LEIXLIP CHRONOLOGY 1750 – 1780 A.D.

Leixlip Chronology 1750 – 1780 

Compiled by  

John Colgan  

1750:  Lingen Campbell and Sarah Sorley, of Leixlip, were granted a marriage licence [57th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records in Ireland]. Collins’ Scottish Surnames, David Dorwood, (ed), Glasgow, 2000, notes (p317) that Sorrie sometimes appeared in Edinburgh for a sparse and scattered version of the surname Sorley. This, in turn, is from the Gaelic personal name, Somhairle, which was borrowed from the old Norse name Somerled, which means ‘summer warrior’. Campbell is Scottish, from cam béal, =crooked mouth.

1750:  John Johns(t)on, Dublin city, gentleman, demised to Christopher Glascock, Dublin city, gent., land called Tyans or Tyams land upper division, with the dwelling house, offices and appurtenances, part of the manor of Leixlip, for a term of 999 years. The deed was witnessed by Henry and James Glascock, and lodged with the Reg. of Deeds in 1752; Memo No 154-203-103385. Henry Glascock was the youngest brother of James Glascock and fourth son of Francis Glascock. [It seems that three other sons must have died since 1722.] 

1750: The Rt Hon Wm Conolly leased a mill in Rathfarnham to Thos Slator (bookseller, of the directory family). [Registry of Deeds Memo No: 141-95881-380]. 

1751: Wm Conolly leased lands in Dunsink and Castleknock to Thos. Starrat of Leixlip, and his wife, Alice aka Trotter, in a lease dated 7/8/1751. The deed [Registry of Deeds Memo No: 145-529-99832] was witnessed by Christopher Glascock. Starrat was Conolly’s agent/ attorney in Leixlip: where did he live  – at Music Hall? The Glebe?  Newtown House? 

1751:  A lease from Wm Conolly to Wm McGowan, gardener, made 15/8/1751, showing a map of a house by Leixlip bridge as a rectangular plot with 230 feet frontage to the ‘Street to Bridge’, there is a 30 feet wide rectangular strip labelled ‘Passage’, along by the northern ‘mill race’, with Pomrett’s garden to the rear (east) and Pomrett’s house to the north (presumably separating the McGowan plot from Mill Lane). The house is approximately that taken up by the Caughey residence and the adjoining bungalow on the northern side. The lease was renewable forever at a rent of £4 4s including fees. The area is one rood.  

William Magown [sic] of Leixlip had a son, Christopher, baptised on 3/12/1750, and a daughter, Sarah, baptised 3/12/1752, according to St Mary’s records.  

Two other related leases: one dated 5/10/1784 from Tom Conolly to Chris. McGowan, and another, a renewal, of 27/6/1805, to Wm McGowan, cabinet-maker. However, a Notice to Quit (included) was served on Denis Gribbon, then occupying the above premises, by Simmonds, agent for Edward Conolly, and dated 30/4/1836. [Castletown Papers, Box 26, IAA].  

Wm McGowan, of Leixlip, gardener, died intestate in 1784 [Deputy Keeper’s 26th Report] 

His namesake, same details, died intestate in 1815 [Deputy Keeper’s 30th Report]. This was probably his grandson, William, son of Christopher, who was baptised at St Mary’s, 20/X/1781. 

1752:  Noble and Keenan’s map of Co Kildare, to hand, clearly shows the old main road from the Salmon Leap Inn [shown crudely as a square] on the southern side of the river Liffey to Celbridge, passing the Newbridge en route. Leixlip’s Liffey Bridge is shown, as is property where the Toll House and mills were. The county boundary with Dublin excludes Cooltrena [sic] from Co. Kildare. A significant house, unlabelled, is shown where Glascock’s Musick Hall was located. Note that a Musick Hall also existed at the bottom of Fishamble St, Dublin, at this time. On 13/4/1742 Handel first performed his Messiah in public. See artist Johnathan Fisher’s comments on the music and dancing at Leixlip: "This Castle stands in a bold picturesque situation on the N.W. side of the river, about eight miles from Dublin . The village of Leixlip :.. During the summer months it is much resorted by the citizens of Dublin for parties of pleasure, and also by company who use the sulphurous Spa at Lucan, in its neighbourhood; and is enlivened at this time by weekly balls.[Johnathan Fisher, , 1792-5] 

Note that, by way of contrast, in 1808, at the Curragh camp, balls were held every Thursday at the Standhouse… and a public ordinary every Sunday at three o’clock for ladies and gentlemen. This was calculated to relieve the tedium which want of society of their fair countrywomen must give, even in camp. [Quoted by Con Costello in A Most Delightful Station…, p12, from Sir Henry McAnally, The Irish Militia 1793-1816, Dublin, 1949, p228-9.] 

1752:  Archbishop Price dies, is buried in St. Mary’s Church, Leixlip, on 30/7/1752 and left £100 to Arthur Guinness, son of Richard Guinness, in his will. [PRONI: D/3031/3/1, 1920]. Richard Guinness married, secondly, Elizabeth Clare of Leixlip. Bunbury & Kavanagh, opus cit, have her [on p105] as a widow. However, while several Elizabeth Clare, aka Clear, occur in the Leixlip Parish Register at that time, one Elizabeth Clare, wife of Benjamin Clare, died as a wife on 7/10/1723 and is buried in St Mary’s graveyard, Leixlip. The other Elizabeth mentioned was born to Jon Clear [sic] of Confiee [sic] and baptised at Confie [sic] on 9/1/1715; it is she who was most likely the wife of Richard Guinness. [Suzanne Pegley, Register of the Parish of Leixlip, Co. Kildare, Dublin , 2001.] 

1753: Wilson‘s Directory for 1769 records, among "Remarkable Events" the fact that 4,000 houses had been built in Dublin and its suburbs since 1711; at 8 persons to each house, this would increase the population by 32,000 inhabitants. This is the first issue of Wilson to provide for a "Remarkable Events" section; there is no reference in this to the Turnpike, or Leixlip bridge construction.   

