Honour of Annaly - Feudal Principality & Seignory Est. 1172

Abbeylara Grant (Philip & Mary)

1. What document this refers to

The reference:

“IV. and V. Philip and Mary”

means:

• The 4th and 5th regnal years of the joint reign of Philip II of Spain and Mary I of England

• Roughly 1557–1558

The source (Monasticon Hibernicum) is summarizing a Crown grant, not quoting it verbatim.

2. What “this monastery (Abbeylara)” means

• Abbeylara

• A dissolved monastic house in Le Annaly (Annaly / modern County Longford)

• Its religious status had ended under Henry VIII

• Its property had vested in the Crown of Ireland

3. What lands were granted

The grant includes:

• The monastery of Abbeylara itself

• Plus its associated lands, namely:

  • Tonaghmore

  • Raicola (variant spelling of Ryncole/Raighcola)

  • Cowldony

  • Cloncrawe

  • Derraghe

  • Bellamane, also called Ballymanaghe

• Plus two cartrons of land in Lickebla, explicitly stated to be part of the monastery’s possessions

A cartron is a Gaelic land unit (roughly 120 acres, but variable).

4. What “granted for ever in capite” means

This is key legal language:

• “For ever” = granted in fee simple (hereditary ownership)

• “In capite” = held directly of the Crown, not of an intermediate lord

• Tenure was under English feudal law, not Gaelic custom

In short: full and permanent ownership, directly from the Crown.

5. What “royalties excepted” means

This does not mean “royalty income” in the modern sense.

It means:

• Certain regalian rights were reserved to the Crown, such as:

  • Gold and silver mines

  • High justice

  • Prerogative revenues

• Standard clause in Tudor grants

The land itself and ordinary profits passed to Nugent; sovereign prerogatives did not.

One-paragraph modern translation

In the fourth and fifth years of the reign of Philip and Mary, the Crown granted to Richard Nugent the monastery of Abbeylara in Annaly, together with the lands of Tonaghmore, Raicola, Cowldony, Cloncrawe, Derraghe, and Bellamane (also called Ballymanaghe), and two cartrons of land in Lickebla which formed part of the monastery’s possessions. The grant was made in perpetuity, to be held directly of the Crown, with royal prerogatives reserved.

Why this matters historically

• Confirms monastic lands in Annaly passed to the Nugents

• Explains how Delvin acquired Abbeylara lands

• Shows another Philip & Mary confirmation, distinct from plantation grants

• Demonstrates the Crown’s policy of replacing monastic tenure with feudal tenure

Bottom line

This passage simply records that Abbeylara and its associated Annaly lands were permanently granted by the Crown to Richard Nugent, under English feudal law, after the Dissolution — nothing more, nothing less.

MASTER CHART — ANNALY ECCLESIASTICAL GRANTS TO DELVIN