The Books of Survey and Distribution were compiled by the English government at the end of the 17th century to establish a reliable record of landowners in Ireland for the purpose of imposing rent (the Quit Rent). The Books incorporate information collected during earlier surveys – the Strafford, Civil and Down Surveys – detailing the names of proprietors who forfeited their land under the Cromwellian Settlement of 1641 and the amount and quality of land they held. The names of those to whom this land was granted, under various Acts between 1662 and 1703, is also given.

The land of county Clare was reserved for ‘Innocent Papists’, i.e. Catholics from other counties who had not taken arms against Cromwell but were transplanted to make room for new English settlers, and also to the O’Briens, a native Clare family which supported the English.

The original Books of Survey and Distribution are held in the National Archives and the section relating to Clare was published by the Irish Manuscripts Commission (1967).

The transcription given here is taken from James Frost’s The History and Topography of the County of Clare (1893) and comprises proprietors in 1641 and those to whom land was disposed, arranged by barony, parish and townland. It also includes Frost’s extensive notes, indicated here by superscript numbers in square brackets which link to the relevant note. In turn, the 'Notes' section itself can be used to refer back to the main text via the link in each note. The 1659 Census and Dineley's Journal, referred to throughout Frost's notes, are available on this site.

Clare County Library wishes to thank Clare Local Studies Project
for preparation of raw text for this project.