1753:  P & O’s Directory record in the Annals of Dublin section for this year that the foundation for the new Essex bridge of 5 arches was laid; it was finished in 1755, after the model of Westminster bridge, at an expense of £20,661 11s 4d. 

1753: About this year the trustees of the turnpike road from Mountrath, Co Laois, to Kilcormac, Co Offaly, built a bridge over the river Lumcloone, 88 feet long, 20 feet broad, 24 feet high, with three arches 20 feet broad for £400, the breastwork to be of hewn stone and lime.  This is more or less the size of Leixlip’s bridge over the Liffey (but one must add the pair of millrace arches..). [E. O’ Leary, from the minutes of the trustees, JKAS Vol7, no.2, 1912, p 118+.] Dr Charles Colgan was a trustee. 

1753:  The Rent Roll for y/e 25/3/1753 [Castletown Papers, Box 72, IAA]: Ingham’s Holding is still with Christopher Glascock at a yearly rent of £16  0s  0d, and Marchfield with Mrs Grace Proby at £5 per year. 

There are several explanatory notes (of costs incurred) to the summary accounts to the rear of the Roll: 

"For gravelling New Bridge and the road to Raheenwade [sic] Gate [to Castletown]  ………………..£9  6s  8d " 

"For taking down the steep hill at ye covered well of Leixlip and at ye entrance to new road ……..£9  6s  10d" 

"For all improvement done at the Island , ending 25th March, 1753 (£10  14s  4d of this appears by an account in journal book commencing 29th July 1749)………………………………………………………….£93  11s  5d" 

The steep hill and covered well referred to are most likely what is now the Old Hill and the stone-built covered-well joining Pound Street to the entrance to the new road, namely the Celbridge Road.  

1753:  Robert Sandford Jnr who lived for many years at Leixlip castle, (and with a town house at Sackville St, Dublin), was elected to the Irish Parliament, 20/10/1753 for a Kildare borough. He was the second son of Robert Sandford of Castlerea and MP for Boyle. In the Parliament of 1768-76, he represented the borough of Roscommon. He was born, 13/6/1722, joined the army and served as Cornet in the 5th RI Dragoons; Major to the Carabiniers under Prince Frederick of Brunswick , and Colonel of the 103rd Regiment of Foot. In 1768 he was appointed governor of Galway on half pay by the King, at which time he was Lieutenant Colonel. [Thomas Ulick Sadleir, ‘Kildare Members of Parliament’, JKAS, Vol VII, No 3, Jan 1913, p165-6.] 

1754:  A William Bruce, a magistrate in Placentia, Newfoundland , is mentioned in the context of many Irish there. Was he of the Leixlip family? There were Pippard and Glascock there too. See 1819. [Mike McCarthy, The Irish in Newfoundland, 1600-1900 – The Trials, Tribulations & Triumphs, St John’s, Newfoundland , 1999, p17.] A William Bruce was a bookseller and probably printer during the period, 1720 onwards, in Dublin . [James W Phillips, Printing & Bookselling in Dublin, 1670 -1800, Dublin , 1998.] 

1754:  William Conolly Jnr MP died. He was succeeded by his only son, Thomas, but as he was then under age, his widow, Lady Anne, moved to England leaving Castletown empty. Tom Conolly married Louisa Lennox on 30 December 1758 when he was 24 years old and they moved to Castletown the following year. At that time his estates were heavily encumbered with his father’s debts. The Rt Hon Wm Conolly was listed as ‘Cursitor, Court of Chancery, Temple Bar and Dunsink’ in the Directory of Dublin , 1738. 

Rent Roll for y/e 25/3/1754

Chris. Glascock’s annual rent on Ingham’s holding plus the Black Castle lands was £16. 0 . 0 local currency.  

1755:  Rent Roll for y/e 25/3/1755

No change in Glascock and Inghams Holding; Laurence [aka Lawrence   –  see St Mary’s grave headstone, which he had erected for himself and his posterity; there is no date] Conolly has the Corn Mills at £40 per year.

1755-8:  SALMON  –  Thos Salmon in memory of his father Walter and his mother. His mother d. on Good Tuesday 6/4/1755;His father d. on Good Friday 24/3/1758 (106)  – Extract from Ladychapel, nr Maynooth, churchyard memorials, compiled by Martin J Kelly. See Salmon’s distillery.

1755: A Walter Glascock, attorney, and 6th clerk in July 1750, died on 15/1/1775 [King’s Inns’ Admissions Papers]. This Walter was probably the younger brother of James and 2nd son of Francis Glascock of Leixlip, who married Jane, only child, daughter and Administratrix of William Aldridge, Aldrick or Aldrich (in the HoC J), who was lord mayor of Dublin in 1741 and 1743. They had a daughter Mary and son William. Jane Glascock, alias Aldridge, of the Dublin diocese, had her will administered in 1799, a widow.  William married Letitia Scriven, daughter of Edward S.  This William was another attorney and he and Letitia had a son, Walter, born in Dublin . He boarded in TCD from October 7, 1793 when aged 15 and a half. He was awarded a BA in 1798 and an MA in 1805. He became an attorney in 1803.They also had a younger son, Edward, who also boarded at TCD; there is no record of his graduating  [Alumni, TCD and HoCJ, Vol. 6, p.147, 16/11/1759]. 

1756:  Arthur Guinness had possession of Reynor’s Holding from 25/9/1756 and leased it for three lives from George Bryan of Philadelphia in 1760, having paid £264 and a rent of £11 sterling. A copy of the actual lease is to hand, signed by Arthur and George [provided by Conor O’Brien]. Richard Junior, Arthur’s younger brother, ran the Leixlip brewery from 1759 to 1803, presumably because by 1759 Arthur had bought a second brewery at St James’ Gate in that year. [Patrick Guinness, millennium paper]  Reynard, aka Raynor, is said to be Palatinate, from Germany ~1709  –  Matheson, Special Report on Surnames in Ireland, 1894.

1756:  Rent Roll for y/e 25/3/1756

No change in Glascock and Inghams Holding; Laurence Conolly has the Corn Mills at £40 per year.

