Introduction to the Normanton Papers
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The Normanton papers, which run from 1741 to 1809, are the letters and papers of Archbishop Charles Agar, 1st Earl of Normanton (1735 to 1809), third son of Henry Agar (1707 to 46) of Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, by his wife, Anne (1707 to 1765), daughter of Welbore Ellis, Bishop of Meath, and a younger brother of James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden (1734 to 1789).
The Agars of Gowran owned around 20,000 statute acres in Co. Kilkenny, and controlled the two south Kilkenny boroughs of Gowran and Thomastown. This gave them a minimum of four seats in the Irish House of Commons, plus a fifth when an Agar was elected for the county of Kilkenny. On the strength of this parliamentary influence, Charles Agar's eldest brother, James (1734 to 1789), was created Baron Clifden in 1776 and Viscount Clifden in 1781.