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CHAPTER I
OLD ROSS I
EARLY HISTORY AND TOPOGRAPHY--CHARTER OF DEFORESTATION FROM THE EARL OF
PEMBROKEmTHE, MINISTER’S ACCOUNTS OF THE EARL OF NORFOLK, WITH EDITORIAL
NOTES AND PLATINOTYPES OF MS.--OLD ROSS CHURCH AND CASTLE-INQUlSITlONS--
THE MANOR.--THE COLCLOUGHS, ETC.
THERE are no earlier records of this town, that we know of, than those of the
Miuister’s Accounts of the Earl of Norfolk in the reign of Edward the First.
There is no doubt that the locality was chosen as a residence by Isabella, the wife
of William Earl Marshall, who built the Castle there, the town springing up sub-
sequently; but the more favourable position on the river Barrow led to the creation
of the new town, and the consequent decay of the first settlement.’ Upon the death
‘ Old Ross, or St. Mary's Old Ross, situated 14; miles from Wexford, on the old road to Wexford.
Mr. john Dalton--writing in I840-states: Old Ross contains 2,402 inhabitants, and 1792 acres, chiefly
under tillage, the greater part of which was let out in farms of 40 acres each to part of a colony
introduced here from Germany by the late Mr. Rain, of Ramsfort. The inhabitants are remarkable for
the comfort and neatness of their domestic arrangements. The soil is light, but agriculture has improved
it. This property has been lately purchased by Lord Carew. The parish forms part of the Union of
St. Mary's New Ross. The tithes are 5'52: 65. 9d. In the Roman Catholic division this parish is
within the district of Cushenstown, where the chapel is situated, here ‘are schools. John Meyler, of
Cracken, bequeathed 510 per annum for the poor here during the residue of a lease on which it is
charged. Palace, the residence of Rev. Thomas Harman, a neat villa, occupies the site of an ancient
fortress. Its fosse and part of the walls were in existence within the memory of persons now living
(Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary). , = - . .
’ The Castle is traditionally said to have been built by lsabella de Clare, the heiress of Strongbow,
and that her husband, William le Marshall, disapproving of its situation, erected another fortress with
a bridge and town on the banks of the neighbouring river, which he called New Ross. H. F. H.,
P.-H. MSS., vol. 52, “Old Ross." See also “New Ross,” p. 121.) The MS. -of Robert Leig , Esq” of
Rosegarland, written in 1684, states: “About three miles eastward from New Rosse on the land's side
stands a large ould Castle which is quite oute of repayre, called Ould Rosse, where there is also an
ould ruined Church and about 50 Cabbins or tatched houses, and has belonging to it about. 1,200 acres
of land. Ould Rosse is supposed to have been built by the aforementioned Lady. Rose before she
laid the foundation of New Rosse." That is Rose McCroom; but both these suppositions are disproved
as the Castle and town were built and inhabited before her time. Two very curious gargoyles or
water spouts were some time since dug up on the site of Old Ross Castle, and are now in the Museum
of the Kilkenny Archaeological Society. H. F. H. further states (vol. 40, P.-H. MSS., p. 72), “Old Ross
Castle was erected by order of Isabella de Clare, the heiress of the great Strongbow, who has been
poetically termed the Agamemnon of the Conquest of Ireland. . . . This Castle was situated on an
extensive tract of meadow land, which in Wales is ‘termed Rhos, or Ros, and is sujxxscd to have been
the origin of the name Ross, Rossgarland, Ross-pill, &c. It was granted to S11‘. thony Colclough,
Kt., of Blorton, Staffordshire, afterwards of Tyntern Abbey, who died in 1584, when it became the dowry
house of his widow; she married Sir Thomas Williams, a Welsh gentleman, who died a prisoner in
the Tower of London." Referring to the above supposition of the derivation of the name, we do not
find it endorsed by the late H. F. Hore, who, in another volume of his MS., writing on this place and
Castle, states: This town, (i.c., Old Ross) which takes its name from ms, or wood, was anciently the
centre of a small Teutonic settlement, in which the Suttons, Tracys, Roches, and Russells, were the
principal feudal tenants. The manor was, like the demesne of Roslare, reserved to the chief lord, who
in the fourteenth century was le Bygod, Earl Marshal of England, and “ Lord of Ross.f Hisdescendant,
2 I