Friday, January 8, 2021

Townlands - 02/15 - Ardmanning Beg

 Ard Manách Beg - Small Height of the Monk ( Monk's Height ) - 5 Acres


Ardmanning Beg - 1890 OSi Map

Aerial photo - 1951

There is , like its neighbouring Townland  ( see Ardmanning More ) of the same name , much speculation as to the origin or indeed the actual meaning of the name. It is not named in the Down Survey and like its bigger sibling , Ardmanning More , may have been a sub-townland.It also holds two distinctions ; it is the smallest Townland in Togher , being only 5 acres in size and it is also the only Townland in Togher to be completely landlocked by other Townlands , being surrounded by Ardmanning More to its north , Killeenreendowney to it east and Clashduff to it west and Deanrock to its south. Given its small stature , the title Ardmanning came to be applied not only to the two Townlands but also to tracts of Killeenreendowney and Clashduff. Ardmanning as a name is tidally locked to Togher.


Ardmanning Beg ( Data from Townlands.ie )
 
 
Ardmanning Beg may possibly have been the dwelling place of a monk who most likely would have lived a solitary life in a stone beehive shaped abode. Following the Norman invasion of 1169 , the old Irish form of christianity was superseded by the Gregorian Reforms and the townland was brought under church control becoming like most of Togher a part of the Manor of Fayd. It was leased out to the Gold family for many centuries who in turn sublet it to small tenants. However the Cromwellian Confiscations of the 17th Century saw the land ( including nearby Clashduff and others ) transferred to the French family who would be landlords right up to the late 20th Century! The land although primarily used for grazing of cattle was also the abode of several tenants down through the years including Patrick Dorgan and Robert McDonnell with Daniel Foley and Geoffrey O'Connell living there circa 1827. By 1850 , Edward Miller was a tenant with Edward French living in a lodge which was part of the Clashduff estate , also owned by the French family. The townland has seen many owners over the last 1000 years , with houses being built and subsequently being knocked. By the 1950s Bannions and O'Briens would be residents of two houses fronting onto Togher Road ( that section also known locally as Ardmanning Hill ). 1970 and 1971 would see the completion of the new housing schemes following compulsory purchase of the Townland by Cork Corporation. Most of Hazel Road and all of Sycamore Place would be the new addresses of Ardmanning Beg. All previous traces of habitation were entirely erased. The aerial map below indicates its boundaries from a modern perspective.
 
 
Addresses ( Modern Era ) 
 
Sycamore Place
Hazel Road ( 47 of 56 houses )
Togher Road ( portion shown in map below )
 
Addresses/Structures ( Historical Era )
 
O'Briens ( demolished 1968 )
Bannions ( demolished 1969 )
 
 
Boundary ( shown in red on aerial photo )


A point on Togher Road at the entrance to Sycamore Place and following the rear gardens of same before moving north west through the rear gardens of Hazel Road and around to the top of Hazel Road at the junction of Cherry Tree Road and Earlwood Estate before journeying back down the hill to the old Porters house  where the line cuts diagonally to the old Kavanaugh house on Togher Square taking in all that section before turning back onto Togher Road and meeting up at the entrance to Sycamore Place again.


Boundary of Ardmanning Beg

Click on link below for the next Townland in the series.

Clashduff

1 comment:

Joseph Spillane said...

I’m from sycamore all my life and don’t ever remember it being called Ardmanning beg ???