Eddie Jordan - They Came with Cromwell The story of the Nunn Family of County Wexford, Ireland.

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In acknowledging assistance on a work of this naturethere are inevitably numerous individuals who not only providedinformation and records, but also support and encouragement. I haveendeavoured to list below as many as I could recall and would nowapologise to any persons I have inadvertently omitted. There arenaturally those on this list who stand out above others for thequality and indeed the quantity of the assistance and supportprovided and I want to particularly acknowledge the contributionmade by local Wexford historian James Maloney whose local knowledgeand contacts in the St. Margarets and indeed County Wexford areawere of immense benefit to me, an outsider from Dublin. Jamesopened doors where I did not even see doors.

Other notablecontributors along the journey include Grainne Doran, WexfordCounty Archivist, who provided access to the wonderful collectionof Nunn family documents recently acquired (2012) by the Archive.Other Archivists and Librarians who assisted include: ChristineLeighton of Cheltenham College, Emily Bainton of St. ColumbasCollege in Dublin, Luke Marriage of the India Office at The BritishLibrary, Simon Jackson, Royal Veterinary College, Camden Campus,London, Maija Anderson, Head Historical Collections and Archives,Oregon Health and Science University, Hannah Allan, ReferenceAssistant / Genealogist, Oregon Historical Society, Captain DavidFreeman, Secretary, Royal Thames Yacht Club, Jeff Behary, Turn ofthe Century, Electro Therapy Museum, Florida, U.S.A. , JamesDivine, Freemason Temple of the Valley of Savannah Scottish Rite,Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction.,Savannah Georgia, U.S.A., Stephanie Jenkins, Oxford family HistorySociety, Robert Mills, Librarian, Royal College of Physicians ofIreland, Shenae M. Hennagir Barkas, Reference Assistant, GeorgiaHistorical Society, Georgia, U.S.A., John Boomer and Colleagues atCricket Ireland, Peter Bower, British Association of PaperHistorians, Frances Bellis, Assistant Librarian, Lincolns InnLibrary, London, Mrs. P. Hatfield, College Archivist, Eton College,Windsor, Berkshire, U.K., Lennox Honychurch local historian, Islandof Dominica, Caribbean, and Garry D. Shutlak, Senior ReferenceArchivist, Public Services, Nova Scotia Archives and RecordsManagement, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Many otherindividuals helped with various information, advice and access.These include, in no particular order, Mary Hamilton and BrianMurphy of Castlebridge, Co Wexford, Dr. Austin OSullivan(retired), Agricultural Museum, Johnstown Castle Wexford, BrianCluer (Carnsore Chronicles), Kevin Cullen retired Caretaker St.Margarets burial ground, Mark Allen for his tour of St. MargaretsHouse and his memories of growing up there, and specially forproviding the only known image, the watercolour of St. MargaretsHouse, Marianne Young, Church of Ireland Parish Records DigitisingProject, Ken Hemmingway of Templeshambo, County Wexford, G. RexMeyer, Historian, New South Wales, Australia, Frank Gallagher ofMillmount, Rockbrook, County Dublin, Laurie Mc Ginness, Songwriter,Australia, (Ballad of Waterloo Creek), Dr. David R. Terrington,Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (scans of original letters Lt.Colonel J.W. Nunn), Pat Bradish, Lonsdale, Crossabeg, CountyWexford, Helen Skrine, Butlerstown Castle, County Wexford, theBreen family, New Ross, County Wexford, (access to Camlin Lodge),Rev. Neil Mc Cathie, Vicar, St. Peters, Parrs in Lancashire,Edward Armitstead, current owner of Pendomer House, near Yeovil inSomerset, U.K., Thomas McDonald, historian Clonroche, Enniscorthy,Peter Bacon, author, of Killinick, County Wexford, the Furlongfamily, current owners of the land at St. Margarets House and theDoran family, current owners of Hillcastle.

I also want tothank the following persons for their assistance, Clare Wickham ofSt. Iberius Church in Wexford Town, Katherine and Francis Traynor,St. Margarets Beach Caravan and Camping Site, Maree Markwick,Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, (obtained a copy of WaterlooCreek for me), and Joan Toase, Kilbroney Church, Rostrevor, CountyDown.

I must alsomention the living members of the Nunn family whom I have met andwith whom I have corresponded. They include Richard, Jeremy andClare Nunn, descendants of the Nunns of Alma House / Castlebridge,who were a source of Nunn family information. I must alsoacknowledge my gratitude to Tony Westby-Nunn and his daughter TerryWestby-Nunn of Muizenburg, Capetown, in South Africa, the directdescendants of the original Nunns of St. Margarets, who were awonderful source of additional material and photographs, includinga copy of Donald Smiths book And all the Trumpets and Terryswonderful DVD documentary about her grandfather, Letters fromTeddy. My gratitude also goes to Richard Nunn of Lutterworth inLeicestershire, where he resides with his family, who are descendedfrom the Nunns of Hillcastle.

I wish also toacknowledge the many sources of the numerous images, photographicand others, contained in this work. With each such image I haveincluded the source and the copyright where possible. If I haveinadvertently failed in this I apologise and will endeavour to putright any omission or error brought to my attention.

Last but by nomeans least, I must also acknowledge the support, advice,assistance and company of my wife Mary who not only proof read andpatiently corrected the various drafts, but also accompanied me onthe many field trips in Counties Wexford, Dublin and Down.

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For many years my family and I have holidayed at St.Margarets Beach, Caravan and Camping Park situated in the Parishof Ladys Island between Carne and St. Helens Bay, in the Baronyof Forth, and County of Wexford. The area is noted for its unspoiltand deserted miles of sandy beaches and walks and is a treasuretrove for anyone interested in local history. St. Margarets beachis included in the Wexford Coastal Path which meanders along thecoast and country lanes for over 130 miles, and is a must forwalkers, nature lovers and anyone with an interest in the greatoutdoors.

My interest in St.Margarets and the Nunn family who resided there commenced when Ifirst explored the vast array of surviving outbuildings and housesat St. Margarets situated between the caravan park and the beach.I realised at the time that this was no ordinary residence, suchwas the quality of the surviving stone pillars, arches, outhouses,stables and walled gardens. It was obvious to me that these werethe remnants of something far greater from a different era. Thiswas without doubt an edifice deserving of the colloquial Irish nameThe Big House and must have been the dominant feature of thisarea for generations past. Like all Big Houses, it would haveemployed an army of servants and must have been a crucial elementof the local economy. Between these ruins and the caravan park Idiscovered the private Nunn family cemetery, on the site of anancient monastic settlement complete with its church in ruins, nowsurrounded by a much later wall but elevated above all thesurrounding land, seemingly looking down on all comers. I knew thenthat the Nunn family were above the ordinary and were deserving ofsome further research, and this work is the result.