CAMLIN,
or CRUMLIN, a parish, in the barony of UPPER MASSEREENE,
county of ANTRIM, and province
of ULSTER; containing, with the post-town of Crumlin, 1274 inhabitants,
This parish
is situated on Lough Neagh, by which it is bounded on the west,
and on the road from Antrim to Lurgan; it comprises, according
to the Ordnance survey, 6417 ¼ statute acres, of which 5455 are
applotted under the tithe act, and 708 ¼ form part of the lake,
About three-fourths of the parish are good arable land, and the remainder
is pasture. The system of agriculture is greatly improved, and the whole
of the parish is in an excellent state of cultivation, and is well fenced,
drained, and planted : wheat, which was scarcely raised in the district,
has, since the establishment of large flour-mills at Crumlin, been extensively
cultivated, and now forms the principal feature in its agriculture.
Limestone is extensively quarried for agricultural and other purposes.
The principal
seats are Thistleborough, of James Whittle, Esq.; Gobrana,
of J. Whitla, Esq. ; and Cherry Valley, of C. W. Armstrong,
Esq.
Independently
of agricultural pursuits, several hundreds of the population are employed
in weaving linens and cottons for the manufacturers of Belfast and its
neighbourhood; here are also a flax and a flour-mill. Fairs are held
monthly for cattle and pigs, and of late very valuable horses have been
sold.
It is
a vicarage, in the diocese of Connor,
and is part of the union of Glenavy
; the rectory is impropriate in the Marquess of Hertford. The
tithes amount to £195, of which £43. 5 shillings, is payable
to the impropriator, and £151.15 shillings to the incumbent. The
church is a fine ruin; it was destroyed by the army of Jas. II., who
had its depot here in 1689 : in the north and south walls are a series
of sepulchral arches continued the entire length of the building, and
nearly in a perfect state.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions also it forms part of the union or district
of Glenavy.
There
is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Remonstrant
Synod, of the second class.
The parochial
school is supported by the vicar; and a school is supported by the Hon.
Col. Pakenham, who erected for it a large and handsome school-house,
and occasionally provides clothing for the scholars. In these schools
are about 90 boys and 60 girls; and there are also three pay schools,
in which are about 60 boys and 50 girls, and three Sunday schools.
Dr.
William Crawford, author of "Remarks on Chesterfield's Letters,"
"History of Ireland," and other works; and Adam Crawford,
Esq., M.D., author of an "Experimental Essay on Animal Heat;”
and compiler of the transactions of the Royal Society, were natives
of, Crumlin.
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