A townland is the smallest administrative land division in Ireland. Historians and other scholars are as yet inconclusive about the origins of these divisions. They are certainly as old as the seventeenth century.

The townland with which this booklet is concerned is known as Ballineaspigmore. It extends west from the new Regional Hospital at Wilton and includes modern housing estates such as Uam-Var, Benvoirlich and Firgrove. The simplest translation of the townland name is the large land division of the bishop.

To clarify a popular misconception, Bishopstown does not derive its name from the fact that in the early eighteen century a bishop built his country residence there. The name is much older and can be found in sources dating back to the sixteenth century.

Ballineaspigmore was at one time a portion of the medieval manor lands of St. Finbarre's Cathedral. It is situated at the end of a large tract of land stretching west from the Cathedral. Many of the town land names within this area identify the fact that at one time they were churchlands (Fig. 3). In 1582 at the time of the death of Mathew Sheyne, the See of Cork had three ploughlands in 'Ballinnspick'.This is the earnest reference I can find to the townland. For the year 1641 Ballineaspigmore was described as having 436 acres of profitable land.' This is the earliest mention of the division of Ballineaspig into Ballineaspigmore and Ballineaspigbeg. The Civil Survey of 1654-6 says of Ballineaspig and of some of the townlands surrounding it: the Great tythes of these lands belong to ye Church of Finbarry. The small tythes to ye Vicars.

No subdivision of the townland is mentioned. A Census of ireland for 1659 says of ballineaspigmore that it had thirty four occupants of which eight were english and twenty six were irish. The persons 'of quality' in the townland at this time were 'Daniell Gefferyes and Capt Thomas Harris gents'.

A document titled Rent-Roll of the Diocese of Cork' which is dated 1699, gives an insight into the activities of people occupying the townland at this time. It states: Ballenaspugmore, two ploughlands, in lease to Mr. Edward Syng, clerk, for 21 years, from Michelmas, 1692, payeth quarterly, £82. 10s.0d. The tenant is oblidged to fence and enclose the lands, and do suit and service at the mannor court of St. Finbarrys' and to grind at the mill. . . . During war the rent is to cease, and after the war the tenant may enjoy as long time as was unexpired when the war began. By 1720 the townland was out of lease and the initial planning for the building of Bishopstown House had begun.

In the year 1710 Dr. Peter Browne, former Provost of Trinity College Dublin, became Bishop of the United Dioceses of Cork and Ross. Among other activities he devoted some of his energies to the matter of repairing and rebuilding churches within Cork city. The most notable surviving example is St. Anne's Shandon.