1757:  Robert Randal (of Newbridge paper works?) petitioned the Commons on 9/11/1757 [HoCJ, Vol 6, p.29], claiming that he deserved encouragement. He had been 30 years in the paper business and made paper from linen rags, spending over £683 on the same and employed 33 people making printing and writing paper. He had built a mill at Rathfarnham and another was being made at ‘Little Newtown’.

1757:  Rent Roll for 1757 has Ingham’s Holding separated into a part at a rent of £6 5s 0d called Ingham’s Holding and another part, called Black Castle at a rent of £1 15s 0d; both are with James Glascock, tenant. Note that the combined rent is £8 per half year and this report would have been written at the latest in the following year, when Chris. Glascock could have been dead. In this year Marchfield [sic] was tenanted by Mrs Grace Probie at a rent of £2 10s 0d. And the Corn Mills were rented to Laurence Conolly at £20 per half year.

This James Glascock was described as a solicitor at Chancery courts in practice in the year 1734/5 [King’s Inns, ibid]. He would therefore have been born before 1713. Note the arrival of a second Jas Glascock later. 

1758:  This year the Kildare Knot of the charitable and humanist Ancient and Most Benevolent order of the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick was founded. James Glascock of the Music Hall was inducted on 20/10/1758, and would therefore be a founding member, along with Arthur Guinness; his son, William Glascock of Kilcock and York St joined on 29/6/1776. The purpose of the club or society was to discourage duelling; it included social aspects, such as organising balls. Among the other Leixlip members to join over the period 1758 to 1791 were: Captain Thos. Atkinson, Marshfield, 1769; Captain/Major General Wm Brady, 1769; his son and namesake, Capt Wm Brady, 1781; Peter Bere aka Beere?, 1776;  John Brown, 1789; Charles Croker, Weston Park, 1776; Dr George Fergusson, Ivy House, 1788; Sir Ml Cromie, Stacumny, 1764; Nehemiah Donnellan, 1758;  Jas Glascock, Music Hall, Leixlip and York St, 1758; Wm Glascock, Kilcock and York St, Dublin, 1776; Richard Guinness, 1776; Rev. Singleton Harpur,1780;  Richard and Roger Jones, Kilcock;  Rev Wm Lambert, 1779;  Robert Lawe, Robertville, later Ryevale House, 1780 and his son [??], of same name, in 1781; Rev Edward Ledwich, (turnpike commissioner?) 1781;  John Letablere, 1777;  Francis McManus, Maynooth;  Thos Medlicott (related to Kings, millers), 1777; Hon George Napier, 1787; George Rainsford, 1779;  Dr Israel Read, Leixlip and Molesworth St, 1778; Rev. Loftus Robinson, Leixlip, 1789; Morley Saunders, 1787; Capt Thos Shepherd, son of Rev Sam Shepherd, poet, 1769; Lawrence Steel, Pound St, 1776; Captains Jas & Edward Tisdall; Nathaniel Warren, Springfield, Leixlip, 1780;  Hugh Wilson, 1759; [Patrick Guinness, ‘The meeting book of the County of Kildare Knot of the Friendly Brothers of St. Patrick, 1758-1791’, JKAS, Vol XIX, Part I, 2000-2001, p116-160.] [The Fundamental Laws, Statutes and Constitution of … the Friendly Brothers of St Patrick, Dublin , 1879.]

A Robert Law had an address at King St, Dublin , according to the Directory of Dublin , 1738.

1758:  Christopher Glascock, attorney, King’s Bench, died, July, 1758 [King’s Inns, ibid]. 

1758:  Indenture dated 29/9/1758 between Rt. Hon Thos Conolly, Castletown, and James Glascock, Dublin City , in which a right of interest in an annexed deed of lease of the premises thereby demised are now legally .. vested in the said James Glascock and Jas Glascock has paid Conolly a fine of £1 13s 6d to replace one of the three lives (now deceased) with another, that of his own, in respect of an [un]attached lease. [Castletown Papers, Box 39, IAA]. This would the James Glascock, the older, solicitor. 

1758: Thos. Conolly of Castletown, demised unto James Glascock, Senior, Esq., Dublin City on 29/12/1758, a small field of 1a 10p in Collinstown, (otherwise Collynstown, otherwise Collinblackstown) then in J Glascock’s possession; bounded towards the south by the high road from Dublin to Mullingar, on the west by a bye-road leading to the Rye river and on the east and north by the lands of Rockfield, aka Mousick Hall [sic]., for a term of 31 years from the 1/5/1776 [sic]. The deed was witnessed by Henry Glascock, Gent, and by Daniel Magusty, Gent, both of Dublin City . [Registry of Deeds Memo No: 1758-195-362-130623. This Henry Glascock was more than likely he, the attorney, on the King’s Bench, who would have trained sometime before 1752 and brother of James; he died without issue. [Burke’s A Genealogical & Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Gt. & , 1858]

 1758:  Samuel Dixon established his linen printing mill on the site of the Leixlip distillery, Rye bank, Newtown. In the same year he and Elizabeth Brady obtained a marriage licence [26th Report of the Deputy Keeper]; most likely she was Elizabeth, the daughter of Major William Brady, turnpike trustee [1792, Turnpike Commissioners’ Minutes].  Major became General, and d.28/5/1800; he is buried in St Mary’s graveyard.  In the same grave is Miss Elizabeth Brady, who died in 1818; also several members of the Nesbitt family who, like Brady, lived in Leixlip House.

1758:  Rent Roll for half y/e 25/3/1758 

No change in Glascock (or others of interest). 

There is a note in the summary accounts to the rear on the Cr. side, thus: 

"By paid Wm Molyneux, Mr Conolly’s proportion of expense for repairing the Mill watercourse at Leixlip, for receipt £53  19s  6¼. "                

 [Castletown Papers, box 72, IAA] 

This William Molyneux may be he who, with Mary Hinche, who obtained a marriage licence in 1757 [Deputy Keeper’s 26th Report].  The repairs to the mill watercourse at Leixlip may well be the those done to join the upper (northern) mill race to the lower (southern) mill race immediately east of Leixlip bridge; the deed from 1732 (to Twigg et al) has two parallel mill courses; in Robinson Roe’s deed of 1869 it was shown in the combined mode. 

