Bryan Townsend (abt. 1648 - abt. 1726)

Born about 1648 in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1726 at about age 78 in Ireland [uncertain]

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Biography

Bryan is thought to have been born in Kinsale but the date of his birth is uncertain.

Marriage license 13 May 1682 Mary Synge (d. 1726) was the eldest daughter of Rt Rev Edward Synge, Bishop of Cork and Ross and sister of Most Rev Edward Synge, Archbishop of Tuam. ^[1]

Bryan was a Cornet of Militia Cavalry in 1660 and later is said to have commanded the frigate 'Swiftsure', though there is some confusion about this. He was High Sheriff of Cork 1671-72 and Burgess of Clonakilty 1678.

Bryan was appointed Colonel of Militia in 1689. That same year, along with his brothers Francis Townsend and Kingston Townsend, his name appeared in the list of those proscribed under the terms of the Act of Attainder 1689^[2] passed by James II's Irish Parliament and he was forced to flee to England with his family. His estates were valued at the time as being worth £300 per annum. Bryan returned shortly afterwards and was at the Duke of Schomberg's headquarters in Belfast in May 1690, three weeks before William III landed in the province and six weeks before the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690 ^[3]

"Col. Townsend, with his forces, killed 100 of the rappares or insurgent marauders, and brought away a quantity of plunder". ^[4]

Bryan was Sovereign of Clonakilty in 1693/94 and in that same year he and his son, John Townsend [300], signed the Protestant Oath. Two years later he was MP for Clonakilty 1695-99 and when he came home from Dublin it was to assist his neighbours evade the laws passed by the very Parliament in which he had been sitting! These laws made it virtually impossible for any but the Protestants to hold land and many of his Romanist neighbours, trusting Bryan's integrity, gave their lands over to him. At one time he had in his care £80,000 worth of property, which he defended at some cost to himself, and, when the time was right, he returned it to the real owners along with accrued arrears. In 1696 Bryan with the rest of the Association of Lords and Commoners signed the address welcoming William III as King. He was elected Sovereign of Clonakilty for a second time 1697/ 99.

Bryan bought Derry ^[5] in 1686 and the property passed to his son Philip Townsend [500] in 1726. He inherited the Castletownshend estate on the death of his nephew Richard Fitzjohn Townsend in 1722.

There is a tradition in the family that Bryan was so distraught by the early death of his son Bryan Townsend that he placed a curse on any member of the family who used the name. There is a further family tradition that he shot the last wolf in Co Cork near Kilcrea Abbey in 1710. ^[6] Bryan reputedly had a most healthy appetite and once complained that "a goose was an awkward bird - a little too much for one but not nearly enough for two".

He is buried alongside his father at Castlehaven and his will was proved in Cork in 1727. ^[7] Buried Alongside His Father At Castlehaven {Castletownsend}. ^[8]

Chapters V & VI of 'An Officer of the Long Parliament' refer.

HISTORY OF "BRYAN'S FORT"

Following is a transcript copy from a very old book by the Cork Historical and Archeological Society (publication date & exact title unknown ). It was found at Fullerton, California public library in 1986 & has since been discarded. Gracie E. Buck 1994

History of "Bryan's Fort" CASTLE TOWNSHEND, CO. CORK. Circa 1650. By B. L. Townshend

This fortified residence, now nearly three hundred years old, which stands high on rising ground in the demesne of Castle Townshend, was built by Colonel Richard Townsend (the father of Bryan Townshend) and should more correctly be known as his fort. It was erected about 1650, though the earlier date of 1648 is often given, but Colonel Townshend only landed in Ireland in 1647. It is known as Bryan's Fort, though Bryan was only the eldest surviving son of Colonel Richard Townshend, who was himse lf undoubtedly the original builder. In 1654, he is described as being resident in Castlehaven, aged 36, where he bought land from the original owners, and was not present at the assembly in Cork, where the Cromwellian settlers were "alloted" portions of land for settlement.

