Grange civil parish, Co. Armagh

GRANGE, a parish, partly in the barony of O'NEILLAND WEST, but chiefly in that of ARMAGH, county of ARMAGH, and province of ULSTER, 2 miles (N) from Armagh city on the road to Belfast (Co. Antrim); containing 4132 inhabitants. This parish which was formed out of the parish of Armagh in 1777, comprises, according to the Ordnance Survey 6795 1/4 statute acres, of which 2411 1/2 are in O'Neilland West and 4383 3/4 in Armagh.

The land is generally good, and well cultivated; there is a considerable quantity of bog. There are quarries of excellent limestone and freestone, from which latter the stone is raised to the restoration of Armagh cathedral. A considerable quantity of linen cloth is woven here, and there is an extensive bleach green at Alistragh.

The principal seat is Castle-Dillon, the splendid residence of Sir Thomas Moylneux, Bart., near whose extensive and richly wooded demesne is an obelisk 60 feet high, erected by the Right Hon. Sir Capel Molyneux Bart., in 1782, to commerate the passing of some acts securing the independence of the Irish parliament. Here also are Drumsill, the residence of the Misses McGeough; Alistragh of R. M'Bride Esq., the grange of M. Pringle, Esq.; and the Glebe House of the Rev. C. W. Lyne.

The living is a perpetual cure, in the Diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Dean of Armagh. The curate has a stipend of £100, paid by the dean, with the glee house, a large and commodious building surrounded by a fine plantation, and a glebe comprising 37 3/4 acres, the two latter valued at £100 per annum.The church is a handsome edifice, built in 1779 of compact limestone, with a square tower and octagonal spire.

In the R.C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Armagh, and has a small plain chapel.

The parochial school is situated near the church, and is aided by an annual donation from the incumbent; two schools for females are aided by the dean, the incumbent and Miss McGeough; and a national school is aided by an annual donation of £20 from Lord Charlemont, who also built the school-house; they afford instructio nto about 270 children. The late Rt. Hon. Sir Capel Molyneux, Bart., bequeathed a rent-charge of £30, on the Castle-Dillon estate to the poor Protestant housekeepers of this parish which is distributed by the incumbent.

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