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GRIFFITH'S VALUATION
Griffith’s Valuation was a land and property valuation designed to establish an equitable tax on property, both buildings and land, for government taxation purposes. It is called after Sir Richard Griffith, an extraordinary individual who oversaw the entire operation. I’m not so much interested in the history of the survey however as in its genealogical uses, so if you want to find out more about Griffith, Wikipedia for instance has lots. The Valuation was published by barony progressively in different parts of the country as it was finished, the earliest being in 1847 and the final books being published in 1864.
The content of Griffith’s may be summarized as follows:
- Name of head of household or holder of property
- Name of immediate lessor or person from whom the property is held
- Map reference for the holding
- Acreage for the land
- Total cash valuation of property in pounds sterling
- Valuation of homestead
The maps which were drawn up during the valuation period are invaluable in showing not only individual properties and the head of the household living there, but also existing buildings and local sights such as forges, wells, etc.
(Much thanks to Paul MacCotter's Genealogy and Family History Service for much of this information)