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Original Articles

Excavation of an early 17th-century glassmaking site at Glasshouse, Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Ireland

Pages 45-89 | Published online: 24 Jun 2014
 

Abstract

An archaeological research excavation was conducted in the area immediately surrounding an upstanding glassmaking furnace near Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Ireland. It dates to the early to mid 17th century and was built and operated by French Huguenots, probably de Hennezells (de Hennezel/Henzeys/Hensie) who had settled in this region as part of the Crown plantation of King’s County (now Co. Offaly). This furnace, which employed wood rather than coal as a fuel, is a very rare survival, with no other upstanding examples known in Ireland, Britain or the Lorraine region of France where the form probably originated.

Abstract

Fouille archéologique d’un site de verrier du début du XVIIe siècle à Glasshouse, Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Irlande

Une fouille archéologique programmée a été menée dans la zone à proximité immédiate d’un four de verrier encore en place près de Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Irlande. Sa construction et sa mise en fonction remontent au milieu du XVIIe siècle par les Huguenots français, probablement de Hennezells (de Hennezel/Henzeys/Hensie), qui s’étaient implantés dans la région en tant que colonie de la Couronne du comté du roi (désormais Co. Offaly). Ce four, qui a eu recours au bois plutôt qu’au charbon comme combustible, constitue une des rares survivances de four de verrier, puisqu’aucun autre exemple encore en place n’est connu à ce jour, que ce soit en Irlande, en Grande-Bretagne ou encore dans la région française de Lorraine, d’où la forme provient probablement.

Abstract

Ausgrabung einer Glasproduktionsstätte in Glasshouse, Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Irland

Eine archäologische Forschungsgrabung wurde in unmittelbarer Nähe der Struktur des Glasbrennofens bei Shinrone, Co. Offaly, in Irland durchgeführt. Er stammt aus dem frühen bis mittleren 17. Jahrhundert und wurde gebaut und benutzt von französischern Hugenotten, wahrscheinlich den Hennezells (de Hennezel/Henzeys/Hensie), die in dieser Gegend durch die Gründung der Krone in der Königsprovinz gesiedelt hatten (heute Co. Offaly genannt). Dieser Brennofen, der mit Holz anstelle von Kohle beheizt wurde, ist ein sehr seltenes Überbleibsel; kein anderes Beispiel ist bekannt weder in Irland, Britannien noch in der Lothringer Gegend von Frankreich, von wo diese Form wahrscheinlich herkommt.

Abstract

Scavo di un sito per la manifattura del vetro del primo Seicento a Glasshouse, Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Irlanda

Uno scavo archeologico di ricerca è stato condotto nelle immediate vicinanze e nell’area sovrastante la fornace di vetro nei pressi di Shinrone, Co. Offaly, in Irlanda. Databile all’inizio del XVII secolo, la fornace fu costruita e diretta da ugonotti francesi, probabilmente i de Hennezells (de Hennezel/Henzeys/Hensie), che si erano stabiliti in questa regione come parte della colonia della corona chiamata King’s County (oggi Co. Offaly). Questa fornace, che utilizzava come combustibile il legname anziché il carbone, è un esempio raro, visto che non se ne conservano altre in Irlanda, Gran Bretagna o in Lorena, probabile luogo di origine di questo tipo di struttura.

Abstract

La excavación de un taller de fabricación de vidrio de comienzos del siglo XVII en Glasshouse, Shinrone, Co. Offaly, Irlanda

Las excavaciones arqueológicas de un taller para la fabricación de vidrio cerca de Shinrone, condado Offaly, Irlanda, han localizado un horno que se ha fechado en la primera mitad del siglo XVII. El horno fue construido y utilizado por hugonotes franceses, probablemente los de Hennezells (de Hennezel/Henzeys/Hensie), que se establecieron en esta región como parte de la plantación real del King’s County (en la actualidad el condado Offaly). Este horno, que empleó madera en lugar de carbón como combustible, es una supervivencia muy rara, y no se conocen otros ejemplos en Irlanda, Gran Bretaña o la Lorena francesa, de donde probablemente originó su forma.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research excavation was grant-assisted by funding from the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, on the recommendation of the National Committee for Archaeology of the Royal Irish Academy. Many thanks to the following: the landowner, Éamon Cleary, for his cooperation; Noel McMahon, who introduced us to the furnace; the late Mary Boydell, who did pioneering work on the glasshouses of Offaly and for her support and the generous sharing of her work; Matt Phelps, for additional analysis of the glass; Catherine O’Brien, for the maps, plans and sections; Patsi Bates, for the illustrations of the crucible sherds and Jerneja Willmott, for the illustrations of the glass. Finally, thanks are due to the site assistants Lucy Chapman, Pauline Gleeson, Mark Hart, James Lyttleton, Matthew Logue, Jo Moran, Noelle O’Looney, Daniela Wittorf; and to Barry O’Reilly and Roger Hensey for proof-reading.

