LAYDE,
a parish, in the barony of LOWER GLENARM, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER; containing, with the post-town of Cushendall,
4056 inhabitants.
This
parish, called also Cushendall, from its post-town, and Newtown
Glens, from its situation in the centre of the Glyns, was
the residence of the Mac Auleys of the Glyns, who joined the
standard of Mac Donnel at the celebrated battle of Aura,
in 1569, after which the combined armies spent some days in festivity
on the mountain of Trostan, on which they raised a cairn, still
called "Coslin Sorley Boy." According to the Ordnance
survey it comprises, exclusively of the Granges of Layde and Innispollan,
20,476 1/4 statute acres, one third of which is arable, and the remainder
chiefly in pasture; the surface is undulating and in some parts mountainous;
in the low grounds are some good meadow lands, the valleys are well
cultivated, and the mountainous districts afford tolerable pasturage.
Here are quarries of coarse free-stone and of white limestone, which
is burnt for manure. Salmon and many other kinds of fish are found
in the rivers, and on the coast of this parish, which is skirted by
the coast road from Belfast to
the Giants' Causeway, and is intersected by the royal military
road. On the former road is a splendid viaduct over the river Glendon,
which connects this parish with Culfeightrin and the barony
of Glenarm with that of Carey.
Mount
Edward is the residence of Gen. Cuppage; and Glenville,
of the Rev. W. McAuley.
The
living is rectory, in the diocese of
Connor, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount
to £235. 7sh.7 1/2 d; the glebe comprises 4 acres. A church
was built in Cushendall in 1800; but having gone to ruin another
was built in the town in 1832
In the
R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a Union or district, called
Cushendall, including this parish and Ardclinis,
and containing chapels at Cushendall and Redbay.
The
parochial school is partly supported by the rector; and F. Turnley,
Esq., has built a good school house for a national school. In
these and three other public schools about 840 children educated,
and about 45 are taught in a private school there are also four Sunday
schools, and a dispensary.
The
ancient church is in ruins, but the cemetery is still used. The poet
Ossian is said to have been born here.
