BALLYKENNEDY,
or GRACE-HILL, a village, in the parish of AHOGHILL,
barony of LOWER TOOME, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 14 miles (W. S. W.) from Ballymena; containing
826 inhabitants.
This place
is situated on the river Maine, over which is a bridge of four
arches, connecting it with the village of Galgorim (sic). It
owes its origin to the Rev. John Cennick, who, in 1746, founded
here an establishment of Moravians, or United Brethren,
who hold under Lord O'Neill, on lease renewable in perpetuity,
about 200 plantation acres of land, which are divided in small portions
among the brethren.
The village
consists of 89 family residences, of which the greater number are small
cottages, exclusively of the chapel, and the two principal houses for
unmarried brethren and sisters respectively, which occupy three sides
of a quadrangle, of which the area is ornamented with shrubs. The sisters
support themselves by various kinds of needlework, particularly tambour
and embroidery, which are much admired, and also superintend an extensive
boarding-school for young ladies. The inhabitants of the brethren's
house having greatly diminished in number, the greater part of the building
has been appropriated as a boarding-school for young gentlemen, conducted
by the minister of the establishment and several assistants, and a daily
school for boys and girls of the surrounding country. A small linen
manufacture and several other trades are carried on. Each family has
land sufficient for the keep of a cow and the raising of potatoes.
The chapel
is a neat and commodious building; the burial-place is on the summit
of a rising ground, at a distance from the village. In a bog in this
townland is a curious artificial mount; and within its limits may be
yet seen the ruins of an ancient church.
Druidical
altars, and several moats and tumuli, scattered over the surface of
this parish.
