Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

YOU
prietary of 30 shareholders of 5 guineas, who also an-
nually subscribe half a guinea each; the subscription
for non-proprietors is a guinea, and it is open to stran-
gers on introduction by a proprietor, on payment of
half a crown monthly; the number of volumes is
about 800, exclusive of a copy of Rees’s Cyclopœdia,
presented by the Duke of Devonshire. There are two
public reading-rooms, one in the Mall-house and the
other in the national school-rooms, both well furnished
with English and Irish newspapers, periodicals, and
works of reference. The Youghal Literary and Scien-
tific Institution, for the diffusion of knowledge by lec-
tures on subjects capable of practical illustration, was
founded in 1833, and is supported by annual subscrip-
tions of half a guinea each, which entitle the subscriber
and his family to admission to the lectures: a library
and museum are in course of formation. Balls and
concerts are held during the summer season at the
Mall-house. A savings’ bank has been established, and
a large and handsome building, in which the business
is now conducted, was erected in 1831, the expense of
which was defrayed from the accumulated surplus
fund: the management is remarkably good and the
deposits numerous. On an eminence north of the town
are infantry barracks for the accommodation of 6
officers and 180 men.
The woollen manufacture was formerly carried on
here to a considerable extent, but has long since been
discontinued; that of porcelain and fine delf was like-
wise carried on for a time: but the only manufactures
at present are those of bricks, of which some of a very
fine quality are sent coastwise to Cork; a coarse kind
of pottery made for the use of the neighbourhood, and
an extensive rope-manufacture. A large porter and ale
brewery was established at the northern end of the town
by Messrs. Deaves and Eustace, the machinery of which
is of the most improved kind; a malting concern is con-
nected with it. Messrs. Keays and Messrs. Ronayne have
each establishments for the purchase and export of sal-
mon in ice; the annual amount of export is valued at
about £2500. At the north end of the town is a quarry
of good clay-slate, used as building stone, which pro-
duces an abundant supply; it is the property of the
corporation, who generously give it to the quarry men
working it, by whom the produce is disposed of to great
advantage. The trade of the port is very considerable,
especially the coasting trade; it consists chiefly of the ex-
port of agricultural produce and the import of coal, culm,
timber, Staffordshire ware, porter, and groceries for the
supply of the neighbourhood. In 1835 there were sent
from this port 156,653 barrels of oats, 12,827 of wheat,
and 16,973 of barley, 13,123 sacks of flour, 832 harrels of
rye, 8593 firkins and 419 kegs of butter, 641 sacks of
biscuit, 2190 bales of bacon, 6429 live pigs, 866 head
of cattle, 434 sheep, 40 hogsheads of lard, 613 gallons
of whiskey, and a large quantity of dried salmon. The
number of vessels that cleared outwards was 420 with
cargoes and 46 in ballast; and the number that entered
inwards was 459 with cargoes of coal, culm, and tim-
ber, and 26 in ballast. The number of vessels regis-
tered as belonging to the port was 28, of the aggregate
burden of 2998 tons, of which two were engaged in the
foreign trade: the duties paid at the custom - house
amounted to £561. 15. 2.
The harbour is safe and commodious, and at spring
727
YOU
tides is accessible to vessels of 500 tons’ burden;
ships not drawing more than 12 feet of water may ride
afloat off the town; but there is a bar across the en-
trance, extending about a mile to the south, on which
are only five feet at low water, and thirteen feet at high
water of neap tides; the sea is consequently rough
when the wind blows on the shore or against the tide.
The quays are extensive and commodious, and on one
of them is the custom-house, a building well adapted
to its purpose; but Youghal being only a creek to Cork,
most of the large vessels discharge at the latter port.
Here is a coast-guard station, consisting of one officer
and nine men under a resident inspecting commander,
forming the head of the district of Youghal, which com-
prises the subordinate stations of Helwick Head, Ard-
more, Knockadoon, and Ballycotton. The market is
daily, but the principal market is on Saturday, which
is large and well supplied, particularly with fish, meat,
and vegetables; and a fair is held on Ascension-day.
There is a convenient market-place for butchers’ meat
and another for fish. A mail coach from Cork to Water-
ford passes through the town every evening, and another
to the latter city is despatched every morning; besides
which, there are several stage coaches every day to
Cork.
The earliest charter to Youghal on record, exclu-
sively of those of a temporary nature, is that of the 49th
of Edw. III., directing that the dues hitherto paid at
Cork for certain staple articles should henceforward be
paid in the port of Youghal. Another charter of the
2nd of Edw. IV. granted to the sovereign and provosts
the cognizance of pleas to any amount, both real and
personal, and appointed the sovereign clerk of the mar-
ket, with power to regulate the weights and measures
and the assize of bread, also escheator and admiral of
the port, which was made a petty limb of the cinque
points of Ireland. A charter of the 2nd of Rich. III.
changed the titles of Sovereign and Provosts into those
of Mayor and Bailiffs, and incorporated the town by
the name of “the Mayor, Bailiffs, Burgesses and Com-
monalty of the Town of Youghal,” with cognizance of
all pleas real and personal, and a court of record every
Friday, the freemen to be free of tolls throughout En-
gland and Ireland, and the corporation to have the
customs and cocquet from the headland of Ardmore
and Capell island to the island of Toureen. The charter
of the 12th of Hen. VII. granted the corporation a ferry
at Youghal and a mease of herrings from every fishing
boat. That of the 7th of Jas. I., which is considered
to be the governing charter, after confirming all the
privileges in former grants, and licensing two weekly
markets andtwo fairs, granted a corporation of thestaple,
as in Dublin, the retiring mayor and bailiffs to be mayor
and constables of the staple for the ensuing year;
the mayor, deputy mayor, recorder, and bailiffs to be
justices of the peace and of oyer and terminer for the
borough, and for the county of Cork; and licensed the
mayor to have a sword borne before him. The charter
granted by Jas. II., in the fourth year of his reign, is
not considered valid. The borough appears to have ex-
ercised the elective franchise by prescription, as, though
no notice of that privilege appears in any of its charters,
it continued to send two members to the Irish parlia-
ment from the year 1374 till the Union, since which
period it has returned one member to the imperial par-