Samuel Molyneux

Edited by Robert M. Young

Journey to the North, August 7th, 1708

1. Journey to ye North

August 7th, 1708.

Left Dublin, and came in 3 hours and 1/2 to Bellough, a small village, thro' a very flat, open corn Countrey, good cawsey Roads, passing thro' Santry and Swords, which Last is a Borough, and seems to have been a place of some Antiquity, for severall old Ruins that are here, and, among others, of one of the old round Steeples, which stands near the church. Having dined at Bellough, we went on thro' the same kind of Countrey, and much about the same time thro' Balruddery, Julianstown, Bridge on the Nanny water (which boards the County of Meath from Dublin) to Droghedagh. Droghedagh is a pretty Large town, Larger Houses, and every way liker Dublin than any one I have seen in Ireland. It stands on the famous River Boyne, which is navigable within Walls to Boats of 40 or 50 ton. Its Walls and Fortifications are very old and out of Repair, having suffered much, as have also most of the Houses then standing, in its Siege by O. Cromwel. Here is, on the South side the River, on a height which commands the Town, and from whence you have a fair Prospect of it, a remarkable Danes' Mount, as it seems to have been, but to which there are now built 5 or 6 half Bastions of Stone Work, with a Ditch round it, by Cromwell, as they Relate. From Drougheda we  p.153 went up the River Boyne, on the North side, to Nouth in two hours. About half way up you pass by ye Remarkable Foard where was performed the famous Pass of the Boyne. Here yet remains a broad Foard or two; and on t'other side the River the Ruins of the Irish battery, which, with a few Sculls, are the only marks of this happy place of action.

2.

Sunday.
having spent the morning at Knouth, after Dinner, Cousin S. Dopping and I went on cross the country, in about three hours, to Ardee. The way is mostly in the County of Louth, fine open sheep-walk, all hills and Dales, making from a height a most pleasant prospect, such variety of fine risings, with some few scattered inclosures and Gentlemen's Houses everywhere presenting themselves. Ardee is a compact little Town — a Burrough — and seems to have been once a place of Good strength, for the many strong old castles and Double walls it has. From thence, three hours more Brought us to Dundalk, an ugly Town, and, I think, remarkable in nothing but for an extraordinary good Inn here, as good as most in England.

3.

Monday
We designed for Ardmagh, and went 16 mile towards it, mostly on the very wild mountains, The Fews. These Mountains are of a Boggy, heathy Soile, the Road thro' them of a Rocky Gravel; in all this way meet but one house, and nothing like Corn, Meddow, or Enclosures. We baited on them at the Second House, which is called black Ditch, where is also a small foot Barrack, but without any Soldiers. Here was miserable Entertainment, not so much as tolerable Grass within two mile of 'em. From hence two or three miles brings you to the End of the Mountains, and then you enter into a pleasant Enclosed Corn Countrey, which in 5 or 6 miles brings you thro' very new made Roads to Ardmagh.

Ardmagh is a very pretty Town and Burrough situated on a Hill. The Cathedral, which is yet in the same place where St. Patrick first fixed his See, stands at the highest part of the Town, and from whence you have all round you a very beautifull prospect of as well an Improved and enclosed Countrey as can be. The choir of this Cathedral has been Lately rebuilt and much adorned by the Dean Drelincourt, who has wainscotted and painted it all at his own cost, so that it is now, I think, handsomer than any in Dublin. Here is also a very handsome free School now building, and good Barracks. Cousin Dopping was this Evening Sworn a Burgess of ye Town, and I was complimented with my freedome.

4.

Tuesday
We went to my estate at Castle Dillon, and so to Legacorry, which is a very pretty Village belonging to Mr. Richardson. From hence Mr. Chichester, a Relation of my Lord Donnegall's, invited us to dine with him at the house where he lives, belonging to one Mr. Workman, within half a mile of Portadown, [space left blank] miles from Ardmagh. Mr. Workman shewed us here vast plantations of Fir Trees of all different ages from the seed. They thrive here mighty well, and this Gentleman makes a considerable Gain in this way. After Dinner we proceeded on our journey towards Belfast, where Mr. Chichester promised to accompany us. We passed thro' Portadown, a pretty village situated on the River [space for a word left blank] , and where  p.154 so many protestants were drowned in 41 Rebellion by the Irish. Here our hoses passed over in a wherry, the Bridge which they were then a-Building, very Large and handsome, being not yet finished. From hence we went on thro' a mightly pretty English-like enclosed countrey, and well planted with Large Trees, to Mr. Brownlow's Town, Lurgan, [space left blank] miles from Ardmagh, situated within half a mile of the South Banks of Lough Neagh. This Town is at present the greatest mart of Linnen Manufactories in the North, being almost entirely peopled with Linnen Weavers, And all by the care and cost of Mr. Brownlow, who on his first Establishing the trade here, bought up everything that was brought to the market of Cloath and lost at first considerably; but at Length the thing fixing itself, he is now by the same methods a considerable Gainer. This Gentleman is more curious than ordinary, and has by him several old Irish Manuscripts which he can Read and understand very well. He shewed me one in Parchment of the Bible (as I remember), pretended to be written by St. Patrick's own hand, but this must be a Fable. This Gentleman is not satisfied about the Petrifying Quality of Lough Neagh waters, and seems rather to esteem the Stones found on its Banks to be lapides sui Generis than Petrifactions. Having Supped with him we lay at an Inn.

