In the 1830’s the Ordnance Survey in Ireland produced 6-inch-scale maps of the entire island, in anticipation of Griffith’s Valuation. In order to prepare these maps, an army of surveyors was sent out in advance to collect town and area names and try to standardise the spelling of place names in Ireland (based primarily on whichever of the recorded spellings came closest to the Irish). Their notes are collected in Field Names Books, usually one per civil parish, which are preserved in the National Archives. These sometimes also contain notes on soils, farming practices, leases and rents, prominent buildings and ruins, the social condition of the people, and the most common surnames in the townslands. Following are some excerpts from the parish of Clane field name book, completed in November 1837.
The leading roads are good and there are many smaller roads which are not in good order. The gentlemen’s residences are Fairmount House and Millicent House, the Demesnes of which are both kept in good order. There are three moats, one near Clane, one in Ballinagappagh townland, and the third in Fairmount House; a fort in Loughanure commons, and another in Hoganswood. Limestone is quarried continuously in Millicent townsland and at local quarries, one at Clane for Dublin, and the supply of limestone gravel is found in most parts of the parish.
Woollen factory: in the N part of Carrigeens townland. Five storeys high in good repair. Works for the farmers. One wheel, 16 feet in diameter, 6 feet 9 inches wide, depth of buckets 16 inches. Good supply of water throughout the year. Sixteen hands employed all the year. Computed to be 6 horsepower.
Betaghstownschool: in the central part of the townland. Neat house, two storey high, would accommodate 50 boys but only supporting 15 at present to accumulate finds. [This was Hewetson’s school, before it moved.]
RC chapel: neat modern building in good repair. Will hold 500, average congregations from 500 – 600.
Nunnery: new building, 4 storey high built by subscription but not finished. Houses are all stone. The church is a modern building.
Clane Abbey: north and south side stands their original height, about 30 feet, and is nearly perfect. East end seems to have been where a large window has been. No remains of a tower or place for a bell.
Clane bridge: in the S part of the Abbeyland. A stone bridge, 4 arches, in good repair, over the river Liffey on the road from Clane to Naas. [This was before the current Alexandra bridge was built.]
Biddy Doyle’s Well: (according to the woman who lived in the cabin at the well) in the south part of the townland. A spring well which the people in the vicinity believe to have the power of adding flavour and quantity to whiskey and is therefore much used by the inhabitants in Clane town.
Tobernamona: the turf well in the south part of Clane townland on the road leading to Prosperous is a good spring. Fairmount Cross: in the central part of Fairmount West townsland. Has one public house, a forge and a few mud cabins.
Betaghstown Crossroads: the junction of 4 townlands: Fairmount East, Fairmount Demesne, Fairmount East Detached and Millicent North. There is a mud cabin at the crossing.
| Valued rents per Irish acre were reported as follows: (s.d) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilmurray townland | 21.8 | - | 5.0 |
| Betaghstown townland | 21.8 | - | 5.0 |
| Ballinagappagh | 23.4 | - | 15.0 |
| Loughanure commons | 14.0 | - | 7.6 |
| Loughbollard commons | 15.0 | - | 12.6 |
| Capdoo commons | 20.0 | - | 15.0 |
| Fairmount townland | 30.0 | - | 15.0 |
| Millicent | 30.0 | - | 15.0 |
Reproduced from "Le Chéile" by kind permission