01. Brierfield House/Burned House

Brierfield House/Burned House.

One of the most distinguished and widely used landmarks in this locality is ‘The Burned House’ located in the townland of Brierfield in Moylough civil parish.

It has, however, a more official title and is recorded in the first Ordnance Survey mapping of 1838 as Brierfield House. This map shows that it was a considerably larger structure and an adjacent building, located on its eastern side, may also have been part of the residence or possibly was an outhouse. In addition there is another recorded structure that is smaller in area and considerably closer to the road junction. The existing ruin would suggest that was a dormer type structure given the gable remains and the existence of an upper window opening.

The existing gable is 24 feet in width and the foundation remains indicate a length of 49 feet. The adjacent building appears to have similar dimensions. It is also worth noting that just to the north is evidence of the existence of an enclosure that in all probability was a ring fort though excavations and land clearance appear to have removed all remains. An interesting feature of the existing gable to the right-hand side of the fireplace is another opening with a flue leading to the main chimney flue. This is likely to have been an oven and is actually not a common feature.

James Lynch is the recorded owner in 1641 but during the Cromwellian period he relocated to Gorteenlehard, near Cooloo, and Ballymageraghty near Mountbellew as well as the south Roscommon areas of Granlahan and Ballymoe while Brierfield became the property of Robert Blake who also had this time extensive lands between Lackagh and Cartymore. Much of the Blake properties would be sold under the Encumbered Estates Courts during 19th century and in Griffiths Valuation Brierfield was held ‘in fee’ by Thomas Davis with no valuation being applied to buildings which would suggest they were unoccupied or derelict. The Davis family had vast estates in the Kentstown area of Newbridge as well as Kilconnell. Thomas Henry Davies advertised three different parts of his estate for sale in the Landed Estates’ Court in 1873 and 1877 including Kentstown and Brierfield.

Brierfield was sold to Samuel Nulty and George H. Pentland in November 1877. The 1901 census shows that the Hoare family of Patrick and Catherine and their five children Mary, Edward, Bridget, Patrick and Honor were the only residents of the townland but by 1911 two more children Kate and Maggie were born.