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WELLS

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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

"WELLS, a parish partly in the barony of West Idrone, county Carlow, and partly in that of Gowran, county Kilkenny, province of Leinster, Ireland, 2 miles from Leighlinbridge, which is partly included in this parish. It is situated on the river Barrow, and has a remarkable moat at Ballynochen. The soil is good, and there is a slats quarry. Near the village are the remains of a monastery and an ancient cross. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ossory, Ferns, and Leighlin, value £370, in the patronage of the crown. There are two churches and several Roman Catholic chapels. Fairs are held on Ascension Thursday and on the 11th December."

"LEIGHLINBRIDGE, a post, and market town in the parishes of Agha and Wells, in the barony of East Idrone, county Carlow, province of Leinster, Ireland, 8 miles S. of Carlow and 57 from Dublin. It is situated on the bank of the river Barrow, and contains Wells parish church, a Roman Catholic church, and school. A bridge of nine arches was thrown across the river in 1320. Corn and butter constitute the principal articles of export. There are a police station and a dispensary, which latter is within the Carlow Poor-law Union. A Carmelite friary was founded here by the Carew family in the time of Henry III., of which some remains exist. It was destroyed by Rory Oge O'More in 1577, and was stormed by Ireton in 1649, having been fortified by Lord Deputy Bellingham, to whom it was granted at the Suppression. There are traces of a castle built in 1181 by John de Clavill, near the bridge, called the Black Castle; also of a fort called the White Castle, built by Gerald, Earl of Kildare, in 1408. Mondays and Saturdays are market days. Fairs are held on Easter Monday, 14th May, 25th September, and 27th December."

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