BALLYWILLIN
or MILLTOWN, a parish, partly in the barony of LOWER DUNLUCE,
county of ANTRIM, but chiefly
in the North-East liberties of COLERAINE, county of LONDONDERRY,
and province of ULSTER, 3 1/2 miles (N. by E.) from Coleraine
(Co. Derry), on the road to Portrush;
containing 2219 inhabitants.
This parish
is bounded on the north by the Atlantic ocean, and comprises, according
to the Ordnance survey, 4673 1/4 statute acres, of which 1617 are in
the county of Antrim: about 300 are sand and 150 bog; the remainder
is arable and pasture. The entire district abounds with fossils and
minerals of great variety, and with features of high geological interest.
The soil, though various, is generally good; and the lands are in an
excellent state of cultivation, particularly where not exposed to the
drifting of the sand, which accumulates on the coast near Portrush.
There is no waste land, except the sand hills near Portrush, which,
from the constant blowing of the north and north-west winds, have overspread
a large tract of excellent land, which it has been found impossible
to reclaim. Much of the bog has been exhausted and brought under cultivation,
and there is now barely sufficient for the supply of fuel. There are
vast quantities of iron-stone; in some places the ore is found nearly
in a metallic state, and in nodules of stone used for making the roads
have been found nuclei of almost pure metal. Limestone is very abundant,
but is not worked; the extensive quarries in the adjoining parish of
Dunluce being held under a lease which
prohibits the opening of any other upon the estate. Basalt in every
variety is found here in a confused mixture of amorphous basalt with
veins of red ochre, chert; soap-stone, and
zeolite. In other parts there are magnificent columnar masses, the prism
of which are more perfect and more beautiful than those of the Causeway.
These columns form part of a bold ridge of hill lying north and south,
and displaying some of the finest features of basaltic formation in
the island.
Beardiville,
the seat of Sir F. Macnaghten, Bart., a spacious and handsome
mansion, is pleasantly situated and surrounded with extensive and thriving
plantations; and at Portrush are several elegant lodges and pleasing
villas, which are occupied by their respective proprietor during the
bathing season, and one of which belongs to the Bishop of Derry.
The
Skerries, a cluster of islands about a mile from the shore, and
containing, according to the Ordnance survey, 24a. lr. 9p., belong to
this parish. Behind the middle of the largest of them a vessel may ride
well sheltered in from 5 to 1 fathoms of water; and on good holding
ground.
The living
is a rectory, in the diocese of
Connor, and in the patronage of
the Bishop: it was formerly an appendage to the chancellorship of that
see, under a grant by Jas. I., at which time a vicarage was instituted;
but it again became a rectoty under the provisions of Dr. Mant's act,
on the death of Dr. Trail in 1831. The tithes amount to £263,
The church is an ancient, spacious; and handsome edifice, in the early
English style, and is said to be the only one in the diocese or county,
built prior to the Reformation, in which divine service is now performed;
it has neither tower nor spire, but being situated on an eminence it
is visible at the distance of several leagues at sea. There is a glebe-house,
for the erection of which the late Board of First Fruits, in 1828, gave
£450 and lent £140.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions this parish forms part of the union
or district of Coleraine.
There
is a place of worship at Magherabuoy for Presbyterians in connection
with the Synod of Ulster, and of the sccond class, and at Portrush
is one for Wesleyan Methodists.
The male
and female school at Portrush is aided by an annual donation from Miss
Rice, the school-house was erected in 1832 by Dr. Adam Clarke.
A male and female school is aided by an annual donation from Mr.
Lyle. In these schools are about 80 boys and 60 girls ; and there
are also a pay school, in which are about 40 boys and 10 girls, and
a Sunday school.
Here are
the remains of Ballyreagh, or "the Royal Castle,"
situated on a promontory having a bold facade of rock rising to the
height of 296 feet, the base of which is washed by the Atlantic. Dunmull,
originally a druidical circle, afterwards a Danish fort, and now a pasture
for sheep, is one of the most curious and extensive vestiges of antiquity
in the country ; and about half a mile to the north-west of the church
are the remains of a druidical circle and altar, with an extensive and
well-arranged cave; there is also a druidical altar near Beardiville,
in a very perfect state. Fine impressions of the cornua ammonis are
found in the chert at Portrush; the cornua and the echenite are found
also in the limestone, and every variety of the zeolite and opal in
the basaltic or trap formation, with chalcedony, strontium, agate, rock
tallow, and veins of fullers earth.
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