Kilbeggan — Kilbeggan

Kilbeggan is situated on the River Brosna in the low-lying countryside of south Westmeath. According to Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 388) a monastery (WM038-017001-) was founded at Kilbeggan by St Beagán in the sixth or seventh century. The possible boundary ditch of the early Christian monastery at Kilbeggan may have been identified by Earthsound on behalf of ADS Ltd. when carrying out a geophysical survey in 2004 in the field to the W of the Cistercian Abbey (WM038-017007-) (Corcoran 2008, 377). The Urban Survey suggested that 'the church of St Beagán was located in or beside the old graveyard (WM038-017002-) south-west of the town but definite evidence can only be obtained by archaeological excavation' (Bradley et. al. 1985, 104). According to the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1985, 102) the 'early monastery was superseded by a Cistercian monastery (WM038-017007-) c.1150 but the history of Kilbeggan as a town does not begin until the seventeenth century. In 1606 Sir Oliver Lambert was granted a ‘licence to hold a saturday market, and a fair on the feast of st. Michael (29th September), and the next two days, at Kilbeggan, in co. Meath; with courts of pie-powder and all tolls, etc. to said market and fair belonging, at a rent of 5s. per ann.’ (Erck 1846, 267). In the same year he was also granted ‘the site and precinct of the late abbey (WM038-017007-) of the B. V. Mary of Kilbeggan, in M’Geoghogans countrie, with the stone walls of a church and other buildings therein – 3 gardens, and a waste orchard, containing half an acre – a small chapel or church (WM038-017006-) belonging to the town of Kilbeggan, and to the parishioners of said monastery – a close to said monastery adjacent, containing 1a. – 3 messuages, 6 cottages, 60a. arable, standard measure, 16a. pasture, 6a. bog, in the town and fields of Kilbeggan – a water mill (WM038-017008-), near the town of Kilbeggan, upon the river Brassnagh (Brosnagh) – 2 eel-weares (WM038-017010-), 2 mess., 3 closes or cottages, 70a. arable, 30a. pasture and common of bog’ (ibid., 268). The town itself was formally established on the 27th of February in 1613 when it received a charter of incorporation from James I (Irish Record Comm. 1830, 243). The nature of the settlement at Kilbeggan before 1613 is unclear. By 1618 the town of Kilbeggan had grown into a small clustered town consisting of 60 houses with adjoining burgage plots. In this year an inquisition into the estate of the deceased of Oliver Lord Lambart recorded that the town of Kilbeggan contained 60 messuages or dwellings and 60 gardens possibly meaning burgage plots (Anon 1826, 56). In 1620 the king granted Charles Lord Lambart a regrant of the original market licence and granted a new licence for two additional fairs to be held on the 6th of June and 18th October. On the 1656-59 Down Survey map of Moycashel Barony the settlement at Kilbeggan is depicted as a cluster of dwellings without any formal layout with a road running through the settlement connecting Tyrrellspass to Ardnurcher now Horseleap. The bridge (WM038-017004-) at Kilbeggan is depicted on the Down Survey map where the road crosses the River Brosna and a watermill (WM038-017008-) is depicted a short distance to the N of Kilbeggan. The terrier of the 1656-59 Down Survey map of Moycashel Barony recorded that there 'were noe townes of note in it Killbeggan being the best' (NLI Ms. 723-724). The Down Survey map depicts the parish church (WM038-017006-) of Kilbeggan standing to the S of the road running through the village possibly in the area where the C. of I. church now stands. The map also depicts the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey (WM038-017007-) standing on a low hillock to the E of the River Brosna and S of the town and church of Kilbeggan. A tower house type building which may have been the house of Oliver Lord Lambart described by Piers (1981, 84) in 1682 is also depicted standing between the abbey and the parish church close to the E bank of the River Brosna. The rectory of Kilbeggan is referred to in a document of 1589 which also mentions the 'town' of Kilbeggan (16th Rep. Deputy Keeper Public Records Ireland, 97: No. 5322). The town prospered in the early seventeenth century and was granted two additional annual fairs in 1620 (Lewis 1837, ii, 51). In 1682 Piers (1981, 84) described Kilbeggan as ‘a corporation and market town, sending two burgesses to our parliament. This town is seated on the Brosny [Brosna] before described, over which it hath an antient [ancient] bridge (WM038-017004-), but now of late repaired, of lime and stone. Here stood a monastery (WM038-017007-) dedicated to the Virgin Mary, founded anno 1200, and replenished with monks from the Cistercian abbey of Mellifont; of this abby [abbey] remains only the name of the structure, not so much as the rubbish to be seen this day, nor of the house (WM038-017009-) built here by the late lord Lambert before the late war, more than the ruins; for it was burnt in the late war, and is not to this day repaired. In this town stands a church (WM038-017006-) in repair. The present town of Kilbeggan is laid out along a single east-west axis known as Main Street. This expands mid-way along its course to form a rectangular market place, now the Market Square. The burgage plot pattern of the seventeenth century town survives very well to the north and south of the Main Street. These plots have had houses on them since the seventeenth century but there is no visible evidence that any of the present buildings are older than 1700. This may be due in part to the concealment of old features behind modern facades and a careful watch should be maintained for seventeenth century architectural features when buildings along the Main Street are being renovated. There is no documentary evidence to determine whether the town was protected by defences (WM038-017005-) or not but the burgage plots on the north and south sides of Main Street terminate in a continuous wall which could have functioned as the town defences. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 April 2014