5.

Wednesday
We went together towards Lisbon. About 2 or 3 miles from Lurgan is a village called Maherlin, where liveth the Bishop of Dromore. Here I stopped to a visit to my old Tutor, Mr. Redman, who lives with his Uncle Cuppaidge, Minister of the Place. From hence, I followed 'em, and passed by Moyragh, a fine seat belonging to Sir Arthur Royden's Family, Leaving Warrenston and Hillsborough to the Right, thro' the fine Improved County of Down, which, with Ardmagh, are the finest Counties in the North, to Lisbon, [space left blank] miles. Here we designed to have waited on the Bishop of Down, who lives within a small mile to the Town; but he being not at home, we spent our Time in viewing the Miserable Ruines of the Late Fire which happened here, and not a house in the Town Escaped. If the story of the Phoenix be ever true, sure 'tis in this Town. For here you see one of the beautifullest Towns perhaps in the 3 kingdoms — all Brick houses, slated, of one bigness, all new, and almost finished, rising from the most terrible Rubish that can be Imagined. When I stood in the Church Yard, I thought I never had seen so dreadfull a Scene before, all round me the church burnt to the Ground, The tombstones all cracked with the fire. Vast Trees that stood round the Church Yard Burnt to Trunks. Lord Conway (to whom this town belongs) — his House, tho' at a distant from all the rest of the Town, burnt to Ashes, and all his Gardens  p.155 in the same condition, with the Trees in the Church Yard. 'Tis scarcely conceivable such dismall Effects should arise from so small a cause and in so short a time as they relate. Only Some Turf Ashes thrown on a Dunghill, which a brisk Wind blowing towards the Town raised and threw on the Shingles of the next house, which, being like Spunk, by a long Drought of Weather which had then happened, took fire, and the Wind continuing what it had begun, the whole Town, in half an hour, was irrecoverably in Flames, insomuch that this accident happening whilst they were at Church on a Sunday morning, by 4 the fire was extinguished, And not a house and but a few of their Goods Remained in being. Its Rise is likely to be as suddain as its fall. Lord Conway has renewed all the Leases, for a year or two, Rent free; gives them as much Wood as they please to cut of his own Woods, which are near, and obliges them to build Regular, so that if the story of the Phoenix be ever true, sure 'tis in this Town. This Town was formerly the greatest Linnen manufactory of the North before the Fire; now much removed to Lurgan and other adjacent places. However, I do not doubt but when 'tis quite rebuilt, 'twill be rather in a more thriving condition than before. From hence we went on [space left blank] miles to Bellfast, thro' a Countrey, all the way from Ardmagh, Extreamly pleasant, well Improved, and Inhabited by English. Belfast is a very handsome, thriving, well-peopled Town; a great many new houses and good Shops in't. The Folks seemed all very busy and employed in trade, the Inhabitants being for the most part merchants, or employ'd under 'em, in this Sea Port, which stands, conveniently enough, at the very inner part of Carrickfergus. Thro' the Town there Runns a small Rivulet, not much better than that they call the Glibb in Dublin, which, however, is of great use for bringing their goods to the Key when the Tide serves. Here we saw as Dismall Effects of another Fire as that in Lisbon, which here, in the night, had Lately burnt a house belonging to the Lord Donnegall's Family (whose Town this is), with three Young Ladys, sisters to the present Earl. It stands seperate from the Rest of the Houses, which as it prevented the Flames going further, so it cut of timely Relief in the midst of courts and gardens, which are an Extreamly noble old Improvement, made by old Sir Arthur Chichester, who was, about 100 years ago, the Establisher of this Family, and Indeed of the whole Kingdome, Especially the North, by planting English Colonies, and civilizing the Irish. These Improvements are all Inclosed in a kind of Fortification, being Designed for a place of  p.156 Strength as well as Pleasure, and is a lasting Monument of this kind of the greatness of its founder. Here we saw a very good manufacture of Earthen Ware, which comes nearest Delft of any made in Ireland, and really is not much short of it. 'Tis very clean and pretty, and universally used in the North, and I think not so much owing to any Peculiar happiness in their clay, but rather to the manner of beating and mixing it up. Here they have Barracks for [space left] we lay here this night, And the next day —

6.

