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Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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ARM<br />

from the perpendicular and will be restored to their<br />

original position, was concealed by a rude encasement,<br />

with a view to strengthen them; and many of the cor-<br />

bels, enriched with emblematical sculpture, were covered<br />

with thick coats of plaister. Among other ancient de-<br />

tails that had been long hidden is a sculpture of St.<br />

Patrick with his crosier, in a compartment surmounted<br />

with shamrocks, which is perhaps the earliest existing<br />

record of that national emblem; and another of St.<br />

Peter, with the keys, surmounted by a cock, discovered<br />

in the wall under the rafters of the choir. There are<br />

several splendid monuments, of which the principal are<br />

those of Dean Drelincourt, by Rysbrach; of Primate<br />

Robinson, with a bust, by Bacon; of Lord Charlemont,<br />

who died in 1671, and of his father, Baron Caulfield.<br />

The ancient monuments of Brian Boru or Boroimhe,<br />

his son Murchard, and his nephew Conard, who were<br />

slain in the battle of Clontarf and interred in this cathe-<br />

dral, have long since perished. The church, which was<br />

made parochial by act of the 15th and 16th of Geo. III.,<br />

cap. 17th, occupies a commanding site; it is 183½ feet<br />

in length, and 119 in breadth along the transepts.<br />

To the east of the cathedral and Mall, on an eminence<br />

in front of the city, is a new church, dedicated to St.<br />

Mark: it is a handsome edifice in the later English<br />

style; the interior is elegantly finished; the aisles are<br />

separated from the nave by a row of arches resting on<br />

clustered columns, from the capitals of which spring<br />

numerous ribs supporting a handsome groined roof.<br />

This church, which is indebted for much of its decora-<br />

tions to the munificence of the present primate, was<br />

built at an expense of £3600, and contains about, 1500<br />

sittings, of which 800 are free. There are also six other<br />

churches within the union. In the R. C. divisions this<br />

parish is the head of a union or district, which com-<br />

prises also the parishes of Eglish and Grange, and forms<br />

one of the benefices of the primate: the union contains<br />

three chapels, situated at Armagh, Annacramp, and Tul-<br />

lysaren. The first was built about the year 1750, on<br />

ground held under different titles, the proprietors having<br />

successively devised a permanent interest therein to<br />

the congregation at a nominal rent; the building has<br />

of late been much enlarged and improved, but is still<br />

too small for the R. C. population; it is triple-roofed,<br />

as if intended for three distinct buildings, yet has a<br />

good effect. The places of worship for dissenters are,<br />

one built in 1722 with part of the ruins of the church<br />

and monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul, and having a<br />

substantial manse in. front, for a congregation of Pres-<br />

byterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, who<br />

settled here about the year 1670, and endowed with a first<br />

class grant of royal bounty; one for Seceders, built<br />

about the year 1785, and endowed with a second class<br />

grant; one for the Evangelical or Independent congre-<br />

gational union; one for Wesleyan Methodists, built in<br />

1786, with a comfortable house for the minister attach-<br />

ed, and situated near the spot where Mr. Wesley, in<br />

1767, frequently preached; and one near it for Primi-<br />

tive Wesleyan Methodists.<br />

The free grammar-school, to the south of the obser-<br />

vatory, is endowed with seven townlands in the parish<br />

of Loughgilly, comprising 1514 acres, and producing, a<br />

clear rental of £1377, granted in trust to the primate<br />

and his successors in 1627, for the support of a gram-<br />

mar school at Mountnorris: part of the income is<br />

VOL. I.—73<br />

ARM<br />

applied to the maintenance of several exhibitions at<br />

Trinity College, Dublin. The buildings occupy the four<br />

sides of a quadrangle, the front of which is formed by<br />

a covered passage communicating on each side with the<br />

apartments of the head-master and pupils; on the<br />

fourth side is the school-room, 56 feet long by 28<br />

broad, behind which is a large area enclosed by a wall<br />

and serving as a play-ground. They were completed<br />

in 1774, at an expense of £5000, defrayed by Primate<br />

Robinson, and are capable of conveniently accommodat-<br />

ing 100 resident pupils. A school for the instruction<br />

of the choir boys has been established by the present<br />

primate, the master of which receives a stipend of £75<br />

per annum, and is allowed to take private pupils. The<br />

charter school was founded in 1738, and endowed<br />

with £90 per ann. by Mrs. Drelincourt, widow of Dean<br />

Drelincourt, for the maintenance and education of 20<br />

boys and 20 girls, who were also to be instructed in the<br />

linen manufacture, housewifery, and husbandry. In<br />

that year the corporation granted certain commons or<br />

waste lands, called the “Irish-Street commons,” com-<br />

prising upwards of 8 statute acres, on which the school<br />

premises, including separate residences for the master<br />

and mistress, were erected, and to which Primate Boulter<br />

annexed 13 statute acres adjoining. The endowment<br />

was further augmented with the lands of Legumin, in<br />

the county of Tyrone, comprising about 107 acres, and<br />

held under a renewable lease granted in trust by Primate<br />

Robinson to the dean and chapter: the present annual<br />

income is £249. 8. 2. The primate and rector are trus-<br />

tees, and the officiating curate is superintendent of the<br />

school, in which only ten girls are now instructed in the.<br />

general branches of useful education; the surplus funds<br />

have been allowed to accumulate for the erection of pre-<br />

mises on a more eligible site, and it is in contemplation<br />

to convert the establishment into a day school for boys<br />

and girls. In 1819, Primate Stuart built and endowed<br />

a large and handsome edifice, in which 105 boys and 84<br />

girls are at present taught on the Lancasterian plan, and<br />

about 160 of them are clothed, fifteen by the dean, and<br />

the remainder principally by Wm. Stuart, Esq., son of<br />

the founder. The income is about £100 per annum;<br />

£31. 10. is given annually by the present primate and<br />

Mr. Stuart. The building is situated on the east side<br />

of the Mall, and consists of a centre and two wings, the<br />

former occupied as residences by the master and mis-<br />

tress, and the latter as school-rooms. There is a na-<br />

tional school for boys and girls, aided by a grant of<br />

£50 per ann. from the National Board of Education and<br />

by private subscriptions, for which a handsome build-<br />

ing is now in course of erection by subscription, to the<br />

east of the Mall, with a portico in front. In Callan-<br />

street is a large building erected for a Sunday school<br />

by the present primate, who has presented it to the<br />

committee of au infants” school established in 1835, and<br />

supported by voluntary contributions. At Killurney is<br />

a National school for boys and girls, built and support-<br />

ed by the Hon. Mrs. Caulfeild; and there are other<br />

schools in the rural part of the parish. The total num-<br />

ber of children on the books of these schools is 653,<br />

of whom 285 are boys and 368 are girls; and in the<br />

different private schools are 270 boys and 200 girls.<br />

The county hospital or infirmary is situated on the<br />

north-western declivity of the hill which is crowned by<br />

the cathedral, at the top of Abbey-street, Callan-street,<br />

L

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