1758:  The Rt Hon Tom Conolly married Lady Louisa Lennox , 30/12/1758, when he was then 24 years old. 

1758:  Lucan Spa was discovered this year. 

1759:  Samuel Dixon, Thos. Taylor and Walter Johnson petitioned the IHoC for Aid to extend and carry on their Linen Printing Manufactury at Leixslip [sic] –  9/11/1759 [HoCJ, Vol 6, p138]. Similar petitions were received from Jonathan Sisson (of Lucan?) and others  – also from cotton, calico and paper makers. Dixon et al ‘s petition set out that the "Petitioners, by long Study and Application hath brought the Art of impressing Linens from metal Plates to such a Perfection as is not imitable by Wooden Stamps, or by any other Material or Invention for the Purpose, the said Impressions being taken from the most curious Drawings and Engravings, whereby Light and Shade are joined by the Exactness of Design."  They had devised a new method, by imitating and fixing natural Colours of animals, flowers, etc. on Linens and they endure bleach and wash without decay.  It is cheap to make. The petitioners have taken a Concern at Leixlip for 3 lives renewable for ever, whereon they have expended upwards of £2000 in buildings, machines, copper plates etc. Since June 1758, they have worked off 80K yards of impressed Linen, about one twentieth of what they could do if enabled. The wanted money to expand "by additional hands, Bleach Yards,.."  They received no funding as a result; see 1763. 

Samuel Dixon (fl.1748-1769) was a water colourist and a brother of John Dixon, the engraver. He traded as a picture dealer and painter in Capel Street in 1748, becoming noted for his flower and bird pieces in basso-relievo, using copper plates to impress the designs on grey paper from the back etc.  Walter Johnson had a daughter, Elizabeth, born, 30/11/17158, Leixlip [St Mary’s Parish Records]. 

1759:  Jane Glascock, widow of William G., and only child of the ex-mayor of Dublin, Aldrige, petitioned the HoC to renew Acts for erecting and continuing public lights in Dublin city  – on 14/11/1759 [HoCJ, Vol 6, p145]. On the 16/11/1759, Mr Gardiner, representing the committee which heard her, reported that every allegation she made was properly supported by evidence. On the 17/11/1759 the then Lord Mayor, Aldermen, etc. of Dublin petitioned asking that they be given the power to deal with the lights [p150, ibid]. The House decided to prepare Heads of a Bill for that purpose.

Rent Roll for half y/e 25/3/1759 

No change in Glascock (or others of interest). The summary accounts to the rear confirm that Charles Davis is the rent collector. [Castletown Papers, box 72, IAA] 

1759:  The Thos. Conollys moved to Castletown House in October, 1759. A map attached to a lease from Conolly to Jos. Cooper, done in January, 1759 shows as a ‘new road’ the Barnhall Road from the Newbridge towards Leixlip; it is notable that the same road  – currently called the Celbridge /Barnhall road from Leixlip, was not an item on Noble and Keenan’s 1752 map of Co. Kildare. The Directory of Dublin, 1738, listed Thomas Cooper as deputy secretary to the Lord Chancellor, at Peter St (business address), Wm Cooper as chief examiner and deputy register, Court of Chancery, Darby Square (corner of Werburgh St?), with a residence at Coleraine St.

Joseph Cooper of Barnhall, Co. Kildare d.2/7/1786, aged 84; his wife, Hanna Euphemia (nee Delamain) died 27/1/1786 aged 64.  Her mother was Sarah Steele and father Henry Delamain (headstone, St. Mary’s). The Directory of Dublin, 1734, listed a John and William Delamain, as actor and dancing director, respectively, at the Theatre Royal, Aungier St, Dublin. At the beginning of 1757, Henry Delamain, of Palmerstown, a delph and earthenware manufacturer, received a grant for building mills at Palmerstown. [Nessa O’Connor, Palmerstown – An Ancient Place, Dublin, 2003, p20.]

1759:  Arthur Guinness buys the run-down brewery at St James’ Gate from the Rainsford family (using his wife to be, Olivia Whitmore’s dowry of £1000 to pay for it [Patrick Guinness, millennium paper]. A brewer named Giles Mee was given a lease to the water rights at the site of the brewery (The Pipes) in 1670 and these were taken over by Sir Mark Rainsford, a city alderman. He went out of business in 1715, leasing the premises to a Paul Espinasse, who transferred it to Arthur Guinness (aged 34), eldest son of Richard G. of Celbridge, in 1759. [Adrian MacLoughlin, Historic Dublin, 1979, p166; he has more on the origin of porter in this page.]

1759: Simon Bradstreet, of Stacumney, Leixlip [sic], was made a Baronet this year. [Watson’s Almanack, 1818].

c1759:  “Shortly after 1758, when the medicinal properties of the [Lucan] spa were discovered, the place had a long run of popularity, and became quite a famous sanitorium…  The place was thronged with the wealthy classes…  Its popularity was not, however, destined to last; … the heavy impost of turnpikes in the neighbourhood probably contributed to its downfall”.  – so wrote Weston St John Joyce, in 1901, in his Lucan and its neighbourhood, Dublin , 1901 p3.  The same comments will have application to Leixlip spa. [Dr Aug. Heron, “Remarks upon the efficacy of Lucan Spa”, Dublin 1818; it may contain references to the Leixlip waters, which were discovered in 1793].

1760:  Rent Roll for y/e 25/3/1760 

No change in Glascock (or others of interest).  [Castletown Papers, box 72, IAA] 

1761: On 3^rd March, 1761, the 19^th Earl, Robert FitzGerald, was made Marquis of Kildare, while being Master-general of Ordnance with the Irish government. [Padraic O’Ferrall, A History of County Kildare, Dublin , 2003, p53.]

