INVER,
a parish, in the barony of LOWER BELFAST, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, adjoining the post-town of Larne,
and containing 953 inhabitants.
This
parish is situated on the Larne water, and on the shore of Larne Lough,
and is bounded on the east by the sea. It is said to have been at a
very early period the site of a priory, of which the only remains are
the present parish church. During the disturbances of 1798, many of
the insurgents made their escape to this place after their defeat in
the battle of Antrim.
It comprises,
according to the Ordnance survey, 1773 statute acres, which are generally
in a state of profitable cultivation; there is neither bog nor waste
land. Inver Lodge is the seat of G. Whitla, Esq.; and
Inver House, of Archibald Barklie, Esq. Here are some very
spacious flour-mills, and adjoining them are extensive premises for
bleaching and finishing linen cloth, of which 30,000 webs are annually
bleached, exclusively of large quantities finished in their brown state.
Iron-stone abounds, but is not worked, though every facility of conveyance
is afforded by a safe harbour and good quay room.
The living
is a vicarage, in the diocese of Connor, forming part of the
union of Carrickfergus and of the corps of the deanery of Connor;
the rectory is impropriate in the Marquess of Donegal. The tithes
amount to £70, of which £40 is payable to the impropriator
and £30 to the vicar. The church, formerly that of the priory,
has been so disfigured with plaister, as to have lost all originality
of character; it has been appropriated to the perpetual curacy of Larne,
in the patronage of the Dean.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions the parish forms part of the union or district
of Larne and Carrickfergus. About 70 children are taught in the
national school at Ballysnood.
There
are the remains of a small fort on the banks of the river, near the
church.