The Fort is even to-day, a massive building, having four strong bastions with look-outs, two of which face South, and completely command the Harbour approaches.

The old Castle is reached at the present day by a zig-zag path up a grassy slope from the west side, but in former days it was approached by a flight of steps, on the south-eastern side, which have now been completely overgrown.

On the east side of the interior courtyard there is a fine stone window of large dimensions, also beside it the chimney of what was once a large fireplace. Two small chambers lead off the court on the north-east and north-west sides. The old Fort has long been roofless, the central court was once entirely roofed over, except the raised walk, as it was a dwelling-place, besides being a fortress and a tower of defence against the menace of the French and other watchful foes, There are twenty-seven loop-holes for firing from on the seaward side and seven embrasures for small cannon. There are also nine in the north-eastern bastion and five in the north-western landward side.

The lime-mortar with which the rather roughly-built walls are secured must have been brought from some distance, as there is no limestone in the locality.

The following extract, describing the Fort is from An Officer of the Long Parliament, by R.& D. Townshend:

"The ruins of Colonel Townesend's first dwelling at Castle Townshend still exist, though several sieges have left but shattered remains. It seems to have consisted of a dwelling-house, and small courtyard, all comprised in a square enclosure with a bastion at each angle, pieced with loop-holes for musketry, and some embrasures for small cannon. It was built on a well-chosen site of some strength. The dwelling-house consist ed of two stories, the upper one overlooking the harbour. The lower one must have been lighted from the court, on the outer side of which was a parapet for defending the wall. It seems to have been hastily built, as the stones are small, and not too well put together, A larger mansion seems to have been built before long, which was valued at # 40,000; when destroyed in the troubles of 1690."

The cannon referred to are probably those now at Ballincolla House, Union Hall, as the larger ones now at Kilfinnin Castle, were Spanish guns, raised from the waters of Castlehaven harbour, according to tradition.

R. B. Townshend says:- "For some years Colonel Townsesend seems to have been content to build a small Fort to hold his lands at Castle-Haven, while he resided at Kilbritta in Castle, a magnificent mansion in those days, described as a splendid pile overlooking the sea, and in which place many of his children were born. "

It had been forfeited by McCarthy-Reagh in the rebellion of 1641. McCarthy-Reagh, naturally enough, considered himself still the rightful owner of the land which had been wrested from him, *1 but the chivalrous courtesy of the newcomer, with whom he soon appears to have been on perfectly friendly terms, so won the chieftain, that in his will he is said to have be queathed to Colonel Dick Townshend, M.P., all his rights in his vast territories. This will has been seen by many people who were alive in 1892, and was examined by the late Timothy McCarthy Downing, M.P., Co. Cork.

But there was another reason why the McCarthy-Reagh should be friendly with Colonel Townshend, and that was that during the occupation of his castle by his chivalrous enemy, he had fallen in love with his daughter, Hildagardis, who, however, died before their nuptials could have been celebrated. *2 She died at the Old Fort at Castle Townshend, and was buried on Horse Island, at the entrance to the Harbour where a large flat stone marks her last resting place.

In October, 1671, the foregoing Colonel "Dick" Townshend was High Sheriff of the County, and in 1685 he was chosen as "Sovereign" of Clonakilty at the age of 67. His signature is in the Council Book at Clonakilty. Bryan, his eldest son, had gone to join the army in the North, under the banner of William of Orange. Those of the English gentry who remain ed in the South, drew together into the larger country houses, and remained upon their guard, with loop-holed walls and barricaded windows. (Walpole).

In 1690 the Old Fort at Castle Townshend was attacked by thirty-four men under young O'Driscoll, and again by a larger force of several hundred men, in the interest of James II. The attacking party lost forty men, their commander and officers in the two assaults. It was attacked again shortly afterwards by 400 men under McFinneen O'Dris coll, who having slain five of the garrison, and thirty English Dragoon s, compelled the rest to surrender. Colonel Culliford subsequently retook the Castle, after killing ten, and capturing five, of the Irish garrison. From Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1833).

