Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

BOY
Ionic columns, and on the east is an entrance through
an orangery: the grounds are tastefully laid out, and
there are four grand entrance lodges leading into the
demesne, which comprises about 2000 statute acres,
richly planted. On the northern bank of the river, close
to the town, is Frybrook, the seat of H. Fry, Esq.; and
near the abbey is Abbey view, now occupied by the agent
of Lord Lorton. On the south side of the river is, Tan-
gier, the seat of Capt. Caleb Robertson; and about two
miles west of the town is Knockadoo, the handsome
residence of Owen Lloyd, Esq. Near Knockadoo is
Ballymore, the residence of the Rev. J. Elwood; and
about a mile to the east is Mount Erris, the seat of Capt.
Duckworth, commanding some fine views of Lough Key
and the adjacent mountains. The living is a vicarage,
in the diocese of Elphin, to which the vicarages of Tau-
nagh, Kilmacallane, Drumcollum, Kilross, Aughanagh,
Ballynakill, and Ballysumaghan, were episcopally united
in ]802, which eight parishes constitute the union of
Boyle, in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is
impropriate in Viscount Lorton. The tithes amount to
£313.16.10., of which £166.3. is payable to the impro-
priator, and the remainder to the vicar; and the tithes
for the whole benefice, including the rectorial tithes of
four of the above-named parishes, which form the corps
of a prebend held by the vicar, to £638. 6. 1½. There
are three churches in the union, situated respectively at
Boyle, Ballysumaghan, and Kilmacallane: the church
at Boyle serves for the town and parish] that at Bal-
lysumaghan serves also for the parishes of Kilross and
Ballynakill; and that at Kilmacallane for the parishes
of Taunagh and Drumcollum. The church of Boyle,
situated near the old park, is a spacious building, for
the repair of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
have granted £182; it was erected by aid of a loan of
£1000 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1818. The
glebe-house was built by aid of a gift of £100 from the
same Board, in 1805. There are two glebes; one in
this parish, comprising 20½ acres, and one in Kilmacal-
lane of 18a. 3r. 34p. Arrangements have been made
for forming this union into three benefices on its next
avoidance. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the
head of a union or district, comprising the parishes
of Boyle and Kilbrine; there are two chapels in the
town; and there are also places of worship for Wesleyan
Methodists and Baptists. There are six public schools,
of which a large girls’ school and an infants’ school are
supported by Lady Lorton: in these about 350 boys
and 330 girls receive instruction; there are also four
Sunday schools and ten private schools, in which are
460 boys and 380 girls. A charitable loan society was
established in 1824, under the patronage of Lord and
Lady Lorton, by which about £90 is weekly distributed
to the poor in small loans, to be repaid by instalments
with a trifling interest; a dispensary is supported in the
customary manner, and another is maintained by Lord
Lorton, for the poor on the Rockingham estate and its
vicinity.
The ivy-clad remains of the ancient abbey are situ-
ated near the river, and not far distant from the new
bridge; they consist of vestiges of the conventual build-
ings, dispersed in the grounds of Capt. Robertson’s seat,
and of the principal part of the church, of which the
nave, choir, and transepts, with the lofty and massive
central tower, are in good preservation: the nave, 131
220
BOY
feet long and 25 feet wide, is separated from the aisles
by a noble range of massive circular arches, supported
partly by circular and clustered columns, with richly
ornamented bases and capitals of various designs, be-
tween which are enriched corbels, from which sprang the
arches of the groined roof; the wall of the south aisle is
wanting, and the pillars stand exposed; some of the
clerestory windows are partly remaining, though con-
cealed by the thick ivy that crowns the irregular summit
of the range; the central tower is supported on four
massive columns, 48 feet high, of which the bases, for-
merly concealed by accumulated earth, have been cleared
by Capt. Robertson, and are beautifully ornamented with
various sculptured designs; of the arches, three are cir-
cular and the fourth pointed; the east window of the
choir is of the triple lancet form; and the prevailing style
of this once magnificent church is of the later Norman
passing into the early English: within the walls is a
tomb of the King family. To the north of the town is
the low ridge of the Curlew mountains, over which are
scattered numerous white cottages; and on which Sir
Conyers Clifford, governor of Connaught in the reign of
Elizabeth, was intercepted by O’Rourke, one of the petty
chieftains of the district, his detachment routed, and
himself slain. At Ardcarne, three miles to the east of the
town, commence the plains of Boyle, extending ten miles
in length and four in breadth, consisting of elevated lime-
stone, with an undulating surface of rich pasture lands
notedfor fattening oxen and sheep. About a mile from the
town, up the north bank of the river, on a knoll termi-
nating abruptly, are the remains of the old church of
Assylin, or Isselyn, which, from the extent of the ruined
walls, appears to have been a very spacious building;
around it is a large cemetery, which is still used as
a place of sepulture by the inhabitants of the town.
Below this spot the river rushes over the rocks with
great impetuosity. At a small distance was a ford,
formerly called Athdalaragh and now Ardagh, where
was anciently an abbey of Canons Regular, which be-
came the seat of a bishoprick, over which St. Comgallan
presided in the time of St. Patrick; the abbey existed till
1201. On the right side of the road to Lough Gara
is one of the largest cromlechs in Ireland; the table
stone, which has a considerable inclination, is 15 feet
long and 11 feet wide, and was formerly supported on
five upright pillars, of which one has been removed.
BOYSTOWN, or BALTIBOYS, a parish, in the
barony of LOWER TALBOTSTOWN, county of WICKLOW,
and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (S.) from Blessing-
ton; containing 3235 inhabitants. This parish is situ
ated on the Liffey and King’s rivers, and comprises,
with the chapelries of Granabeg and Kilbeg, about
20,000 statute acres, of which nearly two-thirds are
mountain, and the remainder is chiefly pasture land,
with a small portion under tillage. The system of agri-
culture is improving; there is an extensive tract of bog,
called Ballynahown, near Blackditches. At Baltiboys
is a good quarry of slate, which was formerly worked
to advantage, but is at present discontinued; and there
are quarries of granite at Ballyknocken, which are still
in operation. The surrounding scenery is bold and
mountainous, and there are several gentlemen’s seats,
among which, are Tulfarris, the seat of R. Hornidge,
Esq., which was partly burnt by the insurgents in 1798;
Baltiboys, of Lieut.-Col. Smith, who has recently erected