DESERTLYN

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

"DESERTLYN, a parish in the barony of Loughinsholin, in the county of Londonderry, province of Ulster, Ireland, containing part of Moneymore, its post town. It is situated on the road from that town to Coleraine, and at the foot of Slieve Gullion, which attains an altitude of 1,730 feet above sea-level. The soil is various, and there is a large tract of bog. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Armagh, value £510, in the patronage of the archbishop. The old church is at Moneymore, and was built in 1766 by the late Board of First Fruits. The present one was built in 1832 by the Drapers' Company. There is a Baptist meeting-house, also a Sunday and four or five day schools. Coal and limestone occur, but are not worked."

"MONEYMORE, a small market and post town in the parishes of Artrea and Desertlyn, in the barony of Loughinsholin, county Londonderry, province of Ulster, Ireland, 32 miles S.E. of Londonderry, and 110 from Dublin. It is a station on the Belfast and North Counties railway, and is situated on the road from Armagh to Coleraine. The town, which is very old, consists of two chief streets, composed of well-built houses. It belongs, with considerable portions of the adjoining parishes, to the Drapers' Company. It contains the parish church of Desertlyn, a Norman structure; a Roman Catholic chapel; Methodist and Presbyterian meeting-houses. There are schools of the Drapers' Company and the Church Education Society. The town also contains a market-house, linen-hall, police station, and a dispensary, which is in the Magherafelt poor-law union. Petty sessions are holden at frequent intervals. The linen trade and the adjacent quarries employ many hands. Moneymore House and Spring Hill are the chief scats in the vicinity. Some remains exist of a castle which was taken in 1641 by the O'Nials, and removed in the year 1700. Monday is market day. Fairs are held on the 21st of every month."

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