Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore
Encyclopedia
The Liberty of Thomas Court and Donore (also known as the Earl of Meath's Liberty) was one of several manors
, or liberties, that existed in Dublin, Ireland
since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction.
, near St. Catherine's church
, in 1177. The founder was William FitzAldelm, deputy and kinsman of King Henry II
. The church was dedicated to Thomas à Beckett
(St. Thomas the Martyr), who had recently been murdered in his cathedral at Canterbury by followers of the king. The church, which became a rich and powerful monastery, was for the use of the Canons of the Congregation of St. Victor.
In 1195 the head of Hugh de Lacy
, who had been killed in 1187, was sent by the Irish for burial to the Abbey of St. Thomas. His body was buried by the Irish in Bective Abbey
, County Meath. A long controversy was then carried on between the two abbeys for his body, which was finally settled in favour of St. Thomas in 1205.
In 1380 the Parliament forbade Irishmen from professing in this abbey.
In 1538 Henry VIII
dissolved the monasteries. At this time the Abbey of St. Thomas Court held 56 rectories, 2197 acres (8.9 km²) of land, 67 houses, 47 messuages
and 19 gardens. Most of the land was in Meath and Kildare. These possessions were distributed among several people, of which Sir William Brabazon (ancestor of the Earl of Meath
) and Richard St. Leger were the major beneficiaries. On 31 March 1545 Sir William Brabazon was granted the lands of the Abbey, with all jurisdictions, liberties, privileges, and so on. This grant was confirmed in 1609 to Sir Edward, his son.
In 1579 the city of Dublin claimed the abbey to be within the jurisdiction and liberty of the city, but they lost their case. From then on the head of the liberty was the Earl of Meath
.
(just off The Coombe, Dublin
) and three-quarters of the parish of St. Catherine
(surrounding Thomas Street
) (both, of course, Church of Ireland
, or civil, parishes). It was divided into four wards: Upper Coombe, Lower Coombe, Thomas Court and Pimlico
.
The court-house, located in Thomas Court Bawn, was used as a church in the 1760s while St. Catherine's was being renovated, and later was used as a Sunday school. In 1809 the seneschal of the court-house was the renowned historian James Whitelaw
, who was also vicar of St. Catherine's. The building fell into decay in the latter half of the century and was demolished in 1897.
These rights and privileges ended in 1840.
, registrar and marshal
, who were appointed by the Earl of Meath. The court-house was located in Thomas Court Bawn, off Thomas Street
, while the gaol was in Marrowbone Lane
.
In 1813 the population of this manor was 4,639 males and 6,271 females.
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
, or liberties, that existed in Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
since the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the 12th century. They were town lands united to the city, but still preserving their own jurisdiction.
History
The origin of this liberty goes back to the founding of the church of St. Thomas in what is now Thomas St.Thomas Street (Dublin)
Thomas Street is a street in The Liberties in central Dublin, Ireland.-History:The street is named after the church of St. Thomas, founded in 1175 near St. Catherine's church. The founder was William FitzAldelm, deputy and kinsman of King Henry II. The church was dedicated to Thomas à Beckett...
, near St. Catherine's church
St. Catherine's Church, Dublin
St. Catherine's Church, on Thomas Street, in Dublin, Ireland, was originally built in 1185. It is located on what was once termed the "Slí Mór" - a key route that ran westwards across Ireland from Dublin. The church was rebuilt in its present form in the 18th century by John Smyth .The church...
, in 1177. The founder was William FitzAldelm, deputy and kinsman of King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. The church was dedicated to Thomas à Beckett
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
(St. Thomas the Martyr), who had recently been murdered in his cathedral at Canterbury by followers of the king. The church, which became a rich and powerful monastery, was for the use of the Canons of the Congregation of St. Victor.
In 1195 the head of Hugh de Lacy
Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath
Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath was an Anglo-Norman magnate granted the lands of the Kingdom of Meath by Henry II in 1172, during the Norman Invasion of Ireland.-Early life:Hugh de Lacy was born before 1135...
, who had been killed in 1187, was sent by the Irish for burial to the Abbey of St. Thomas. His body was buried by the Irish in Bective Abbey
Bective Abbey
Bective Abbey is a Cistercian abbey on the River Boyne in Bective, County Meath, Ireland. The abbey founded by Murchad O'Maeil-Sheachlainn in 1147 as a 'daughter house' of Mellifont Abbey. Although nothing remains except old ruins and walls, it is in a remarkable state of preservation...
, County Meath. A long controversy was then carried on between the two abbeys for his body, which was finally settled in favour of St. Thomas in 1205.
In 1380 the Parliament forbade Irishmen from professing in this abbey.
