Sir Henry Piers 1st Baronet (1629–1691), of

Tristernagh Abbey Tristernagh Abbey ( ga, Mainistir Thriostarnaí, IPA: ˈmˠanʲəʃtʲəɾʲˈhɾʲɪsˠt̪ˠəɾˠn̪ˠiː), also known as the Priory of Kilbixy or Kilbisky, Tristernagh Priory, or the priory of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Tristernagh, is a ru ...

, 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. cites 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 Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

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.Clarke, A. ''Prelude to Restoration in Ireland'', Cambridge UP, p.191 He held the office of Sheriff of Counties Longford and Westmeath in 1657–1658. He was dubbed a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

Henry Cromwell Henry Cromwell (20 January 1628 – 23 March 1674) was the fourth son of Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Bourchier, and an important figure in the Parliamentarian regime in Ireland. Biography Early life Henry Cromwell – the fourth son of Oli ...

Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the s ...

on 30 November 1658 (an honour that passed into oblivion with the Restoration in May 1660). He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Counties Longford and Westmeath in the

Third Protectorate Parliament The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons. It was a bicameral Parliament, with an Upper House having a po ...

of 1659. After the Restoration he was created a baronet on 18 February 1661. He was MP for St Johnstown, County Longford between 1661 and 1666 and held the office of

High Sheriff of Westmeath The High Sheriff of Westmeath was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Westmeath, Ireland from its creation under The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and ...

in 1663.

Works

Piers, whose mother was sister of the antiquarian

Sir James Ware Sir James Ware (26 November 1594 – 1 December 1666) was an Irish historian. Personal details Born at Castle Street, Dublin on 26 November 1594, James Ware was the eldest son of Sir James Ware (1568–1632) and Mary Bryden, daughter of Ambrose ...

,Clarke, A. ''Prelude to Restoration in Ireland'', Cambridge UP, p.191 is remembered largely for his ''Chorographical Description of the County of Westmeath'' written in 1682 and finally published in 1770. 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)Brewer, J. N. ''The Beauties of Ireland'', v.2, 1826, pp238-9 and remains an important source of history of the area.

Family

Around 1653 Piers married Mary Jones, daughter of Dr. Henry Jones,

Bishop of Meath The Bishop of Meath is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric. History Unt ...

, and his first wife Jane Cullum. He was succeeded as baronet by his son and heir

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

. They also had seven other sons and six daughters. His descendants included Sir John Piers and Sir Vere Hunt.

Notes

References

* cites: ** * {{DEFAULTSORT:Piers, Henry 1629 births 1691 deaths People from County Westmeath Irish antiquarians Irish soldiers in the British Army Baronets in the Baronetage of Ireland Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Longford constituencies Irish MPs 1661–1666