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PRIMARY SOURCES

  • BCA MS A/8.
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  • Down Survey Map of Kilcomin Parish, 1654–56, National Library of Ireland.
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  • Symner, M. n.d. ‘Notes on Irelands Natural History’, MS 5926, Trinity College Dublin (Original in Sheffield University Library Hartlib MS 67 (45)).
  • TCD MS 830, fols 132r–133v, 1641 Depositions: Deposition of Phillip Bygoe.TCD MS F.27-1646, 87a89.

ABBREVIATIONS

BCA=

Birr Castle Archives, Birr

BL=

British Library

HLLA=

High lime low alkali

HMSO=

Her Majesty’s Stationery Office

MLD=

Marsh’s Library, Dublin

NAI=

National Archives of Ireland

NLI=

National Library of Ireland

SMR=

Sites and Monuments Record

TCD=

Trinity College Dublin

Notes

1 The glass furnace was brought to the attention of the excavators by Noel McMahon.

2 Farrelly 2003, 268.

4 SMR number OF042-049----. ITM 604110 690396.

5 Nuttal-Smith 1923, 22.

6 Down Survey Map of Kilcomin Parish, 1654–56.

7 Nuttal-Smith 1923, 127.

8 Farrelly 2010, 50–1.

9 Grayson 1998.

10 Henderson & Ivens 1992, 52–64.

11 For a discussion of early 17th-century glassmaking in Ireland, see Farrelly 2010, 33–54.

12 Hamilton 1890, 466.

13 Tyzack 1997, 15–16.

14 See Appendix 2.

15 Down Survey Map of Kilcomin Parish, 1654–56.

16 Pender 1939, 441.

17 Ellis 2002, 126.

18 Pender 1939, 443.

19 Pender 1939, 443.

20 Ellis 2002, 124; Guttery 1956, 30.

21 The Books of Survey and Distribution record that Joshua was granted land at ‘Curragh Ureanry Milltown, Garvally’, near Banagher: NLI Ms. 972.

22 The Books of Survey and Distribution record that Thomas was granted land at Aghancon and Ballybrack (the latter is 4km south-east of Shinrone glasshouse): NLI MS 972.

23 Guttery 1956, 30–1.

24 NAI Prerogative Will Book/F/186a.

25 SMR number OF034-009----. ITM 652800 711661.

26 Mahaffy 1910, 301–2.

27 Mahaffy 1910, 301–2.

28 Westropp 1978, 32–6.

29 Watts 1996, 3.

30 Ellis 2002, 125–6.

31 Crossley 1987, 343–8.

32 Godfrey 1975, 120–1.

33 SMR number OF035-030----; precise location unknown.

34 Fenlon 1998, 18.

35 Westropp 1978, 31.

36 Hogan 1980, 42.

37 Loeber 1998, 287–318.

38 BL Add. MS 4756, fol. 125, Milles Collection.

39 Farrelly 2010, 42.

40 Cooke 1875, 41–2.

41 Fenlon 1998, 17; for a discussion on the market for window glass in Ireland at this period see Roche 2010, 55–82.

42 Fenlon 2003, 21–2.

43 BCA MS A/8.

44 Cooke 1875, 42–3.

45 Fenlon 1998, 18.

46 Shaw 1911, 336.

47 Boate 1652, 162.

48 Feddaun Castle, also known as Newtown Castle: SMR No. OF029-013----, is located in the townland of Ballynasrah.

49 The Books of Survey and Distribution record that ‘Phillip Bigoe’ owned 90 acres of land in ‘Killonrny’ [Killowney], which is between Banagher and Cloghan, 12 acres of land in ‘Garcora’ and land in ‘Newtown & part Corat [Corator], Balliliry’ in Lusmagh parish.

