Earbery Estate Maps Collection: Home

Content:

The earliest maps are those surveyed for Christopher Earbery in 1734 (BL/EP/E/M/1) and Matthias II ("Mathew", BL/EP/E/M/2) in 1762; the majority date from the 1790s and early 1800s and were surveyed for Christopher Henry Earbery. There are two very rough maps that are undated. The areas surveyed include Gurrane Redmond, Cahirbarule, Knockarouke/Knuckarourk, Gowlane/Goulane, Lackubane/Lackabawn, and others. The maps generally cover specific areas indicating holdings of individual tenant farmers. The surveyors included Timothy Dilloherry, Patrick Ahern, Daniel Mahony, George Miller, D. Vaughan, [P] D. [Marmion], Michael Fitzgerald. If a surveyor is named on a map, it is noted on its entry in the listing.

Two maps of interest are those of "an intended new road to lead from Cork to Oysterhaven" in 1814 (BL/EP/E/M/31), and of the local river Sharanagh (BL/EP/E/M/34), marking quays recently built or to be built (1816).

The largest and most detailed item is a printed map of five townlands in Donoughmore parish (BL/EP/E/M/37) by Cork surveyor Michael FitzGerald, made for Misses Emily Rebecca and Marcia Anastatia Earbery in 1819 soon after they inherited the estate. It gives the tenant and acreage of every field, marks houses and topographical features.

The maps/plans/surveys are described in date order from earliest to latest. The lands mapped are noted either as the official "title" given by the surveyor or as the area surveyed mentioned in the 'subject' entry. The spelling of lands does change slightly over the centuries e.g. Gowlane/Goulane. The scale provided is from the surveyor, some given as perches, others as chains, per inch. Most maps are paper format but there are a small number produced on vellum. The inks and watercolours remain vibrant given their age and having been stored rolled may have contributed to this.