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MAG
by a storm in 1704, and lay in an unbroken column on
the ground; the doorway, in that portion which is still
erect, is towards the east and about 7 feet from the
ground. About a mile from the church are the re-
mains of a large cromlech, the table stone of which is
supported on three upright pillars; in a narrow lane to
the west is an upright stone, 13 feet high and having
5 sides; and in an adjoining field is a large block of
granite, capped with a conical stone of grauwacke.
MAGHERA, a market and post-town, and a parish,
in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDON-
DERRY, and province of ULSTER, 16 miles (S.) from
Coleraine, and 102 (N.) from Dublin, on the mail coach
road to Coleraine; containing 14,091 inhabitants, of
which number, 1154 are in the town. This place is
evidently of great antiquity, and though there is no
precise account of the original foundation of an abbey
for Canons Regular, said to have been established here
at a very early period, yet it is certain that the ancient
see of Ardstra or Ardsrath was removed, in 597, to
this town, which continued to be the seat of the diocese
till 1158, when it was united to the see of Derry, and
the cathedral church established in that city. The town
appears to have declined rapidly in importance after
that period, and few events of historical interest occur,
except occasional depredations during the insurrections
of the O’Nials, to whom the surrounding territory
belonged, and in the war of 1641, during which it was
burned by the insurgents under Macdonnell. In 1688,
the town, which had scarcely recovered from its former
devastation, was assaulted by the Irish adherents of
Jas. II., and the inhabitants were compelled to abandon
their houses and seek refuge in the city of Derry.
During the disturbances of 1798 it enjoyed comparative
tranquillity, and has since been gradually increasing in
extent and importance. It consists of one long and
spacious street, from which several smaller streets
branch off, and contains 210 houses, most of which are
modern buildings of stone roofed with slate and of
handsome appearance; it is a great thoroughfare, and is
amply supplied with excellent water. The inhabitants
are principally employed in agriculture and in the linen
manufacture, which is extensively carried on in the
parish; and at Upperlands is a bleach-green, in which
about 8000 pieces are annually finished for the English
and American markets; there are also numerous corn
and flax-mills on the different streams, of which the
Moyola forms part of the southern boundary of the
parish. The market, on Tuesday, is amply supplied with
all kinds of provisions; a market is also held on Friday,
chiefly for grain; and there are fairs on the last Tues-
day in every month for cattle, sheep, pigs, and pedlery.
The market-house, the property of A. Clarke, Esq., of
Upperland, is a large neat building, erected in 1833 on
a rising ground in the centre of the town; and over it is
a spacious room in which the petty sessions are held
on alternate Saturdays, and a manorial court monthly,
in which debts under 40?. are recoverable. Here is
also a chief constabulary police station.
The parish comprises, according to the Ordnance
survey, 24,791¼ statute acres, of which 22,056 are ap-
plotted under the tithe act, and valued at £10,650 per
annum. The greater portion is good arable and pasture
land; there is also some of inferior quality and a very
large tract of waste land and bog. The mountain dis-
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MAG
trict of the parish is very extensive and abounds with
grouse and every other kind of game. The system of
agriculture is improved, and the highlands afford excel-
lent pasturage for cattle. The vale of the Moyola and
the vicinity of the town are extremely productive; and
in the bogs are several fertile spots, called by the coun-
try people “islands,” which are in a good state of culti-
vation. Limestone, found on the estate of the Mer-
cers’ Company, is extensively quarried, and is productive
of great benefit to the neighbourhood. On the planta-
tion of Ulster, the lands of the ancient see of Maghera
were confirmed to the Bishop of Derry, and other
parts of the parish were also assigned by Jas. I. to
the Mercers’, Vintners’, Salters’, and Drapers’ Compa-
nies of London, who still retain possession of their
manors. The principal seats are Maghera House, the
residence of A. Clarke, Esq.; Fairview, of J. Henry,
Esq.; Rowens Gift, of Capt. Crofton; Upperland, of A.
Clarke, Esq.; Clover Hill, of R. Forrester, Esq.; and
the glebe-house, of the Rev. J. Spencer Knox. The
living is a rectory, in the diocese of Derry, and in the
patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to
£1015.7.7½. The glebe-house was built in 1825, at an
expense of £3077. 6., of which £1278. 2.2. was a grant
from the late Board of First Fruits, and the remainder
was defrayed by the incumbent. The glebe comprises
907¾ acres, valued at £651.10. per ann. The church,
a neat edifice of stone with a square embattled tower
crowned with pinnacles, towards which the same Board
granted a loan of £1363.6.2½., was erected in 1819; the
east window is embellished with stained glass, presented
by the lady of the late Bishop Knox. In the R. C. divi-
sions the parish is the head of a union or district, com-
prising also the parish of Killelagh and part of that of
Termoneeny; the chapel at Lamny is a plain modern
edifice, and there is also a chapel at Fallagloon, a hand-
some building with a campanile turret and bell. There
are places of worship for Presbyterians in connection with
the Synod of Ulster, of the first and second classes, and
for those in connection with the Seceding Synod, of the
second class. About 1000 children are taught in 16
public schools, of which the parochial schools, held in a
large building near the church, erected in 1821 at an
expense of £400, of which £100 was a parliamentary
grant and £125 was given by the Mercers’ Company,
are supported by the rector; a national school at Curran
is aided by Lord Strafford; two at Swattragh by the
Mercers’ Company; and one at Craigadick by the rector
and Mr. Clarke. There are also 15 private schools, in
which are about 550 children, and three Sunday schools.
A voluntary poor fund and a dispensary have been esta-
blished. The ruins of the old church are highly inte-
resting, and some portions bear marks of very remote
antiquity; over the west entrance is a representation of
the Crucifixion, rudely sculptured in high relief, with ten
of the apostles; and in the churchyard are the tomb
and pillar of Leuri, the patron saint, whose grave was
opened some years since, when a silver crucifix was
found in it, which was carefully replaced. About three
miles from the town is Doon Glady, a very large and
perfect rath, which gives name to one of the townlands;
it is encompassed with treble walls and a trench. There
are also several other raths and forts in the parish.
Numerous celts, swords, spear heads, and ornaments of
bronze and brass, have been found in the parish and