Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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that was advancing from Duncannon fort to strengthen
the garrison of the latter place, the insurgents moved
upon that also, and the garrison made a hasty re-
treat to Waterford. At the same time a camp was
formed at Vinegar hill, in the immediate vicinity of
Enniscorthy, which was the head-quarters of the insur-
gent army during its short existence. The possession
of Wexford gave occasion to the slaughter of many of
the loyalists who had not been able to effect a timely
escape, and also of several of the prisoners brought in
from time to time; nor were these atrocities without
their counterpart in the excesses of the royalist soldiery.
At the commencement of hostilities Beauchamp Bagnal
Harvey, Esq., a Protestant gentleman of the county,
who had long signalised himself as an advocate of the
people, and an enemy to the severe measures of the
Irish government, was chosen general. A few days
after the occupation of Wexford, the insurgents attacked
the town of New Ross, but after ten hours hard fight-
ing they were repulsed on all sides with considerable
loss. Shortly afterwards Harvey was superseded, and
the command was given to a Roman Catholic clergy-
man named Roche. The royal forces which had been
collecting from various parts now made a simultaneous
attack, from all sides on the position at Vinegar hill,
which was taken with little difficulty, and the main
body of insurgents forced to retreat. The re-capture
of Wexford immediately followed, and a fresh torrent
of blood was poured forth in the punishment of num-
bers engaged in the rebellion, which was thus termi-
nated in this district, except in the lingering efforts of
detached parties.
The county, with the exception of parts of two pa-
rishes (which are in the diocese of Dublin), is entirely
within the diocese of Ferns, and in the province of
Dublin. For civil purposes it is divided into the baro-
nies of Ballaghkeen, Bantry, Bargy, Forth, Gorey, Sca-
rawalsh, Shelbourne, and Shelmalier. It contains the
ancient episcopal town of Ferns; the borough and
market-towns of Wexford and New Ross; the market
and post-towns of Gorey, Enniscorthy, Newtownbarry,
and the disfranchised borough of Fethard; and the
post-towns of Arthurstown, Broadway, Clonegal, Ca-
molin, and Taghmon, the last of which was anciently a
borough, as were also Clonmines and Bannow. The
penny posts are Ballycarny, Bannow, Bridgetown, Dun-
cannon, Kyle, and Oulart. It sent eighteen members
to the Irish parliament, two for the county at large, and
two for each of the boroughs of Wexford, New Ross,
Gorey, Enniscorthy, Taghmon, Fethard, Clonmines, and
Bannow; but since the Union its representatives in the
Imperial parliament have been two sent by the county
and one for each of the boroughs of Wexford and New
Ross. The county members are elected at Wexford.
The county constituency, up to the 5th of Jan. 1837,
consists of 456 £50, 284 £20, and 2227 £10 free-
holders; and 21 £20 and 244 £10 leaseholders; making
a total of 3234. The county is included in the Leinster
circuit: the assizes are held at Wexford; general sessions
of the peace are held twice in the year at each of the towns
of Gorey, Wexford, Enniscorthy, and New Ross; and
petty sessions are held, at various intervals, at each of
the above towns and at Newtownbarry, Burkestown,
Clonroche, Duncormuck, Killinick, Oulart, and Tagh-
mon. The county gaol is at Wexford, and there are
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bridewells at New Ross, Gorey, and Enniscorthy. The
local government is vested in a lieutenant, 16 deputy-
lieutenants., and 81 other magistrates. The number of
constabulary police stations, in 1834, was 36, having
unitedly a force of 7 officers, 39 constables, and
170 men, with 8 horses. The district lunatic asylum
is at Carlow, the county infirmary and house of indus-
try at Wexford; there are fever hospitals at Wexford,
New Ross, Gorey, Enniscorthy, Arthurstown, Castlebo-
rough, Oulart, and Newtownbarry, in each of which
places there is a dispensary, as also at Taghmon, Kilea-
van, Bannow, Broadway, Ferns, Bridgetown, Killenagh,
Skreen and Ardcolme, and Clongeen and Newbawn:
the dispensaries are maintained by Grand Jury pre-
sentments and private subscriptions in equal propor-
tions. The Grand Jury presentments for the year 1835
amounted to £29,039. 13. 11¼., of which £2548. 2. 2.
was for roads and bridges, being the county charge;
£9070. 2. 5¾. for roads and bridges, being the baronial
charge; £9425. 5. 5½. for public buildings, charities,
officers’ salaries and incidents; 4113. 10. 11½. for the
police, and £3882. 12. 10½. for repayment of advances
by Government. In the military arrangements the
county is in the eastern district, and within its limits
are barracks at Wexford, New Ross, and Duncannon,
for cavalry, artillery, and infantry; the whole capable
of accommodating 18 officers and 372 men.
This district is much detached from the rest of
Ireland, having the sea on its eastern and southern
sides, the estuary of the Suir and the river of Ross
along the greater part of its western border, the re-
mainder of which and the northern side are hemmed in
by a lofty range of mountain land, through which there
are but few lines of communication. The mountains
on the side of the county of Wicklow extend from Slieve-
buy, a beautiful conical hill covered with verdure, to the
valley through which the Slaney flows, dividing this
part of the range from the still more extensive and lofty
chain of Mount Leinster and the Black stairs, three re-
markable pointed summits of which are distinguished
by the names of the “Leaps of Ossian’s Greyhounds.”
Except on the confines, there are no high or extensive
ridges of mountains, but the surface is diversified with
many single hills of considerable height, and, towards
the north, the mountain of Forth forms a less elevated
ridge of about 500 feet above the level of the sea, ex-
tending 5 or 6 miles in a north-eastern and south-west-
ern direction. The general surface between these hills
does not expand into large plains: the land declines
from the primitive mountains on the north towards the
sea in unequal elevations, and, where the depositions of
alluvial substances are considerable, the surface has a
beautifully waving outline, and is enlivened by numer-
ous gently winding streams. The Slaney, which tra-
verses the northern and eastern part, presents a succes-
sion of highly picturesque views, beautifully ornamented
with remains of antiquity, and with modern mansions,
villas, and plantations. The scenery on the Barrow, in
the vicinity of New Ross, which is marked by grander
features, can scarcely be surpassed. The southern
baronies of Bargy and Forth, which are shut out from
the remainder of the county by the Forth mountain,
consist of low land that owes its attractions more to
human labour and ingenuity than to the gifts of na-
ture. The entire county presents nothing meriting the
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