The Down Survey Map

THE central hub of learning in Carlow – our county library – can now boast of having an historic gem in its possession. Copies of maps which extensively detail land ownership in Co Carlow back in the 1650s now takes pride of place in the library’s local studies department.

The maps come from a collection known as ‘the Down Survey’, a huge project which was carried out from 1651 to’58 following Oliver Cromwell’s s reign of terror throughout Ireland.

Setting out to reward his soldiers and to repopulate Ireland with settlers, Cromwell went about granting them land previously owned by the Irish.

According to Carlow library: “In order to realise this project, the land had to be accurately surveyed and mapped. This enormous project was overseen by William Petty, who was an economist, doctor and cartographer. It is an important source for aiding our understanding of the scale of this historical episode in the history of Ireland.”

A new website, www.downsurvey.tcd.ie, has been created by a team from TrinityCollege, who collected 2,000 surviving original Down Survey maps. The detailed collection features an index of parish names, acreages and listings of various local features, such as castles and churches.

Copies of the Down Survey maps relating to Carlow are available in the county library on Tullow Street and these show parish names, boundaries and local features from times gone by.

The Carlow central library local studies department is open to everyone from Monday to Friday from 9.45am to 5.30pm, except from 1pm to 2pm. You can check out its website on www.carlowlibraries.ie.