The Down Survey: How William Petty Mapped Ireland for Cromwell

The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History · Jun 9, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In the aftermath of Cromwell's brutal conquest of Ireland, a young English physician named William Petty undertook something unprecedented: a comprehensive land survey of the entire country. Known as the Down Survey, it mapped over 13 million acres, confiscated Catholic-owned land, and redistributed it to Protestant adventurers and soldiers. This episode dives into the survey's methods — how Petty used chains, compasses, and local informants to create the first accurate maps of Ireland — and its devastating consequences: the dispossession of Irish Catholics, the solidification of…