Smith, in his History of Cork, gives a more detailed account of the action, and tells us that in November, 1689 -- "Five hundred Irish, under young Colonel Driscoll, attempted to burn Castletown, the mansion-house of Colonel Townshend, in West Carbery. But they missed their aim, and were so well received by him and his garrison, consisting of about thirty-five men, that twelve of them dropped at the first volley, and upon a second attack, Driscoll, Captain Teig Donovan, Captain Croneen, and about thirty others were slain, and so many others wounded that they were forced to retire with loss and shame.

One, Captain MacRonnie, with his drawn sward, endeavoured to hinder his men's retreat, but he being killed, they got away; several of them had bundles of straw on their breasts to resist the shot, but not withstanding thirty were slain on the spot." (Story).

Castle Town(send) was again attacked the following year (1690) by MacFineen O'Driscoll, with four hundred men, who, having slain five of the garrison of thirty-nine Dragoons, compelled the rest to surrender. Colonel Culliford (on the English side), retook the Castle (greatly dilapidated by all these sieges), after killing ten and capturing ten of the Jacobite garrison. In the grounds till comparatively lately stood an old sycamore tree, known as "Diarmed's tree," from a tradition that on it one of the besiegers was hanged.

In May, 1691, Colonel Townesend again attacked the enemy near his home:-- "There was now a garrison of the Militia *3 in Castlehaven, occupying o ne of those forts which the Irish delivered to the Spaniards in Queen Elizabeth's time (this refers to Rahine Castle on the opposite side of the harbour, the eastern side of the harbour peninsular is called 'Galleon Point ', famous for the seafight in the Harbour between Sir Richard Levison and the Spanish Admiral Don Pedro de Lubiaur, when the greater part of the Spanish ships were sunk or disabled. From here Colonel Townsend in 1691, sent a party of his men to scour the country around Bantry, where they met with a party of Rapparees and killed their leader (one Regan) and lieutenant and four others." (Story). In 1692, February 28th, Captain Bryan Townsend of the Earl of Meath's regiment, took eight or ten Frenchmen prisoners, who had come ashore from a privateer in Castlehaven.

This last year, 1692, saw the end of the struggle for the time being when after the siege and surrender of Limerick, 20,000 Irishmen went overseas to serve the King of France in those Irish Regiments which formed France's first Foreign Legion.

In 1692 Bryan Townsend was "Sovereign of Clonakilty," and Colonel Richard Townesend, aged 74, died. He was buried in the old graveyard down by the sea in Castlehaven, by what is now known as the Rectory Strand, and his tomb is still marked in what was the chancel of the Church (which has now almost completely disappeared) by a slab, bearing the words: "This is the burial place of the Townsends," and the arms of the family.

Colonel Richard Townesend was married to Hildagardis Hyde, the cousin of the first wife of James I., who was the daughter of Chancellor Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, so well known for his history of the times. All the elder sons and daughters were certainly her children, including his eldest daughter, Hildagardis.

It is supposed that Colonel "Dick" married again, either Mary Kingston or Mary O'Brien, daughter of Henry, Earl of Thomond, but some think Hil dagardis changed her name to Mary, either after her daughter's death, or as being more in keeping with Puritan tradition. In any case, he had fourteen children, nine sons of whom Bryan was the eldest surviving at his death, and five daughters.

Colonel Townsend's successor, Bryan, after whom the Fort is now called, married Mary Synge, daughter of the Bishop of Limerick. He aided many of his Catholic neighbours to save their lands from confiscation, and seems to have followed his vocation as a soldier honourably and assiduously but his old age was passed in more tranquil times than that of his father.

"The Fort stands on a well chosen position of some strength, and much sylvan beauty, overlooking the harbour, which runs up a creek between hanging woods, and a deer park on either side. The exact date of this Fort is unknown, but it was in any case built before 1690. (From Unpublished Kerry Records).