50 Pender 1939, 443; TCD MS F.27-1646, 87a–89.

51 Mary Boydell pers. comm. April 1998; this furnace has been acquired by the National Museum of Ireland (Registration No. NIMDC: 2004.54 A & B (formerly L1591.34 A & B)).

52 SMR number OF029-024----. ITM 601247 709997.

53 TCD MS 830, fols 132r–133v, 1641 Depositions: Deposition of Phillip Bygoe.

54 Symner, ‘Notes on Ireland’s Natural History’, TCD MS 5926.

55 SMR number OF024-074----. ITM 625988 721708.

56 Simington 1961, 30.

57 Crossley 1967, 59.

58 Crossley 1990, 272.

59 Misra et al. 1993.

60 Briggs 1987, 372.

61 Pape 1933–34, 102.

62 Wood 1965, 56.

63 O’Brien et al. 2005; Phelps 2010.

64 Willmott 2009.

65 See Willmott 2005, Chapter 4.

66 Tyler & Willmott 2005, 48.

67 Willmott 2005, 101.

68 Willmott 2005, 12–13.

69 Diderot depicts blowing irons associated with crown glass manufacture that have both bulbous and everted tips, although it is uncertain whether there was a functional difference between them: Gillispie 1959, pl. 237.

70 Crossley 1987, 377.

71 Willmott 2005, 12–13.

72 Traditionally this measurement is undertaken manually by placing each fragment on a piece of graph paper, but given the quantity of window glass present this was not practicable, and instead a computer scanner programme was used; Leaf Area Measurement version 1.3 (© 2003 University of Sheffield).

73 Crossley 1987, 362, no. 103.

74 Willmott 2002, 77.

75 Willmott 2002, 86–9.

76 Phelps 2010, 8.

77 Egan 1999, 67.

78 For an early discussion of this transition to kelp glass, see Parkes 1823.

79 Sanderson & Hunter 1981.

80 Hallissy 1979.

81 MLD MS Z3.1.3 (12).

82 Boate 1652, 162.

83 Westrop 1978, 31.

84 Turner 1956; Sanderson & Hunter 1981.

85 These data are only used as a guide to the contribution of the ash to the glass, because of the compositional variability of ash and also because not all of the elements in the ash are in a form that can be easily incorporated into the glass (Turner 1956). For example, the reaction of the chlorides, NaCl and KCl, and sulphates with the glass batch is limited, and both are poorly soluble in molten glass.

86 Turner 1956; Sanderson & Hunter 1981; Stern & Gerber 2004.

87 McCracken 1971, 39, 135.

88 Stern & Gerber 2004.

89 Crossley 1987, 369–70.

90 Mazurin et al. 1987.

91 Stern & Gerber 2004; Misra et al. 1993.

92 Sanderson & Hunter 1981.

93 Turner 1952.

94 Paynter 2008.

95 Such as at Vauxhall: see Tyler & Willmott 2005, 45–6.

96 Briggs 1987, 372; Paynter 2012.

97 Holdridge 1956.

98 Cable 2001, 299.

99 MLD MS Z3.1.3 (12).

100 Boate 1652, 162.

101 Knowler 1740, 104.

102 Hamer & Hamer 1997; Kingery & Vandiver 1986.

103 Orser 2010, 89–99.

104 See Baddeley 1920, whose original ground plan showing post settings for a roof structure is much clearer and more accurate than the one reproduced from Daniels 1950 in most secondary works.

105 Westropp 1978 30.

106 Crossley 1987, 354.

107 Crossley 1987, 355–62.

108 Crossley 1987, 362, no. 103.

109 Crossley 1987, 358.

110 Crossley 1987, 359–60.

111 Cable 2001, 299.

112 Wood 1982.

113 Harrington 1952, 17.

114 Kenyon 1967, 205.

115 Kenyon 1967, 202, 207.

116 Clark 1996; Gaffney & Gater 2003.

117 McCann & Gould 1999.

118 For a full summary, see Paynter in O’Brien et al. 2005.

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