1761:  John Wynn Baker, an Englishman, settled on a farm in the townland of Loughlinstown, near Stacumny, and with the aid of the Dublin Society, set aboutimproving farming. He carried out experiments on wheat and turnips and started a school for boys where they could be taught good farming methods.  In 1764 he set up a farm implement factory there, making several types of ploughs, mostly of timber. He also made farm carts with spoked wheels and iron axles.  He had a fire at his premises in 1766 and lost his son soon after. He died in 1775 and is buried in Tea Lane Cemetery, where he is described as one of the greatest improvers of husbandry and its implements that the kingdom has ever seen. [Tony Doohan, A History of Celbridge, Celbridge, c1984, p83-4.]  See correspondence from relatives.

 1763: Rent Roll of Leixlip for the Half year to 1st May, 1763
Includes:                 Half Year Rent
Iron Mills              –                    Wm. Molyneux                16 – 0 –  0
Tyans Land           –                    John Johnson                     4  –  0  – 1
Inghams Holding    –                   Chris. Glascock                 8  –  0  –  0
Shoemaker’s Tenement –            Wm McGowan                  2  –  2  –  0
Corn Mills              –                   Laur. Conolly                  20 –  0 –  0
Hamilton Farm         –                 Wm. Roe                        11 -17 –  6
Salmon Leap Inn     –                  Peter Gaynor                    7  –  1  –  0
Slaughterhouse        –                 Wm Whealon                    6  -10 –  1½
Bridge Tenement [Rye] –            Thos. Swords                    0  -15 –  9  

[Castletown Papers, box 72. IAA]

Hamilton’s farm was most likely occupied by a Hamilton when Wm Conolly purchased the town in 1728.  At 1738 there were 7 Hamiltons listed in the Directory of Dublin.  Included were John Hamilton, Commissioner of Oyer and Terminer [= to give a court hearing and a determination] for Dublin County; and Leslie Hamilton, Attorney, of Stafford St. Other Hamiltons were Edward, and James (booksellers), John (goldsmith) William (wigmaker) and William (physician).

There were no changes in the key tenancies during the Rent rolls for 1761, 1762 and rest of 1763.

William McGowen [sic], of Leixlip, Co Dublin [sic], gardener, died intestate in 1784. [Deputy Keeper’s 26th Report]

William Whelan [sic] had a daughter, Bridget, baptised 28/6/1741; and a son, John, b. 23/11/1742, at St Mary’s.

1764:  Lease dated 22/12/1764 between Thos Conolly and John Keegan of Leixlip, relating to several lands touching on Green Lane, Leixlip. [Castletown Papers, Box 24, IAA].  Of interest is that virtually the whole of the lease is pre-printed  –  a pro forma lease  – with some particulars written in. These pre-printed bits include references to the Tuck Mills of Celbridge and Leixlip, and requiring the tucking done on any woollen etc materials which might be produced on the lands covered by the lease to be done in these mills. [Castletown Papers, box 21, IAA]. John Keegan’s father, Owen Keegan, died 23/6/1764 aged 67 and is buried in St Mary’s graveyard. Several generations of Keegans followed, marrying into the Coogan family of Leixlip in the 19th century [See gravestones, St Mary’s, Coogan].

1764:  Wilson’s Dublin Street Directory, 1764 records James Glascock, as an attorney (= solicitor), ‘Remembrancer, Clerk and Receiver of the First Fruits,’ at Chancery Lane with Henry Glascock, another lawyer.

"First fruit":  Ecclesiastical and feudal law: a payment, usually representing the amount of the first year’s income, formerly paid by each new holder of a feudal or ecclesiastical benefice, or any office of profit, to some superior. In 1767 "The king used to take.. the first fruits, that is to say, one year’s profits of the land".-  Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Volume V.

1764:  Agmonisham Vesey leased lands at Tubbernaclug, Co. Dublin, to John Fellows, Leixlip, Co. Kildare, a smith. [Sarsfield Deeds, No. 251, in 56th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records in Ireland] See 1740 for details of John Fellows.

1765:  Samuel Dixon left his Leixlip plant this for London; it was taken over by George Moore, a linen draper, who spent three years (to 1768) failing to make a go of it. It was then taken over by Harpur and Cunningham [Ada Longfield, JKAS].

1765:  This year a government Act initiated repairs to Jakis’s bridge at Kilcullen, and another at Harristown, which had been broken in Cromwellian times [Con Costello, Kildare, Donaghdee, Co Down, 2005, p40]. Would the Newbridge [aka New Bridge] at Parsonstown have been similarly damaged and repaired under this legislation?

1766:  Lease dated 16/9/1766 from Thos Conolly to John King of Celbridge (6a 3r 10p) corn mills of Leixlip as were formerly held by Lawrence Conolly, "with the toll multure requisites profits… to be had and made by the same Mills.." for 31 years or 3 lives.  From the area, this is similar to the lease of 1788, where a map is available. [Castletown Papers, box 27, IAA]. Lena Boylan writes in ‘Mills of Kildrought’, JKAS, that John King was a Dubliner who came to Celbridge in 1744 from Newtown, near Rathoath in Co Meath. He was originally a saddler who in 1744 got a 21 years’ lease of 38 acres of land at this Newtown, near Dunboyne. On the land was a brewery with equipment, the use of which was included in his lease. In 1764 he got a lease on the corn and tuck mills of Celbridge (Newbridge?), prior to getting the Leixlip mills this year, 1766. John King had purchased what is now called Jasmine Lodge, at the corner of Main Street, Celbridge and Maynooth Road by Castletown Gates, from Charles Davis, who had built the house in 1750. [Lena Boylan, ‘Mulligan’s House, Jasmine Lodge’, in Celbridge Charter, No. 59, March 1978.]

1766:  Grace Alice Cane of Leixlip married Lieutenant Atkinson on 7/6/1766, according to St Mary’s records. They lived at Marshfield, Mill Lane.

1766:  16/9/1766 John King (who lived in Mulligan’s house on Main St, Celbridge, at the corner of Maynooth Road, was granted the corn mills of Leixlip, previously held by Laurence Conolly. These he was to hold for the lives of Edward King, his only son, Patrick Sandes and George King. Edward was a distiller in Celbridge with his father. In 1771 he married Katherine Medlicott, dau of the late Rev Jas Medlicott, of Tullow. By a settlement made in March 1771, his father released to him the family house and other property in Celbridge.  John King went to live in Clondalkin, where he died in 1784 [probate granted, 1785]. The Leixlip mills were to be held in trust for John King for his life, and afterwards Edward was to inherit. Edward continued distilling at Leixlip. In 1788 he was evicted from Leixlip Mills.  [Lena Boylan, ‘The Mills of Kildrought’, JKAS, Vol 15 No 2, 1972, p154-155.]

