Gowran

Gowran was an ancient borough with a charter dating from the reign of Henry V, but the charter of incorporation appears to have been that of 1609, 6 James I. It was incorporated with a portreeve, 12 chief burgesses and an unlimited number of freemen. In 1783 the town had about 700 inhabitants, but voting was confined to the burgesses.²¹² The borough belonged to James Agar, Lord Clifden(0016), who, much to the annoyance of Primate Stone,²¹³ was returned for it in 1753 when he was 17, or at most 18, years of age. Although this practice was illegal, the uncertain length of parliament encouraged it. The under-age MP usually did not take the oaths until he had attained his majority. The compensation for its disfranchisement in 1800 was received by his son, Henry Welbore, 2nd Viscount Clifden (0013).