In 1538 Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
dissolved the monasteries. At this time the Abbey of St. Thomas Court held 56 rectories, 2197 acres (8.9 km²) of land, 67 houses, 47 messuages
Messuage
In law, the term messuage equates to a dwelling-house and includes outbuildings, orchard, curtilage or court-yard and garden. At one time messuage supposedly had a more extensive meaning than that conveyed by the words house or site, but such distinction no longer survives.A capital messuage is the...
and 19 gardens. Most of the land was in Meath and Kildare. These possessions were distributed among several people, of which Sir William Brabazon (ancestor of the Earl of Meath
Earl of Meath
Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created in 1627 and held by the head of the Brabazon family. This family descends from Sir Edward Brabazon, who represented County Wicklow in the Irish House of Commons and served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1606. In 1616 he was raised to...
) and Richard St. Leger were the major beneficiaries. On 31 March 1545 Sir William Brabazon was granted the lands of the Abbey, with all jurisdictions, liberties, privileges, and so on. This grant was confirmed in 1609 to Sir Edward, his son.
In 1579 the city of Dublin claimed the abbey to be within the jurisdiction and liberty of the city, but they lost their case. From then on the head of the liberty was the Earl of Meath
Earl of Meath
Earl of Meath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland created in 1627 and held by the head of the Brabazon family. This family descends from Sir Edward Brabazon, who represented County Wicklow in the Irish House of Commons and served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1606. In 1616 he was raised to...
.
Location
The liberty was located on the south side of the city. It included the parish of St. LukeSt. Luke's Church, Dublin
St. Luke's Church is a former Church of Ireland parish church in Dublin, Ireland. It is located on The Coombe, not far from St. Patrick's Cathedral.-The church:...
(just off The Coombe, Dublin
The Coombe, Dublin
The Coombe is a historic street in the south inner city of Dublin, Ireland. It was originally a hollow or valley from where the river Poddle ran to the sea.-History:...
) and three-quarters of the parish of St. Catherine
St. Catherine's Church, Dublin
St. Catherine's Church, on Thomas Street, in Dublin, Ireland, was originally built in 1185. It is located on what was once termed the "Slí Mór" - a key route that ran westwards across Ireland from Dublin. The church was rebuilt in its present form in the 18th century by John Smyth .The church...
(surrounding Thomas Street
Thomas Street (Dublin)
Thomas Street is a street in The Liberties in central Dublin, Ireland.-History:The street is named after the church of St. Thomas, founded in 1175 near St. Catherine's church. The founder was William FitzAldelm, deputy and kinsman of King Henry II. The church was dedicated to Thomas à Beckett...
) (both, of course, Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, or civil, parishes). It was divided into four wards: Upper Coombe, Lower Coombe, Thomas Court and Pimlico
Pimlico, Dublin
Pimlico is an inner city area of Dublin, Ireland on the southside in Dublin 8. It is located between Thomas Court and Ardee Street. At the Thomas Court end of Pimlico is Pimlico Cottage. It is close to the St...
.
Privileges
In return for the support of the prior of the abbey, or to alleviate certain hardships suffered by Englishmen or the church in Ireland, privileges were granted to the abbey. These allowed the abbey to have its own courts of justice, where it were allowed to try a limited number of crimes, mainly dealing with bad debts. The Earl of Meath inherited these privileges.The court-house, located in Thomas Court Bawn, was used as a church in the 1760s while St. Catherine's was being renovated, and later was used as a Sunday school. In 1809 the seneschal of the court-house was the renowned historian James Whitelaw
James Whitelaw
The Rev. James Whitelaw was an Irish historian, writer, statistician and philanthropist.-Life:He was born in County Leitrim and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He graduated in 1771. He was ordained in the Church of Ireland and became rector of St. James and then St. Catherine's in Thomas St....
, who was also vicar of St. Catherine's. The building fell into decay in the latter half of the century and was demolished in 1897.
These rights and privileges ended in 1840.
Administration
The officers of the manor consisted of a seneschalSeneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
, registrar and marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
, who were appointed by the Earl of Meath. The court-house was located in Thomas Court Bawn, off Thomas Street
Thomas Street (Dublin)
Thomas Street is a street in The Liberties in central Dublin, Ireland.-History:The street is named after the church of St. Thomas, founded in 1175 near St. Catherine's church. The founder was William FitzAldelm, deputy and kinsman of King Henry II. The church was dedicated to Thomas à Beckett...
, while the gaol was in Marrowbone Lane
Marrowbone Lane
Marrowbone Lane is a street off Cork Street in Dublin, Ireland. The name is a corruption of St. Mary Le Bone; it was known as Marrowbone Lane as far back as 1743....
.
In 1813 the population of this manor was 4,639 males and 6,271 females.