Sir Henry Piers, 1st Baronet

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Sir Henry Piers 1st Baronet (1629–1691), of Tristernagh Abbey, County Westmeath, Ireland was an Anglo-Irish landowner, soldier, Member of Parliament, Sheriff of Counties Longford and Westmeath, Sheriff of St Johnstown, and an antiquarian.

Biography[]

Piers was the son of Sir William Piers and Martha, daughter of Sir James Ware and Mary Bryden, and sister of the antiquarian Sir James Ware.[1] He was the grandson of Henry Piers and great-grandson of the English naval officer William Piers, who had been granted Tristernagh Abbey by Elizabeth I of England as a reward for military and other services in Ireland.

Piers served as a military officer in the 1640s, commanding a company in Colonel Castle's Regiment.[2] He held the office of Sheriff of Counties Longford and Westmeath in 1657–1658.[1] He was dubbed a knight by Henry Cromwell at Dublin Castle on 30 November 1658 (an honour that passed into oblivion with the Restoration in May 1660).[3] He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Counties Longford and Westmeath in the Third Protectorate Parliament of 1659.[1]

After the Restoration he was created a baronet on 18 February 1661.[4] He was MP for St Johnstown, County Longford between 1661 and 1666 [5] and held the office of High Sheriff of Westmeath in 1663.[1]

Works[]

Piers, whose mother was sister to the antiquarian Sir James Ware,[2] is remembered largely for his Chorographical Description of the County of Westmeath[6] written in 1682 and finally published in 1770.[4] The Description contains many interesting historical details, such as an account of the ruins of Tristernagh Abbey (which were demolished in 1783 by Sir Henry's descendant, Pigott William Piers)[7] and remains an important source for history of the area.

Family[]

Around 1653 Piers married Mary Jones, daughter of Dr. Henry Jones, Bishop of Meath, and his first wife Jane Cullum. He was succeeded as baronet by his son and heir . They also had seven other sons and six daughters.[1] His descendants included Sir John Piers and Sir Vere Hunt.

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Lundy 2013, p. 549583 §549583 cites Mosley 2003, p. 3133
  2. ^ a b Clarke, A. Prelude to Restoration in Ireland, Cambridge UP, p.191
  3. ^ Shaw 1906, p. 224.
  4. ^ a b Lodge; Archdall (1789), The Peerage of Ireland, vol. 2, Dublin, p. 202
  5. ^ Parliamentary Papers, Volume 62, Part 2. p. 626.
  6. ^ Vallencey, Charles (1786). "Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis ...: No.I, Piers, Sir H. A chorographical description of the country of West-Meath. 1770".
  7. ^ Brewer, J. N. The Beauties of Ireland, v.2, 1826, pp238-9

References[]

Baronetage of Ireland
New creation Baronet
(of Tristernagh Abbey)
1661–1691
Succeeded by
William Piers
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