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jury,” similar to that which existed in Armagh; and in
the year 1821 the surviving members of that jury
elected a portreeve. From that time meetings have
been held annually, at which a portreeve, town-clerk,
and other officers have been elected, and burgesses and
freemen admitted; and since 1827, the lord-lieutenant
has ratified the portreeve’s election. The borough court,
granted by the charter to be held weekly, under the
presidency of the portreeve, with jurisdiction in personal
actions not exceeding five marks, having fallen into
disuse, has been renewed by the new corporation.
Courts leet and baron for the manor of Charlemont are
held by the seneschal in the town of Moy, in May and
November, and their jurisdiction extends over a wide
district.
The agriculture of the surrounding district is in a
progressive state of improvement: there is some good
peat bog, and coal also is said to exist. The principal
seats in the vicinity are Church Hill, the residence of
Col. Verner; the Argory, of W. M c Geough Bond, Esq.;
and Clonfeacle glebe-house and demesne, occupied by
the Rev. H. Griffin, all of which can be seen from the
town. The living, which was created in 1830, is a per-
petual curacy, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the
patronage of the Rector of Loughgall. The new parish
or district comprises the townlands of Charlemont,
Corr, and Donavally, with Anagh M c Manus, Keenahan,
Ahinlig, Lishloshly, Kinnego, Mullaghmore, Termacran-
non, Anasamery, and Clenmaine. The church is a
handsome structure, resembling in front one of the
grand altars of York Minster; it was built and conse-
crated in 1833, by His Grace the Lord-Primate, and
contains a handsome monument to the late Mrs. Jack-
son. Divine service is performed in two school-houses
in the district, and on every alternate Sunday in the
barrack for the military, by the perpetual curate. There
is neither glebe-house nor glebe; the income of the
perpetual curate is an annual money payment from, the
rector of Loughgall. The Wesleyan Methodists have a
chapel in the town. The male and female parochial
school was built in 1821, near the church, by the Board
of Ordnance and the inhabitants; it is supported by
subscription. Summer Island male and female school,
with a residence for the master, has an endowment of
£7. 10. from Col. Verner. Clenmaine, school is supported
by subscriptions; and Kinnego school, built and sup-
ported by W. Parnell, Esq., is situated on the College lands.
About 100 boys and 90 girls are educated in these
schools, besides which there are a barrack and a hedge
school, in which are about 80 boys and 40 girls, and
three Sunday schools. There are some remains of the
fortifications at Legerhill, from which Duke Schomberg
bombarded the town, and of a Danish rath. A curious
gold ring, and a gold cross, studded with gems, and
said to have belonged to Sir Teague O’Regan, have
been discovered here; also, a few years since, a body
almost in a complete state of preservation, with the
clothes and spurs perfect. In the museum of Messrs. W.
& J. Jackson there, is a rare collection of minerals,
petrifactions, coins, and other relics found in and near
the town. Charlemont gives the title of Earl to the
family of Caulfeild.
CHARLESTOWN, a village, in the parish of KIL-
BRIDE-LANGAN, barony of KILCOURSEY, KING’S county,
and province of LEINSTER, adjoining the town of Clara:
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the population is returned with the parish. This place is
situated on the road from Farbane to Kilbeggan, and
was formerly the seat of an extensive linen trade, for
the management of which a linen-hall was established.
The village consists of about 40 houses, and had a
patent for two annual fairs and a linen market weekly
on Monday. Adjoining it is the castle of Kilcoursey,
once a place of great strength, which gave name to
the barony. In the vicinity are also Cloghatana, the
old residence of the Fox family; Ballynamintan and
Marshbrook, the ancient seats of the Mars family;
and Kilfylan, the residence of an ancient branch of the
De Berminghams.
CHARLESTOWN, a parish, in the barony of ARDEE:,
county of LOUTH, and province of LEINSTER, 2 miles
(N. by W.) from Ardee; containing 1407 inhabitants.
This parish is situated on the road from Ardee to Mo-
naghan; and comprises, according to the Ordnance sur-
vey, 2699½ statute acres, of which 1797 acres are ap-
plotted under the tithe act and valued at £2870 per
annum. The land is very fertile, and the system of
agriculture much improved: there is some bog, which
supplies the inhabitants with fuel, but very little waste
land in the parish. A few individuals are employed
in weaving linen; but the principal part of the popula-
tion are engaged in agricultural pursuits. There are
some quarries of stone fit for building, but none of lime-
stone. Rahanna, the seat of Clarges Ruxton, Esq., is
in this parish. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese
of Armagh, united by acts of council, in 1737 and 1754,
to the vicarage of Tallanstown, and the rectories of
Philipstown, Maplestown, and Clonkeehan, which five
parishes constitute the union of Charleslown or Philips-
town, in the patronage of the Lord-Primate; the rectory
is impropriate in the Hon. Baron Foster. The tithes of
the parish amount to £271. 17. 6., of which £234. 17. 6.
is payable to the impropriator, and £37 to the vicar:
the amount of tithes for the union, including glebe,
payable to the incumbent, is £476. 15. 4. The church,
a handsome edifice in the later English style, with a
tower and spire, together 108 feet high, was erected in
1827, at an expense, exclusively of the spire, of £1385,
a loan from the late Board of First Fruits: the spire was
added at an expense of £220, defrayed by the Rev. R.
Olpherts, the present incumbent, and several of the resi-
dent gentry. The churchyard is enclosed with a hand-
some iron palisade resting on a low wall of hewn stone,
towards the expense of which the lord-primate contri-
buted £50. The glebe-house, a handsome residence
within a quarter of a mile from the church, was built by
a gift of £250 and a loan of £550 from the late Board
of First Fruits: the glebe comprises seven acres of land,
valued at £3 per acre, but subject to a rent of £11.10. 9.
per annum, payable to the representatives of the late
Alexander Dawson, Esq. In the R. C. divisions the
parish forms part of the union or district of Tallanstown.
Adjoining the church is the parochial school-house, con-
taining two large school-rooms, each for 60 boys and girls
respectively, with suitable apartments for the master and
his family; it was built in 1827, chiefly at the expense oi
the Rev. R. Olpherts, aided by a grant from Government
and some charitable donations: the master, in addition
to other contributions, receives £10 per annum from the
incumbent. There are some remains of the ancient pa-
rish church.
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