1766: Augustus Frederick Fizgerald, 19th Earl, was created Duke of Leinster on 16th November 1766; he was father of Lord Edward FitzGerald (1763-1798).  He had a residence at Dominick St., Dublin, and Carton. He was President of the Kildare Farming Society and Grand Master of the Freemasons in Ireland. [Watson’s Almanack, 1818].

1766/7:  Richard Guinness, father of Arthur, died in Leixlip.  [Patrick Guinness, millennium paper] Richard’s son, Thomas, was buried in Leixlip in July, 1779 according to St Mary’s burial records.

1767:  Rent rolls for the year 1767 have some useful notes attached, citing the number and names of lives on each lease.  An interesting observation in respect of the Salmon Leap Inn tenancy to Nicholas Gaynor states: "Eliz. Gaynor of Leixlip, widow and mother of Nicholas Gaynor  – assigned to Mr Conolly and let to John Whealon from May 1769". It is unlikely that this is the same Eliz. Gaynor who died intestate in 1795 [26th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records in Ireland]. John Whelan, [sic], Leixlip, Co. Dublin, innholder, died with will, 1770  – 26th Report, ibid. [Castletown Papers, Box 72, IAA]

1768:  Rent Roll of Leixlip for the Half year to 1st November, 1768

Includes:                Half Year Rent
Iron Mills                          –                Wm. Molyneux       16 – 0 –  0
Tyans Land                      –                 James Glascock       4  –  2  – 0
Inghams Holding               –                James Glascock        8  –  0  –  3 ¼
Corn Mills                        –                John King               40 – 0 –  0
pt. of Hamiltons Farm      –                 James Glascock        2 –  10 – 11¼
Salmon Leap Inn             –                 Mrs. Gaynor             7  –  1  –  0
Marchfield                      –                 Mrs Cane                 2  –  10 – 0

There is an observation in respect of the Salmon Leap Inn holding: "This and the half year’s rent due at May 1769 [combined arrears].  Mrs Conolly forgave her.  John Whealon commenced tenant from May 1769 at £45 per year.  N.B. to pay two guineas per acre for the 8 acres only [part of the Swan holding rented at £6 per half year to Mrs Gaynor/ Whealon], from Nov. 1769, till the Inn be rebuilt".    [Castletown Papers, box 72, IAA] The Swan referred to may be a Captain Swan, of Smithfield, Dublin (from 1738 Directory of Dublin).

1767-72:  WA Henderson, writing in the Evening Herald, c July 1914, notes that Lord Townshend stayed at Leixlip Castle when he was Lord Lieutenant, during 1767-72. [RD Walshe, Cuttings and Notes, Lucan and Leixlip, 20th c, MS 11658 NLI.]
He opened the grounds of the castle to the citizens of the area and Dublin at the week-end. A levee was held each Monday; amateur theatricals were put on. Lady Townshend, who was one of the beautiful Montgomery sisters, died there on 14/9/1770. There is no record of her death in St Mary’s Parish Register, nor on gravestones at either Confey or St Mary’s.  The sisters were Anne, Barbara (m to John Beresford) and Elizabeth.

1768:  Falkner’s Dublin Journal, 23-25/6/1768: is reported by AKL in JKAS, Vol XVI, No 5, 1985/86, p529, thus: 
"25/6/1768 –  Leixlip Castle being now furnished in the most commodious Manner, for the reception of his Excellency Lord Townshend, his Ex. & his Lady, attended by their Hsehold, will go thither on Mon. next for the summer Season. There are more fine Country Seats in this delightful Neighbourhood than in any Part of the Kgd."

1768 – 71: Rent Rolls, Leixlip, for the three years, 1/11/1768 to 1/11/1771
Little of note in relation to key tenancies of interest. There is a further note in relation to developments at the Salmon Leap Inn, being rebuilt. Tenant to pay £18  4s  0d yearly for both Inn and 8 acres until the Inn has been rebuilt.

There is a note in the accounts at the rear alluding to the death of Tom Conolly’s father, and Tom being not yet of age, thus: "Lady Anne Conolly, Nathaniel Clements, Henry Mitchell, Michael Clarke,  –  Guardians of Thos. Conolly Esq."
[Castletown Papers, box 72, IAA]

1769:  Patrick Chas Thos Townsend [Townshend?] was born to his Excellency George Lord Viscount, Lieut. General and General Governor of Ireland, was baptised in St Mary’s, Leixlip on 7/2/1769.  [St Mary’s records]  He probably lived in Leixlip Castle.

1769:  New Quarters of the Army, May 1769, reproduced in Irish Sword, Vol II, 1956, p230-1, cited the 59 locations in Ireland of horse, dragoon and foot regiments.

1771:  John King transferred Jasmine Lodge [north-west end of

, Celbridge] and the adjoining property to his eldest son, Edward, who married Katherine Medlicott.  John went, with his wife, to live in Clondalkin, where he had taken land beside the old castle there. [Lena Boylan, Mulligan’s House, ibid]

1771:  The Roman Catholic parish of Leixlip is mentioned (for the last time?), bracketed with the parish of Maynooth, as it were in contemplation of a merger. The Leixlip parish priest was Peter Berril, a Jesuit, and Clement Kelly was the PP at Maynooth, in a list compiled by Dr Carpenter, RC archbishop of Dublin Diocese.  Altogether, 46 parishes existed in that Diocese then. [Cited by W M O’Riordan, ‘The Succession of Parish Priests in the Archdiocese of Dublin, 1771-1851’, Reportorium Novum, Vol 1 No 1, Dublin, 1955, p406-433.]  There is no mention of a Lucan parish; it may be part of Palmerstown.

1772:  Walker’s Hibernian Magazine had the following Marriage Announcement:  Rev. Dean Hamilton married Miss Wood, August 1772 [p456].  They lived at Hamwood, between Leixlip and Dunboyne.

