Place:Drumbeg, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Historical description

Extracts pertaining to local and historical information are taken from a Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis published in 1837.

DRUMBEG, a parish, partly in the barony of UPPER BELFAST, county of ANTRIM, but chiefly in that of UPPER CASTLEREAGH, county of DOWN, and province of ULSTER, 3/4 of a mile (N. E.) from Lisburn, on the road to Belfast; containing 2883 inhabitants. According to the Ordnance survey it comprised 2704 3/4 statute acres, of which 1186 3/4 were in Down, and 1518 in Antrim; of these, 2627 were applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £3367 per ann. : but a portion of the parish of Drumboe having been lately added to it under the Church Temporalities' Act, it now comprises 6868 acres. The soil differs greatly in quality, from a sandy loam to a stiff clay, but is very fertile. The Lagan navigation from Belfast to Lough Neagh passes through the parish. The principal seats, besides those noticed under the head of Dunmurry (which see), are Glenburn, the residence of F. Crossley, Esq.; Wilmont, unoccupied; Finaghey, of J. Charley, Esq.; Larkfield, of Henderson Black, Esq.; Drumbeg Rectory, of the Rev. J. L. M. Scott; Drum House, of W. H. Smyth, Esq.; and Belvidere Cottage, a neat and commodious residence, lately built on the . property of A. Durham, Esq. Ballydrain, the beautiful demesne of Hugh Montgomery, Esq., though not in this parish, is within 200 yards of the church, and with the adjoining grounds of Lakefield, the residence of Miss Richardson, and Lismoyne, of Mrs. Callwell, presents one of the finest landscapes in the neighbourhood of Belfast. A court leet and court baron are held every third week at Four Land Ends, for the manor of Drumbracklin, by a seneschal appointed by Narcissus Batt, Esq., lord of the manor, with jurisdiction for the recovery of debts under £20, extending over the townlands of Doneight and Lisnoe in the parish of Hillsborough, Ballyaulis in this parish, and Ballycairn, Ballylesson, Molough, and Knockbreccan in Drumboe. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Down, and in the gift of the Bishop; a part of the rectorial tithes is impropriate in W. Charley, A. Durham, and Narcissus Batt, Esqrs., as lessees under the Marquess of Donegal. The tithes now amount to £336. 16. 6., of which £94. 13. 65. is payable to the impropriators, and the remainder to the incumbent: the glebe-house was built in 1826, by a gift of £415 and a loan of £46 (British) from the late Board of First Fruits, exclusively of £450 expended by the incumbent in building and improvements; the glebe comprises eight statute acres. The church was rebuilt by subscription in 1795, by aid of a gift of £461 (British) from the same Board : it has a tower surmounted by a spire, which having been blown down in 1831, was rebuilt at the expense of J. Charley, Esq. About 300 children are educated in five public schools, two of which are on Erasmus Smith's foundation. DRUMBOE, a parish, in the barony of UPPER CASTLEREAGH, county of DOWN, and province of ULSTER, 4 miles (N. E.) from Lisburn, on the river Lagan, and on the old road to Belfast; containing 6429 inhabitants. Twelve townlands of the ancient parish having been lately annexed to Drumbeg, it now comprises 9629 statute acres, chiefly arable, with a very small proportion of woodland, and, except lands belonging to gentlemen who farm their own property, in a very indifferent state of cultivation, though lately much improved : there is a large tract of bog. The weaving of cotton is carried on for the manufacturers of Belfast; and at Edenderry is a bleachgreen. The Lagan opens a communication with Belfast, Lisburn, and Lough Neagh. The principal seats are Edenderry, the residence of W. Russel, Esq.; Edenderry House, of C. Dunlop, Esq.; Belvidere, of A. Durham, Esq.; New Grove, of J. Russel, Esq.; and the elegant lodge and greater part of the demesne of Purdysburn, the splendid residence of Narcissus Batt, Esq. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Down, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £517. The glebe-house was built in 1816, by a gift of £415 (British), and a loan of £46, from the late Board of First Fruits, exclusively of £200 expended by the incumbent: the glebe comprises 6 1/2 acres. The church, a handsome Grecian edifice with a lofty tower surmounted by a copper dome, was erected, in 1788, by subscription, aided by a grant of £500 from the same Board, a donation of 150 guineas from Mr. Hull, of Belvidere, and of 100 guineas from the Marquess of Downshire. There are places of worship for Presbyterians, Independents, and Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists. Nearly 600 children are educated in the several public schools of the parish; that at Purdysurn was built at the expense of Mr. Batt, who supports the school and also provides residences for the master and mistress, who have about 150 pupils; and the master of a school at Ballymacbrennard receives £20 per annum from the trustees of Erasmus Smith's fund, and has an acre of land given by the Marquess of Downshire. There are also six private schools, in which are about 400 children. Not far from the church is the Giant's Ring, a circular entrenchment enclosing more than S plantation acres, perfectly level; in the centre of the enclosure is a large cromlech, or Druids' altar, consisting of seven upright stones supporting a table stone of nearly circular form and sloping towards the east: the land is now let, and the earth-work is being removed for the purpose of cultivation. In the burial-ground close to the supposed site of the ancient church was an abbey, said to have been founded by St. Patrick, and of which St. Mochumna was the first abbot; there is also an ancient round tower. In the parish are eight large raths, the most conspicuous of which, on the summit of Tullyard, is constructed of earth, loose stones, and vitrified substances, similar to the cairns of Scotland. It is supposed by some writers that there was anciently a fortified town here.