Thursday —
Dined with the Soveraign, Mr. McCartney, where we were made free of the Town. After Dinner we went on towards Carrickfergus, about two or three mile from Town. We struck off from the Road, which runs all Long the Sea, to view a Park here belonging to the Lords of Donnegal. Here they carryed us up a pretty high Hill, where is a very pleasant Fountain, well shaded with Trees, and from whence you have a very fine Prospect of Carrickfergus, the Bay, and Belfast, which from hence makes a very good shew. Returning to the Road, about half way to Belfast, we parted with Mr. Chichester, and continued our journey to Carrickfergus.

7.

Friday
Carrickfergus is a place of good natural strength, situated on a Rocky Promontory which runs out into the Sea; not so big, clean, or thriving a Town in any wise as Belfast. It has litle in't remarkable but Lord Donnegall's monument in the Church, which is very rich and great; the great Castle belonging to the Crown, and a most noble old house of Lord Donnegall's Family built by Sir Arthur Chichester, Extreamly great and noble, but wanting the Gardens at Belfast, which, were they joyned, would make beyond comparison the finest Improvement in Ireland. It has a fine situation fronting the Bay, all the Grandeur and regularities of a modern building, and shews the great spirit of the builder; but What he set up is now making hast to fall to the Ground. From Carrickfergus we went thro' a wild country in about 4 hours to Antrim; we passed thro' Castle Norton, a small village.

Antrim is a pretty good Town situated on the North East Banks of Lough Neagh. It enjoys a considerable Linnen Trade at present. Here Lord Mazarreen has a pretty good house, and good Improvements about it, where he lives. We saw there the Largest piece of Lough Neagh Stone that I have ever seen; 'twas as thick as one's body, Irregularly shaped, perfectly like ye Root of a Tree, the Trunk and Small branches of the Root Loped off. This piece, not only for its bigness and shape, but also for the grain of it too, appeared the most like Stone of any I have seen. His Lordship assures me there are several such like sticking in ye Banks of the Lough, and that he does not doubt but that this Lough has this petrifying  p.157 Quality; nay, that he could have shewn me, had he been at Antrim when I was there, a piece of which half is a Stone, and half is yet perfect Wood. Mr. Maclean, Minister of the Town, gave me here certain Stones of a whitish Brown Colour, of a gritty Substance, much the biggness and shape of a Potatoe, save that they all have litle perturbance, by which, he assures me, they stick in the Banks of this Lough near the surface of the Water, the rest standing clear out, and that they there are found to grow till their Weight, and the Water washing away the Earth where they stick, they fall to the bottome. Of these stones the Arch Bishope of Dublin gave me several before, and related the account of them.

Having seen in the minuts of the Dublin Society and account of Fish called Dolleyn, a sort of Herring or Trout peculiar to this Lough (which is also mentioned in Giraldus Cambrensis Topog. Hiber., I Inquired for it At Antrim, but could not get the sight of one, tho' this was the Season of Catching them, and they told me there had been several Boat Loads brought in there the Market Day before, but were bought up for drying. From Antrim we went to Shane's Castle — Mr. O'Neill's — a very antient building about one mile from Antrim, situated on the very banks of Lough Neagh, so near that it and ye Garden Walls are washed by the Water, and from hence arrived in 4 or 5 hours thro' a miserable, wild, Barbarous, boggy countrey, to as bad a Lodging in a poor Village called Maghereoghill.

8.

Saturday
Having Passed the Night but ill, we were Soon on our journey, and arrived early thro' a wild, open Countrey at Ballymony — a pretty, clean, English-like Town belonging to the Earl of Antrim, who has here in possession a prodigious scope of Land, I believe of some 30 or 40 miles in Length. Here we tooke a Guide to the Gyant's Cawsey. The Land about it, & particularly the head Land under which it Lyes, is very good Sheepwalk, and lies very high, so that you have from hence, as indeed you have from most of the hills in this Easterly part of the North, a fair prospect of several parts of Scotland and the Isle of Man. You go down to the Cawsey by a very narrow path along the side of the Hill. I carryed along with me the print of the Cawsey after Mr. Sandys' Draught from the Philosophical Transactions, as also Dr. Molyneuxe's Discourse of it in a Letter to Dr. Lister, also in the Transactions, and compared them both on the place as strictly as I could. The Draught is pretty well as to the Cawsey itself, bit not so Exact in the face of the Hill and the Organs or Loomes as it should be; and indeed it does not repressent ye Cawsey itself to run from the Hill so as it does. I think it would be as necessary and usefull to have a plan of it as well as a prospect as for the account on't in Dr. Lister's Letter.

