Tithe Applotment Book records for the Ballyoughter Area
The Tithe Applotment Books were compiled between 1823 and 1838. They contain records of land surveys conducted in each civil parish and were used to determine the payment of tithes by each landowner. The tithes, a religious tax, which were due to the Church of Ireland resulted from the Composition Act of 1823. The tithe had been ‘payable in kind’ previously but was now to be paid in money.
The main issue with this tax was the resentment it stirred in landowners who were not members of the Church of Ireland. Additionally, there were many anomalies in the system which resulted in poorer Catholic farmers paying higher tithes than their Protestant landowner. Exemptions also meant that not all landowners were listed and therefore the Tithe Applotment records are not reliable as a list of all householders in each area. However, given the loss of the census records from this period, they are the only survey conducted on a national basis at that time and are a good source of information for genealogists and historians.
The records consist of townland name, landholder’s name, area of land and the tithes payable. In some instances, the landlord’s name is listed. In some records, the productivity of the land is recorded. The tax rate payable was based on a formula which included the average price of wheat and oats over the seven-year period up to 1823. Rates levied also varied according to the quality of the land.
The Tithe Books for the twenty-six counties of the Republic are on Microfilm and available in the National Archives of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland. Below are the links for the townlands in the Ballyoughter area:
The relevant pages may also be viewed in the book below. The pages will need a few moments to load.
*You will note that the townlands are in 3 different Civil Parishes (Toombe, Liskinfere and Kilbride).
**Regarding townlands, you will note that Clonmore is listed twice, once in Toombe parish and again in Liskinfere parish. The two ‘Clonmores’ are distinct but adjoining townlands which were separated when Baronies and Civil Parishes were established. Both ‘Clonmores’ are listed in the Civil Survey of 1654-1656 and in Griffith’s Survey and Maps of Wexford in 1853. With the creation of the new administrative Divisions, the Poor Law Unions, both ‘Clonmores’ end up in the same Electoral Division and at some stage in the late 1800s become a single townland.
The Tithe Applotments led to the Tithe War, a campaign of resistance to the payment of tithes. The campaign reached a peak in 1831 with widespread refusals to pay the tax. Church of Ireland clergymen applied for loss of income from the tax and were required to draw up lists of defaulters. Ironically, these lists provide a better snapshot of landowners than the original Tithe Book in many instances. You may review the defaulters’ list for County Wexford on subscription sites such as FindMyPast.ie
Tithe War Image - Massacre at Gortroe in 1848
