Most of the counties of Ireland had Surveys carried out soon after the year 1800 and the Rebellion of 1798. Much damage had been recently done to the infrastructure of Co. Wicklow. So, much work needed to be done. Possible improvements were referred to and encouraged. Surveys were carried out from the English Government point of view and that of the Protestant substantial farmer. The plight of the poor Catholic was mentioned but not sympathised with. Their dire conditions would continue. The loyalty of the Protestant yeoman class was much appreciated. Those Protestants who had suffered damage to their property and who had demonstrated loyalty would be handsomely compensated. In general, Catholics who suffered damage and whether they were loyal or not, received no compensation. Authors like Frazer were given grants by the (Royal) Dublin Society for their work.
In West Wicklow, Smith of Baltiboys and Leeson of Russborough got no money – they had not shown solidarity; whereas Finnemore of Ballyward, Hornidge of Russelstown, Darker of Baltiboys and Hornidge of Tulfarris were apt to be quite pleased with their awards.
A summary of wages for workers follows:
Labourers: Winter: 10d per day
Summer: 1/- per day
Farmers pay 6d per day and diet
Boys and women : 5d to 6d
Task Work: Stacking oats in field 13/- per acre
Meadows mowed 5/- per acre
Building:
Masons 3/3 to 2/2 per day
Hodmen 7/7 per week
Labourers 1/1 per day
Food of the Poor
8 or 9 months : potatoes. For the hungry months oaten meal and sometimes wheaten bread.
Potatoes purchased in summer months ( June to August) from 2/6 to 3/- per cwt. This year 1800 price has been enormous. In consequence many foods have been purchased by the gentry and resold at a loss; besides oatmeal, wheat and barley meal, American Indian meal, and rye meal brought down from Dublin, as also rice. Any one not having a cow can get free skim milk and buttermilk from an employer. The labourers often have ½ acre attached to their houses. Otherwise they rent a little.
Manures:
Dung, scourings of ditches for potatoes
Afterwards wheat, oats, barley and grass.
Limestone gravel and marl are used by richer farmers.
Small farmers and labourers with horses and carts are engaged to dig and spread marl for 2d per load at a rate of 800 to 1500 per acre.
Pebble Limestone: abundance between Humewood and Blessington through the Glen of Imaal.
Pebbles put out in June/July before Winter. Potatoes grown in lazy bed manner. After crop is taken up ground is ploughed using 4 bullocks.
Lime 4/9 per barrel ; Dung 3/4 per car load.
Clothes of the Poor: Frieze at 3/6 per yard
Fuel of the Poor: Turf in great abundance, 6d to 8d per creel.
Rent of cabins £2 or £3 per annum.
Ground varied up to £4 an acre.
Often no money changed hands, rents of cabin and ground being settled by labour on the estate.
Some Catholic as well as Protestant strong farmers were involved in this renting.
Tools: spades 3/-, shovels 4/-, harrows, cars 1½ guineas.
Dry Cows : 5 to 9 guineas : Bullocks 5 to 15 guineas
Fairs ; 8 per annum, cattle main article of trade. (See Finnemore Inventories.)
West Wicklow
Seat of Earl of Milltown. Much excellent land on the banks of the King’s River and Liffey. Marquis of Waterford’s elegant hunting lodge, burned by Holt’s banditi who infested the nearby mountains for some time. Almost every house in this neighbourhood has been destroyed, except Russborough which is formed into a garrison. Captain Hornidge of Tulfarris has a very improved farm and is beginning to rebuild. Cultivation appears to have been fast advancing towards the mountains. In Baltiboys limestone gravel is found. All this area had been laid waste and until recently it was not safe to explore it. Burned down houses are being rebuilt larger and with slated roofs.
Frazer advises the growing of turnips for cattle and sheep.
Debate as to whether horses or oxen are more suitable for farm work.
Milk
There are no dairies of any consequence in this county. Milk in the north is chiefly applied to the feeding of lambs for the Dublin market. Not by suckling but by women squirting the milk into the lamb’s mouth, half a pint to a pint three times a day. Infants often go without. Children from the foundling–house in Dublin likewise, allowances for whom go towards the rent. London market is important for lamb.
Size of Farms
Much land in this county is belonging to non residents and is let in large farms from 2 or 300 to several thousand acres. The Archbishop of Dublin has large holdings in Wicklow. Some owners parcel out the land for more return.
“The support which the yeomanry of this county afforded to His Majesty’s Govt. in the late rebellion, cannot to too highly praised.”
The habitations of the lower tenants and cotters are in general extremely wretched.
Leases
They vary from ’at will’ to forever. Common are 3 lives or 31 years, whichever proves longer. Often with conditions like spreading lime, draining, keeping ditches, buildings in good repair, a number of carts of dung to be spread on land etc.
The most efficient method of manuring the soil is to grow green crops for the feeding of sheep and bullocks. This ensures the spread of most of the urine and dung on the land. In sheds much waste takes place. (Modern slatted houses solve that problem).
Lime has a great tendency to unite with carbon, either in the soil or in the decomposition of vegetable matter, thus to render it soluble and fit to enter plants as their food.
Dunghills –bottom made of old earth, seepage preserved, water kept out. Scrapings of roads, scouring of ditches, paring of sides of them used, peaty ground near bogs or morasses
Tithes are a very contentious issue. Clergy refuse to give details.
Roads & Bridges.
These are uncommonly good in the County and are maintained by the Grand Jury.
Non-Resident Landlords.
They own nearly 2/3 of the county.
Clothing
In Wicklow frieze and ratteen of good quality are made for domestic use and are annually sold at fairs. Flannels had been made at Rathdrum until the disruption of 1798. Blankets sheets and sleepwear were made. Greenaune was burned during the Rebellion.
Before the Rebellion planting of trees was going on rapidly & many had applied for the Society premium. Much forestry and fencing was damaged during the disturbances. However plants are thriving in some places, for instance around the hunting lodge of the Marquis of Waterford in West Wicklow. It is a pity that premiums have been given only to the large farmers.
Woods
The woods in this county consist mainly of Coppice Woods, which are usually cut at 30 years growth, worth about £70 per acre. The thinning produces £17 an acre. Most woods are owned by absentees, which, with the depredations of cattle, are often neglected. The timber can be used as wattles for basket making, poles for roofing cabins and railings and bark. Thinning coppice wood should only be entrusted only to a careful and honest woodsman.
Irish Language.
It is totally unknown in this county, even in the most remote places.
Map of County.
The county was mapped by Neville in the year 1760 at the expense of the county.
Weights & Measures.
Wheat: 20 stone to the barrel
Barley: 16 stone to the barrel.
Oats: 14 stone to the barrel.
Ploughs.
The drill plough is being introduced to the county. It gives greater regularity in spreading & in depth.
Drills may be seen at Dublin Society House or purchased at Nugent & Orsons Henry Street.
Horse & Car
They draw about 6 hundredweight and are suitable in a mountainous county.
Furze Breaker
Broken furze can be fed to horses.
ROBERT FRAZER
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