1772:  Rent Roll for the half year ending 1/11/1772

Corn Mills                –               John King                £40  0s  0d

Tyans Land              –              James Glascock        £4    0s  0d

Inghams Holding      –                 ditto                       £8   0s  3¼d

pt. of Hamiltons Farm –              ditto                       £2 10s 11¼d          

 [Castletown Papers, box 72, IAA] 

1772:  The directors of the Grand Canal Company included Thomas Conolly, Castletown, and the Rt. Hon. Nathaniel Clements, Woodville, Leixlip. Leixlip is an error; it was Lucan. This NC was the son of the earlier one. ["The Grand Canal ", H. Philips, in JKAS, vol.IX, p.437]. 

1772:  The House of Commons made an order for details of expenditure of £1202 7s 10¼d paid to Hugh Henry Mitchell Esq. for works done at Dublin Castle & Leixlip [HoCJ, p.473, Vol. 8, 6/2/1772]. An account of the expenditure on work done or goods delivered at Leixlip [Castle] from 25/3/1768 to 25/3/1771 is provided in the Appendix to the said Journal on p. ccccxci. This report was dated 14/5/1772 and issued by the Barrack-office. The craftsmen were all identified by name; however, none of those mentioned was readily identifiable as a local person, although they may have been. A total sum of £1003 9s 0 1/2d was paid on the same date, 14/2/1769, to those working at or for Leixlip castle. The largest amounts (in descending order) were paid to a carpenter, painter, cabinet-maker, plumber, bricklayer, waggoner, upholder. Much smaller payments were made to workers in the following fields: smith, tin, carpeting, lamplighting, stone-cutter, glazier, brazier, clock-maker, slator, glassman, pump-maker, paper stainer. In each case the moneys paid were for repairing, improving or building on Leixlip castle. 

1772:  Earl Harcourt, Viceroy, occupied Leixlip Castle about now.  His nephew was Archbishop Vernon of New York , and was the grandfather of Sir Wm Harcourt, MP. The Earl had been sent to this year to introduce much needed reforms. He failed to take the Irish Parliament with him in this respect. [ RD Walshe, Cuttings and Notes, Lucan and Leixlip, 20^th c, MS 11658 NLI, cited in a newspaper (name unknown) clipping of 20/5/1903.] 

1772:  An Act was made to preclude burials inside in churches except in tombs accessible only to the outside and no burials were to be made nearer than 12 feet of the outside walls; the law was made to protect the public health and came into effect from 1/8/1772. [Irish Statutes, Vol.10, 1769 to 1776.] 

1773/78:  The Appendix to the House of Commons Journal for this period reports many petitions to the Parliament from linen, cotton and calico printers, each seeking support or protectionist measures of the Parliament for their industry; [See Petitions nos. 418 to 427, HoCJ, Vol 9, p439.] 

1773:  Rent Rolls for the period to November, 1773 indicate very large arrears in all three Glascock properties. There are no comments or observations made in the rolls [Castletown Papers, Box 72, IAA]. 

1773:  Attached to the principal indenture on the Tenter park and Furryhill park is another dated 1/1/1773, in which Tom Conolly, successor to Wm Conolly, agrees with James Glascock, successor to Christopher, to "fill up the lives" as one of those nominated, Catherine Conolly, is now dead and James paid a fine of £6 to Tom Conolly for the latter’s consent to the nomination of George, Prince of Wales as the new life to be added. 

1774:  Walker’s Hibernian Magazine had the following Marriage Announcement: Benjamin Chapman, Jnr., barrister at law, MP for borough of Fore, married Miss Lowther, daughter of James, Staffordstown, Co Meath, February 1776 [p143]. 

1774:  Included in a Rent Roll of Leixlip Estate for the half year to 1/11/1774, were: Corn Mills – John King – £40; Iron Mills – Daniel Marston – £16; Salmon Leap Inn – Widow Whelan – £9 2s 0d; and Shoemaker’s Tenement – Chris McGowan – £2 2s 0d.  [Castletown Papers, Box 25, IAA]. 

1774:  Jane Glascock, Dublin , widow, died with will of 1774 [26th Report of the Deputy Keeper]. Another Jane Glascock, alias Albridge, and widow, had her will administered in 1799.

1775:  Walker’s Hibernian Magazine had the following Marriage Announcement:  William Glascock, Secretary to the Lord Mayor, married Miss Scriven, eldest daughter of Edward Scriven of Dawson St., 3 July 1775 [p437].

1775:  Walker’s Hibernian Magazine had the following Marriage Announcement: William Sisson, of Lucan [linen], married Miss Harrison, Seaford, Sussex, England, 19/10/1775 [p630]. A Miss Harrison lived at Cooldrinagh.

1775:  Rent Rolls for the two years ending 1/11/1775, include a note that Glascock’s lands were with John Dowan(s), who had lands near Inghams, and Captain Brady. 

1775 – 78: Rent Roll for Half Years ending 1/11/1775 to 1/5/ 1778, Leixlip Estate [Castletown Papers, Box 72, IAA.] 

Some changes noted included, Bridge Tenement now with Simon Tankard; Corn Mills with John King; Iron Mills with Daniel Marston and Shingle House with Charles Fellows. A memorial stone in St Mary’s, graveyard, erected by Edward Tankard, commemorates his father, Simon Tankard who d.9/9/1736, probably the father to the above Simon Tankard. James Glascock’s three properties were very much in arrears thus: 

Tyans lands         £4  2s  0d  half yearly rent;  arrears at end of period, £24  12s  0d 

Inghams Holding  £8  0s 3¼d   ditto;                              ditto,            £48   1s   7½d pt. Hamiltons Farm    £2 10s 11¼d  ditto;                      ditto;           £15   5s   7½d.

A Charles Fellows and Anne Burton [probably Barton] obtained a marriage licence in 1735.  A John Fellows, brewer, of Leixlip, died c.1768 leaving a will [Deputy Keeper’s 26th Report].  See 1764 for John Fellows. 

