Title: Landholders and Leaseholders Required to Plant Trees in Seagoe parish, County Armagh
Date: 1708–09
Description: Timber was a valuable commercial commodity in the construction of houses and furniture and of great interest to the Irish Parliament which passed an act for planting and preserving timber trees and wood in 1705. Initially, it was intended that the parish should be responsible for planting trees but the act was amended and the requirement to undertake planting fell upon landholders and leaseholders. The following minutes and names are transcribed from the Seagoe parish vestry book.
Source: Seagoe parish vestry book (first published in the Directory of Irish Family History Research, no. 45 (2022))
Compiled by: Lennard Swindley (Guild Member)
At a vestry held for the parish of Sego, September ye 25th, 1705. It was agreed by ye minister, churchwardens, and parishioners then present that ye number of two hundred and forty trees be applotted upon ye parishioners to be planted by them, according to a paper now in the churchwardens hands pursuant to an Act of Parliament (an act for planting and preserving timber trees and woods) lately passed in this kingdom.
John Campbell, Minister
Matt (?) Harrison
John McKnight
At a vestry held for the parish of Sego upon the 9th day of March, 1708 [1709 new style]. It was agreed and enacted by ye minister, churchwardens and parishioners then present that ye number of trees to be planted by every person that are annexed to his name according to an Order of Sessions dated ye 15 September, 1708, pursuant to two Acts of Parliament.
John Campbell, Minister.
John Geary
Rich. Smurphett
Mer. Dynes
Memorandum. That ye trees be planted as aforesaid are to be oak, fir, elm, walnutt, popler, abiel, or alder of four years growth, or more, and for 31 years from ye 25 day of March 1703