CRUMLIN,
a post-town in the parish of CAMLIN,
barony of UPPER MASSARENE, county of ANTRIM
and province of ULSTER, 5½ miles (S.) from Antrim,
and 79 (N.) from Dublin; containing 128 houses and 641 inhabitants.
This
town is situated on the river Camlin, of which its name is
a corruption, and on the road from Lurgan to Antrim
; it consists of one long wide street, from which branches one of
smaller dimensions leading to the Antrim road, and has a neat and
all cheerful appearance. At one extremity is the beautiful cottage
and highly embellished grounds of Glendarragh the seat of Col.
Heyland, through which flows the river Camlin, noted for the petrifying
quality of its waters : among the fine specimens of petrified substances
which it has afforded is the entire root of a tree of five cubic feet.
Adjoining the town are the most extensive and complete four-mills
in the country. they were originaly built in 1765, by Rowley
Heyland, Esq., and were the first that were erected in the
north of Ireland. These mills were considered of so much importance
that Government erected very extensive warehouses for storing wheat
and other grain, and encouraged by every means the growth of wheat
in the surrounding district. There are several other mills belonging
to the same company but as all purchases and sales are made at this
place they all come under the denomination of the Crumlin Mills.
They are now the property Messrs. Robert Macaulay and Son;
the machinery, which is of very superior construction, is impelled
by the water of the Camlin river, and the quantity of grain annually
consumed is on average 3000 tons of wheat and the same quantity of
oats. A large portion of the flour is shipped for the Clyde,
and the several ports of the north of England; and during the
year 1833, 2000 tons of flour and oatmeal were sent from this establishment
to Liverpool and Manchester alone. A flax-mill has been
erected by the Messrs. Macaulay and several hundred persons in the
town and neighbourhood are constantly employed in weaving linens and
cottons or the manufacturers of Belfast and other places. From
its situation on Lough Neagh this place has every possible facility
of communication by water with Belfast, Newry, Antrim, and
other towns. Fairs are held on the first Monday in every month for
horses, cattle, and pigs ; and a constabulary police force is stationed
in the town. Petty sessions are held once a fortnight.
There
is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with
the Synod of Ulster.
