BALLYMONEY

In 1868, the parish of Ballymoney contained the following places:

"BALLYMONEY, a parish and market town in the baronies of Upper Dunluce and Kilconway, in the county of Antrim, and in the liberties of Coleraine, in the county of Londonderry, province of Ulster, Ireland, 31 miles to the N.W. of Antrim, and 140 miles from Dublin. It is a station on the Northern Counties railway. The parish, which is very extensive, is situated in a fertile and cultivated district containing some coal and ironstone, on the east side of the river Bann. It is the seat of a considerable linen manufacture, and has also a large and important trade in corn, butter, and provisions. The provision market was established in 1790, and the corn-market in 1820. Large quantities of butter are exported to Liverpool. Other branches of industry are soap and candle making, tanning, and brewing. There is a distillery and a tobacco manufactory. The town contains, according to the census of 1861, 484 inhabited houses, with a population of 2,599, of whom 463 belong to the Established Church, 780 are Roman Catholics, 1,257 Presbyterians, 59 Methodists, and 40 of all other persuasions. Thus it would appear that above two-thirds of the inhabitants are Protestants. The town contains a court-house, a bridewell, two banks, the Union poor-house, and a dispensary. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Down, Connor, and Dromore, of the value of £907, in the patronage of the bishop. The church, erected in 1782, stands near the ruins of an older one. The Roman Catholics and Presbyterians (of two sections) have chapels in the town. There are several endowed and other schools. Quarter and petty sessions are held, and a chief police station is established here. Ballymoney is the seat of a Poor-law Union. The chief residences are-O'Hara Brook, Leslie Hill, Ballynacre, &c. The market is held on Thursday, and fairs on the 6th May, the 10th July, and the 10th October."

"STRANOCUM, a village in the parish of Ballymoney, in the barony of Upper Dunluce, county Antrim, province of Ulster, Ireland, 5 miles N.E. of Ballymoney. It is situated on the river Bush. Stranocum House is the principal residence. Fairs are held on 20th April and 29th December."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018