The following are the dimensions of the Bryan's Fort:-- 29 1/2 feet inside measurement east and west 27 feet inside measurement north and south. Length of raised parapet 30 feet, not counting the bastions; seven stone steps lead up to parapet. Outside measurements are: length, north to south, 58 feet. breadth, east to west 54 1/2 feet 7 cannon embrasures on the south side, facing harbour. 27 Musketry embrasures. 9 musketry embrasures in north-east bastion 5 musketry embrasures in north-west bastion.

The snuff-box given by Queen Mary to her cousin Hildegardis Hyde, probab ly on the occasion of her marriage, is still preserved at Castle Townshend, with an old paper inside, bearing the words:-- "Queen Mary's snuff-box".

In the subsequent reign (that of James II.) the Townshends of Castle Townshend embraced the cause of William of Orangeùsince his Queen, Mary, was their cousin, eldest daughter of Anne Hyde, Duchess of York, the first wife of James II. (but who died before he ascended the throne). The Duchess 's father, the Earl of Clarendon, was Lord Chancellor of England, but is even better known as the Historian of the Great Rebellion. He was own brother to Hildagarde Hyde's father.

The name Townshend is variously spelt: Towhesend, Townsend, or Townshend, but Townshend undisputably gives the real meaning of the family name, implying the town's shend or shelter or defender. In 1799 it was spelt Townshend, but in the commissions he received, "Colonel 'Dick' Townesend" spelt it as written here. But it was only in 1870 that the then Marquess Townshend of Raynham, who had always retained the "h," induced the Head of the Irish branch, and those who claimed connection with the parent stock in Norfolk to spell their name uniformly Townshend. Younger branch es of the family often adopted a slightly different spelling when breaking fresh ground in a new country, and Ireland was then something of a colony for England's younger sons.

I will conclude with the following extract from Dr. Smith's State of the County and City of Cork, [published in 1774]:--

"On the banks of the Reneen River stands Castletown, now Castle Townshend, where there is a new erected Castle of some strength, being situated on the side of a hill. This is the seat of Richard Townshend; here boats may land at the doors. Off this bay is a good fishery . . . The water being eight fathoms deep in most places. Castletown is a small but well-looking village." (1774) *4

1 McCarthy-Reagh actually forfeited his lands in 1642, before Colonel "Dick" Townshend arrived in Ireland.

2 This may refer to one of the sons of McCarthy-Reagh, as the Chief whose lands were confiscated in 1641 was married.

3 Raised in 1666 for home defence.

4 The old steps hidden by rhododendron and undergrowth, leading down from the fort directly to the sea, have lately been traced.

Sources

1. ↑ See 1976 Edn Burke's Irish Family Records - Synge.
2. ↑ The Act summoned all who were in rebellion against authority of James II to appear for trial on a given day, or be declared traitors, hanged, drawn and quartered, and their property confiscated.
3. ↑ Bryan's brother Horatio Townsend brought the Duke of Schomberg to Ireland in the sloop 'Lynn'
4. ↑ 'Lewis' Topographical Dictionary 1837' under the entry for Bantry records that in June 1691, following a number of disturbances during the previous twelve months
5. ↑ Ordnance survey of Ireland. Discovery Series. 1:50,000. Map sheet 8 9, grid reference W274372
6. ↑ 'The Post Chaise Companion or Traveller's Directory through Ireland 3 rd Edition 1804' page 346 records "Two miles beyond Oven's Inn, on the L. is Elm Park, the seat of the Rev Mr Kenney; and near it are the ruins of the castle and abbey of Kilcrea"
7. ↑ 'Cork and Ross Wills 1548-1800'.
8. ↑ From Townsend Family Record website - Notes for Colonel Bryan Townsend

• Townsend Family Records web site-http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~townsend/tree/home.php