By the mid 19th century a large number of Irish landed Estates were hopelessly insolvent. This was caused by a combination of the effects of the Familne falling agricultural prices since the Battle of Waterloo and the availability of easy credit. Many Irish landed estates borrowed heavily to fund children’s education, dowries for daughters jointures for unmarried female children as well as supporting an unsustainable lifestyle.

The solution was the Landed Estates courts which took over the Estates guaranteed title to prospective purchases who took title without the mortgages.

Many of the records of the sales which include legal tenure, tenant details and surveys are available in the National Archives. Better quality reproductions may be obtained there by individually printing from the micro films.

Sale of Durrus/Bantry, West Cork Estate of Arthur Hutchinson Deceased by landed Estate Court, 1854 including to Townlands of Derrivahallow, Killovenogue, Clonee, Ahagoheen, Parkanna, part of Moulivard, Gutheyclona, Middle and West Letterlickey with valuable Lead Deposits with Legal Tenure, Maps, Tenant’s details:

 

Arthur Hutchinson Cork Examiner 27 January 1851

 

Sale of Arthur Hutchinson’s Durrus, Bantry estate Landed Estates Court 1854

There is a substantial old farmhouse in Clonee, not on tis estate which was probably used by the Hutchinsons late 18th century. This is now owned by the Swanton family. The families were linked by marriage in the 1840s the children of Hugh Hutchinson Swanton were baptised in Schull east and appear on the register.

It is assumed that the Hutchinson family were the one which previously owned Blackrock House which they White family bought in the early 18th century and expanded o the present Bantry House.