seat of H. Herbert in 1837. Bary indicates that this house, originally built in the early 18th century, was replaced in the 1870s when the present building was constructed. The property was sold by the Herbert family at the end of the 19th century and is now a luxury hotel. See Cahernane."

(3) The entry for Brewsterfield House in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Daniel Reardon was leasing Brewsterfield House from the representatives of Rev. B. Herbert at the time of Griffith’s Valuation, when it was valued at £13 10s. Lewis notes it as the seat of Rev. B. Herbert in 1837. Bary suggests that it was built by Sir Francis Brewster in the early 18th century but may have been added to later by the Herberts. It later passed to the Orpen family through marriage and may have been resided in by their agent. The original house was demolished in 1985. There are modern buildings on the site including holiday cottages."

(4) The entry for Denny in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Smith indicates that the first Sir Edward Denny was granted over 6000 acres in county Kerry after the Desmond Rebellion. Sir Arthur Denny was granted an estate in 1666 following the Acts of Settlement. At the time of Griffith’s Valuation Sir Edward Denny owned several townlands in the parish of Annagh, barony of Corkaguiny, parish of Killorglin, barony of Iveragh and the parishes of Ardfert, Clogherbrien, Ratass and Tralee, barony of Trughanacmy. Collingwood Denny leased several townlands in the portion of Annagh parish in the barony of Trughanacmy. Rev. Robert Denny was the principal lessor in the parish of Killorglin, barony of Magunihy, at the time of Griffith’s Valuation. In 1864, lands at Ballymacgegoge, barony of Trughanacmy, leased by Richard Jeffcott from the Denny estate, were offered for sale in the Landed Estates Court. In 1867, property in Iveragh barony which had been leased by Rev. Robert Day Denny to Michael Lynch was offered for sale in the Landed Estates Court. In the 1870s the Denny estate in county Kerry amounted to over 21,000 acres. A junior branch of this family held land in the parish of Colman, barony of Middlethird, county Tipperary and in counties Fermanagh and Monaghan. Anthony Denny married Sarah Jane daughter of the Reverend G.P. Lockwood and their son was the Reverend Edward Denny (born 1853) of Moorestown, county Tipperary. In the 1870s the trustees of the late Anthony Denny held 1,988 acres in county Tipperary and estates in counties Fermanagh and Monaghan." See also Denny (Ballybrada).

(5) The entry for Stoughton (Kerry) in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Thomas Stoughton was one of the principal lessors in the parishes of Caher and Dromod, barony of Iveragh and the parishes of Dysert and Rattoo, barony of Clanmaurice, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. William Stoughton held several townlands in the parish of Killury, at the same time. In the 1830s the Ordnance Survey Field Name books record the letting of property in the parish of Ballyheige, part of the Crosbie estate, to Thomas Stoughton. Kerry Supple acted as his agent. The estate of Thomas A. Stoughton of Ballyhorgan, amounted to over 11,000 acres in the 1870s while that of Charles Stoughton, of Ballynoe and London, was over 2000 acres in county Kerry. Thomas Stoughton also owned over 1200 acres in county Cork, mostly in the baronies of Kinalea and Kerrycurrihy, through the marriage of his father with Mary Daunt. An offer was made by the Congested Districts Board on over 1200 acres of the Stoughton estate in 1916. This family had close links with that of Stoughton, of Owlpen Manor, Gloucestershire."

(5a) The entry for Ballyhorgan House in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "At the time of Griffith's Valuation, Thomas Stoughton was occupying this property which was valued at £33. Lewis refers to it as the seat of T.A. Stoughton in 1837. Bary states that this house was built by the Stoughtons in the seventeenth century and continued to be occupied by them until the twentieth century, though it suffered attacks from the Whiteboys and during the War of Independence. It is now a ruin."

(6) The entry for Muckross House in the University of Galway [hhttps://landedestates.ie/property/1669|Landed Estates Database] records "McCoole states that the Herberts had a house on the Muckross peninsula since at least the early 18th century, on lands leased from the MacCarthaigh Mor family. A new house was constructed in the 1770s. In 1837 Lewis described Muckross as "situated in a demesne of enchanting beauty". The present Muckross House, was built between 1839-43. At the time of Griffith’s valuation it was valued at £129. It continued to be owned by the Herbert family until the 1890s, when, the family fortunes having declined, it was sold by the Standard Life Assurance Company, and purchased by Lord Ardilaun. He was the owner in 1906 when it was valued at £130. In 1910 it was sold to an American family, Bowers Bourn who in turn gave it to their daughter and son-in-law, Maud and Arthur Vincent. It was presented to the nation in 1932 and now forms the centre of the Killarney National Park."

(7) Her uncle Henry Townsend [215] left her £300 in his will when he died in February 1788. A transcription of Henry's will can be seen in his 'Scrapbook' or in Swanage Wills. (Scroll down to his entry.)

(8) The entry for Daunt (Kinsale) in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Originally a Gloucestershire family, the Daunt family appear in county Cork in the early seventeenth century, notably Thomas of Owlpen Manor in Gloucestershire and Tracton Abbey, county Cork. Several members of the family owned property in the Kinsale area in the 1870s. These included the representatives of Achilles, who owned over 2000 acres and George A. who owned over 1000 acres. George A. Achilles and Arthur Daunt were among the principal lessors in the parishes of Ballyfeard, Ringcurran and Tracton, barony of Kinalea, at the time of Griffith's Valuation. Thomas and George held townlands in the parish of Cullen at the same time while Thomas was also a lessor in the parish of Carrigaline, barony of Kerrycurrihy. William Henry Daunt of Fahalin, Carrigaline owned 1,372 acres in county Cork in the 1870s."

(9) The entry for Newborough in the University of Galway Landed Estates Database records "Newborough was being leased by George A. Daunt from William Drew at the time of Griffith's Valuation, when it was valued at £40. It is also referred to as his seat by Lewis in 1837."

(10) RBT Papers.

For other Daunt connections see daughter of Penelope Townsend [119], Maria Margaretta Townsend [212], John Sealy Townsend [333], Helena Herbert Townsend [619] and Richard Townsend [6A00].

For other connections with the Stoughton and Mullins families see Katherine Townsend [109] and Anne Townsend [143].