CRANFIELD,
a parish, in the barony of UPPER TOOME, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 1 mile (S. W. by S.) from Randalstown;
containing 386 inhabitants.
This
parish is situated on the road from Randalstown to Toome,
and on the western shore of Lough Neagh, of which, according
to the Ordnance survey, it comprises 269½ statute acres, besides
834½ acres of land in a good state of cultivation, agriculture
having greatly improved; there is neither bog nor waste land : the
spinning arid weaving of linen cloth is carried on. It is within the
jurisdiction of the manorial court of Mullaghgane, held every
month at Toome.
The
living is a rectory, in the diocese of Down and Connor,
partly impropriate in William Cranstone, Esq., of Belfast,
and partly episcopally united, from time immemorial, to the vicarage
of Duneane, to the church of which
the Protestant inhabitants of this parish resort. The tithes amount
to £35. 11s. 11d.
The
ancient parish church is now a noble pile of ruins, situated on the
verge of Cranfield Point, overlooking Lough Neagh. Near them
is a celebrated well, to which the peasantry resort in great numbers
on June 26th, 27th, and 28th, and booths are erected for their accommodation;
they perform "stations" round the ruins of the church, and
drink and wash in the waters of the well, which is supposed to have
been endued with healing properties by St. Olcan, who traditionally
recorded to have been buried here in earth brought from Rome ; and
in which are found beautiful yellow crystals, very scarce and held
in high estimation. A curiously carved cross of wood, marking the
limit of what is considered holy ground, stands a mile from the well.
