Nano Nagle ancestry and connection with the city of Bath

By Sr Susan Richert:

It’s thought that this oval miniature of Nano contained in a pen stand, was painted in Bath at this time when Nano was aged 51 years.

Elizabeth, Lady Thurles, was the daughter of Sir John Poyntz of Iron Acton and Nano’s maternal great grandmother:

Elizabeth, Lady Thurles

In the Church of St.James the Less in Iron Acton is the clothed statue of the Black Madonna of Altotting.

This was given to commemorate the link with Mary Ward, foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary Ward

Mary Poyntz (cousin to Elizabeth) was one of Mary Ward’s companions when she left England to found European communities and schools. Mary’s sister, Frances, later joined the order. 

Mary Ward and her companions

By the early 1760s both David and Joseph Nagle had moved to Bath, a town described by John Beresford in 1795 as a little Dublin to an Irishman. Nano Nagle visited her two brothers, David and Joseph’s  in Bath in July 1770. David was living in 31, Milsom Street, Joseph at no. 7 Paragon Buildings.  David later moved to No.1 The Circus.  David’s wife Mary died on 30th January 1784 and is buried in Bath Abbey. Both Joseph and David contributed to the Catholic Church in Bath as documents attest.

Not for Nano were the healing waters of Bath – she had come to see brothers about her intended foundation. The coming of the Ursulines to Cork was imminent. They were coming to ensure that the schools Nano had established would continue. She needed the moral as well as the financial support of her brothers. We do not know the outcome of her meeting. We do know that Nano lent Joseph £2,150.00 from her estate to buy the Calverleigh Court Estate in Devon in 1768.  For this he paid her 5% interest during her life. In her will, Nano desired that he should not be charged interest for the remainder of his life but that at his death the amount outstanding was to be paid by his heir to the ladies at the Convent in Cork.

Both brothers moved permanently from Bath to Calverleigh and died there – David in 1880 and Joseph in 1813,

After Nano’s death in 1784, the little community continued under the guidance of Sr Angela Collins. But life was difficult for them and eventually Mother Angela Collins, in a letter dated 12th June 1880, wrote to Joseph Nagle explaining their dire situation. Another letter from Bishop Moylan dated 2nd July 1801 explained the extremely straightened circumstances in which both Convents found themselves – Nano’s own newly established Congregation and that of the Ursulines. Joseph did respond to their needs. However,  in August, 1801 Joseph wrote that while he had helped the Ladies he was:  

“sorry to learn that the Ladies of both Convents are in distressed circumstances” but he acknowledges “ it is not in my power to afford them such relief as I could wish.”

Joseph was  “ a man truly religious, so conversant in goodness and bountifully charitable that his integrity and name deserve to be perpetuated.”

(from a wall plaque to Joseph’s memory in the Church in Calverleigh).