PORTGLENONE,
a market and post-town, and a district parish in the barony of LOWER
TOOME, county of ANTRIM,
and province of ULSTER, 32¾ miles (N. W) from Belfast
city, and 104 (N.) from Dublin city, on the road from
Ballymena to Castle-Dawson ; containing 6360 inhabitants,
of which number, 773 are in the town.
This
place is situated on the river Bann, which is navigable to
Lough Neagh ; the fords, which are now superseded by a bridge,
were regarded as one of the most important passes between the counties
of Antrim and Londonderry, on the confines of which
it is situated. The town consists principally of one long street,
and contains 148 houses, of which several are neatly built ; the inhabitants
carry on a small trade on the river by lighters, which bring up timber
and slates, and at the bridge there is a considerable eel fishery
; the weaving of linen is also carried on in the town and neighbourhood,
and large quantities are exposed for sale in the linen market, which
is held on the first Friday in every month. Fairs, chiefly for cattle
and pigs, are held on the first Tuesday in every month. A constabulary
police force is stationed here ; petty sessions are held on alternate
Wednesdays; and the manorial court of Cashel is held monthly,
for the recovery of debts not exceeding £5 late currency.
The
parish was instituted in 1825, by separating 21 townlands from the
parish of Ahoghill, with which
its acreable extent is returned in the Ordnance survey ; that part
which is on the Londonderry side of the river Bann, is called
Glenone ; on the other, Portglenone.
Portglenone
House, the residence of the Rev. Archdeacon Alexander,
occupies the site of an ancient castle of the O'Nials; and
Mount Davies, the present residence of Alex. McManus, Esq.,
was originally built by Col. Davies, about the year 1700, and
rebuilt in 1755 by the late Alex. McManus, Esq.
The
living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese
of Connor, and in the patronage of the Incumbent of Ahoghill
; the curate's stipend is £92. 6s. 7½d., of which £69.
4s. 7½d., is payable by the Incumbent of Ahoghill, and £23.
2s., from the augmentation funds in the hands of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners. The church, a neat plain edifice, was built as a chapel
of ease to the mother church of Ahoghill, prior to 1739, by the late
Bishop Hutchinson, who was interred under the chancel.
In the
Roman Catholic divisions the parish forms part of the union
of Ahoghill : the chapel is situated
at Aughnahoy, about a mile from the town.
There
are places of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod
of Ulster, of the third class, and with the Seceding Synod, of the
second class, and for Wesleyan Methodists.
About
600 children are taught in ten public schools, of which one is supported
by the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity, who pay the master £32
per ann. ; seven are under. the London Hibernian Society, and two
under the National Board. There are also three private schools, in
which are about 70 children ; and eight Sunday schools.
