The Community in General

133 to 136 Ireland March 2008

Landscape

The soil here is brown earth over greensand, giving way to calcareous gley soil overlying clay towards the west. Ireland lies around 230 feet above sea level. Rowney Warren Wood lies between 154 (in the south-east) and 279 (in the north-west) feet above sea level.

Name

The name Ireland is comparatively recent, being recorded as Inlonde in the 16th century. Rowney is an older name, being first recorded in 1286 as Rueye, it was Runheye in 1252 and Rounhey or Rouney in 1291 and 1297, Roundhey in 1535. The name is from the Old English ruhan hæge meaning "rough enclosure".

 
Black Horse Ireland April 2007

Administrative History

Ireland and Rowney are hamlets in the parish of Southill, in the Hundred of Wixamtree, lying south-west of the main village. They comprise a scattering of farms, a few houses and a public house (the Black Horse at Ireland).