Tintern Abbey - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885

About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885

George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.

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The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.

  1. This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
  2. The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
  3. Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.

With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.

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AT the extremity of Bannow Bay, on a small stream known as the Bannow River, is the estate of Tintern. It is about 11 miles, Irish, from New Ross, and can be approached by direct road, or taken into the two days’ trip which enables the tourist to pass through Arthurstown, Lord Templemore’s, Dunbrody Park, Duncannon, and spend a night at Fethard, the favourite watering place of the merchants of New Ross. The ancient Abbey of Tintern is now partly incorporated in the dwelling of Mrs. and the Misses Colclough. Permission to view the Abbey and its splendid wooded demesne, is freely given. The foundation of Tintern Abbey was a thank-offering made by William, Earl of Pembroke, on escape from great peril at sea. His vow compelled him to build a convent at the point where he should land. This being on the site of Tintern, he there established monks, brought from Tintern Abbey, in Monmouthshire, gave them ample grants of land, and liberties equal to Dunbrody.

In the 18th year of Elizabeth, John Power, the last Abbot, surrendered the house, which was granted in 1576, together with its large possessions, to Anthony Colclough, at the annual rent of 26 shillings and 4 pence, and it has ever since remained to the Colclough family . Of the ancient structure, much is standing in a disguised condition, various additions having been made in the way of restoration. Its appearance is imposing, and borrows from the surrounding ground the charm of quietude and comfort. Approaching from Salt Mills, the road leads over a very pretty Gothic bridge, beneath which the tide ebbs and flows from the ocean. In the river there was, in old times, a famous oyster bed, now long lost sight of.

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