Examples of some of the comments which appear on the pages of the 1833 Townland Valuation

As well as recording statistical-type information in the 1833 Townland Valuation, the valuers, from time to time, would write comments, some quite brief but some which are almost like short stories. I have listed three comments below.

Here is a short one referring to the townland of Ganaby in the parish of Kilraghts.

This comment appeared against the name of William Getty senior explaining why the valuers had decided to reduce his valuation from £3.17.2 to £3.8.0
 

Deduct 9/2 for being too near neighbours and in an elevated position.

This is a comment which the valuers made regarding holdings 5 and 6 in the townland of Kilmoyle Lower in the parish of Ballymoney. Holdings 5 and 6 belonged  which to the brothers, James and Robert Small.

Nos. 5 and 6 belong to two brothers, separate farms and leases, but the father occupies a house. He pays no rent for it and has a cow's grass, each alternate year from the two sons, for which he pays nothing. The fathers' house is independent of either - consulted M Griffith 13 April 1833.

This comment was made regarding the holding of Hugh Lilly in the townland of Drumaheglis, which lies between Macfin and Balnamore, in the parish of Ballymoney. The valuer had noted that Jane Lilly and E. Lilly were occupying a cabin each on this holding.

These two cabins are in the middle of Hugh Lilly's offices and will be his when the old women who inhabit them die. They pay no rent and he cannot turn them out. The right of occupation was given them by Hugh Lilly's father. Jane Lilly is Hugh's stepmother and E. Lilly his aunt or father's sister, his father is dead. They have a right to a peck of flax each.

Note that a Hugh Lilley is listed in the townland of Drumaheglis in the 1825 Tithe Applotment Book for the parish of Ballymoney, probably the Hugh in the 1833 Townland Valuation. There was also a Hugh listed in the townland of Inshinagh and a James in the nearby townland of Ballynacree Beg. There were four Lilleys (spelt Lily) listed in Drumaheglis in the 1803 Agricultural Census. They were Alexander, Daniel, John and Samuel. I suspect one of these was Hugh's father.

The comments speak for themselves and the last one would be a bonus to anyone researching the Lilly family in the Drumaheglis area.