Perhaps James Glascock, the older, who would now be about 64 years old, may have died, hence the arrears?

1776:  Thomas (or Charles?) Croker and his wife, Anne, nee Ryves, niece of Dr Robert Clayton, bishop of Clogher, sold part of Donaghcomper called Rockfield to Arthur Maguire for £939.  [Tony Doohan, A History of Celbridge, Celbridge, c1984, p46.] 

1776: Lord Harcourt, the Lord Lieutenant, must have had a lease on St Wolstan’s at this time, for on 24^th June 1776, he invited Arthur Young to make his quarters there during his tour. [Arthur Young, A Tour of , 1776-1779, London , 1887, p19.] 

1776/9:  “All the lower ranks of this city ( Dublin ) have no idea of English cleanliness, either in apartments, persons or cookery.” – [Arthur Young, A Tour of , 1776-1779, London , 1887, p16.] “Before I conclude with Dublin I shall only remark, that walking in the streets there,  .. as well as from the dirt and wretchedness of the canal, is a most uneasy and disgusting exercise.” [p.18, ibid]. 

1776/9:  Young describes the state of the salmon fishery on the River Bann at Coleraine, Co Derry , as the greatest in the kingdom. Salmon run into the Bann from its tributaries in August (after spawning), when they are taken. Nets are laid down from January to August. In the year in question, 400 tons were caught, of which 200 tons were sold fresh at 1d to 1½ d per lb, and the rest salted and exported to London, and . 80 men were employed [Arthur Young, A Tour of , 1776-1779, London , 1887, p56-7]. This would give a good indication of the analogous situation at the salmon leap on the Liffey at Leixlip. Both locations are the places early man first settled in , c5,500 years ago. 

1776/69: Arthur Young visited Sir James Caldwell’s Castle Caldwell by the salmon leap at Ballyshannon. [Arthur Young, A Tour of , 1776-1779, London , 1887, p59-60.]  

1777: Walker’s Hibernian Magazine had the following Marriage Announcement: R[ichard] Steele, Leixlip [now The Glebe] married Ann Lewis, Drogheda St., Dublin, July 1777 [p512].

1777: William Glascock is listed in Wilson ‘s as secretary to the Lord Mayor, at Dawson Street.

1778:  Thomas Goodshaw and Elizabeth Lawrence obtained a marriage licence this year. [24^th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records in .] 

1778:  Between 1778 and 1780, there was no significant change in the status of the tenants of interest (ie, re Toll House) at Leixlip. 

1778/9: A voluntary force of infantry, cavalry and artillery was established, mainly by local gentry, in the absence of government troops abroad at war in North America since 1775.  Captain the Hon. Thos. Conolly of the Castletown Union was a local regiment. [‘Ballads and Poems of the County Kildare ‘, in JKAS, Vol 6, no.4, 1910, p349; a badge of the Carton Cavalry is shown on p351.][See Thomas MacNevin, A History of the Volunteer Movement in , 1845.] 

1778:  A document entitled:  5 half years end May 1778   –  Answers to Mr Bulkeley’s Queries  –  Leixlip.  

The first query may be of interest: 

"No.1. John Dowans.  His lease expired at Nov. 1775, at which time Mr Marston took one part of it, the other part lay waste until May 1776, occasioned by Mr Conolly’s being in England, and tho’ wrote to by Captain Brady (the present tenant) and Mr Coane, he gave no immediate answer".  [ Box 76, Castletown Papers, IAA] 

John Downes [sic] and Elinor Campbell obtained a marriage licence in 1774 [26th Report of the Deputy Keeper.] 

A lease dated 20/4/1859 [Registry of Deeds Memo No1859-13-239] recites an earlier lease dated 8/11/1800 which delineates John Downes’ land .It was said to be 7 acres 5 perches plantation measure, bounded on the north and north-east by Capt. Atkinson’s holding; on the south by the road from Leixlip to Confey; on the west by the late Wm. McGowan’s holding; on the north-west by Arthur Guinness’s holding. 

1778: George Walker Bruce, son of Wm. Bruce and Jane Bruce nee Walker of Leixlip was baptised, 6/6/1778 at St Mary’s, Leixlip.  [vide c.1795: he received a state pension..]  

1780:  James Glascock the younger, who qualified as an attorney in February 1770, and William Glascock, who qualified in February, 1774, have moved to York Street; James is now "Escheater of Leinster". [King’s Inns, ibid, and street directories]. William is most likely he, the only son of Walter Glascock (who married Jane Aldridge); Walter was the 2nd son of Francis Glascock and brother of Jas. Glascock, Snr.

 " ‘Escheat (n): Law – an incident of feudal law, whereby a fief reverted to the lord when the tenant died without leaving a successor qualified to inherit under the original grant.  Hence lapsing of land to the Crown or State, or to the lord of the manor, on the death of the owner intestate without heirs. " This law was partly abolished by the Felony Act, 1870, in cases where the blood line has been broken.  OED, 2nd Ed. ‘ Escheat’ (v), confiscate; hand over property as an escheat (to person, into his hands)”  – Concise Oxford Dictionary.  ‘Escheator’ : “an officer appointed yearly by the Lord Treasurer to take notice of the escheats in the county to which he is appointed and to certify them to the Exchequer" – Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition

1780:  Journal, Leixlip – Half Year ending May 1780, and subtitled:  Began to receive, Nov. 13, 1780.  

Among the entries listed: 

20/11/1780: 

Received from Danl. Marston, half years rent for Iron Mills,  £16 – 0 – 0.

Ditto… for part of Dowan’s holding,                  £4 – 5 – 0.

Ditto.. from John King, for Mills of Leixlip,   £40 – 0 – 0.

Glascock, tenant of three properties, was not mentioned [He may be in arrears].  [Castletown Papers, box 76, IAA]

1780: Con Costello, Kildare Saints, Soldiers & Horses, Naas, 1991, p13:  observes that Arthur Young’s A Tour in Ireland, 1780, visited St Wolstan’s, Carton and Castletown; Costello doesn’t mention Leixlip.

A Chronology of Leixlip 1750 – 1780 AD compiled by John Colgan. Our thanks to John.