Having taken a sufficient view of the Gyant's Cawsey, we mounted again in order to go to Colrain. We rid here a good way along the North Shore on great sands, where I am  p.158 told are Warrens of a prodigious Length of Excellent Rabets. About three mile from ye Cawsey you come to a Fameous old place called Dunluce. This was an old Castle, formerly the seat of ye Earls of Antrim. Its situation is very romantick and out of the way. 'Tis built on a Large Rock, Entirely separated from the Land. It has been a vast Large Pile, and covers the whole Rock, so that you can spit out of most of ye Windows into the Sea, which is a Vast depth under you. However, the Natural or Artificial hollows in this Rock are such that I am told the sea beats into all the Cellars. In high tides 'tis Entirely surrounded with water, but the precipice by which 'tis divided from the shore is so terrible that this Castle seemes to me innacessible on all sides at the Lowest water, and was certain when in Repair a most inexpugnable place to the Instruments of War used in those dayes. They tell you here that one part of the house and Rock which hung over the sea, being the Kitchin and part of the Great Hall, fell down during a great Entertainment into the Sea, and Several Persons were lost. The only passage into it was by a Bridge over that precipice, of which there now Remains only one wall to go over by; but it was too windy weather when I was there to Venture this Passage without ye help of a Rope stretched across to hold by. The Court belonging to this house is on the Land, but I could not observe any remains of Gardens or Grown Trees, nor do I think it possible to have any such in this bleak situation. From hence 2 hours 1/2 brings you to Colrain, which is a good, large, compact, well-built Town, sittuated on the Fine River Bann. It looks like a clean, pretty Town as you go thro' it, but the Inn in which we Lay was the most drunken, Stinking Kennel that ever I smelt or saw. About a small mile up the River is the Famous Fishery of Colrain. This has nothing Extraordinary in its Contrivance, and has been wholly to an accident that it was ever made. There is here a fall in the River, and a Gentleman in the neighbourhood having occasion to bring Down some Timber down the River, makes at this fall Cut of a matter of 10 or 20 foot over, to Let his Timber down. The Cut Remains, and the Salmons, at those seasons of the year they go up and down the River, finding this the most Easy passage, Come up and Down in great Shoals, which the Fishermen observing, built here a Wire Enclosing some 40 foot in Length of this Cut, and with some Fish-boats that Fish at the River's mouth, takes the vast quantity of Fish that is here taken, which I think is not owing to any peculiar artifice in the Fishery, but the Love the Fish have to that water, and the great Quantity of Waters that are above, the whole River, which is no small one, much Larger than the Liffey, from Colrain to the great Lough Neagh, the whole Lough itself, and several Rivers that run into it. In the high season of the year the Fish pass here in such Shoals that the whole cut will be sometimes so full the Fish shall force one another above water. Insomuch that in one day (which the Bishope of Derry has) there have been taken sometimes to the value of 400l, and we were assured 'tis actually sett for 200l per Annum. From a Hill the Road here passes over going to Derry we have a fine Prospect of the River and Town below the Road, and of a pretty Improvement of one Mr. Jackson's joyning the Town. This River has between Colrain and the Lough two very narrow falls, which in Winter do not Discharge near so much water as the Rains make, which causes the Lough to overflow some 1,000s of Acres. This might be helped, I hear, for 5 or 6,000 pounds, so as to make the River navigable also to the very Lough to boats of 30 or 40 Ton.

9.

Sunday.
From this to near Newtown, which is half-way to Derry, is all a most Excellent, new, artificially-made Cawsey in dismall, wild, boggy mountains. It runs for Some miles in an Exact Straight Line, and it makes a pretty figure to see a work so perfectly owing to Art and Industry in So wild a place. 'Twill cost 600l. We arrived at Newtown Lemnavaddy, where Mr. Connelly lives, in about 4 hours. Newtown is a very clean, English-like Town, a Burrough, well planted with English and Scotch Inhabitants. Mr. Connelly is here building a Park, which will be Extreamly beautifull and well watered by the River that runs thro' the Town, which Mr. Connelly told me will sometimes swell so as entirely to cover a Bridge over it in this place, which I could not Esteem Less than 30 foot from the Water. There is here gathered a kind of black Slate on the Rocks of Magilligan, which they tell me is found to be an Excellent Medicine in Several disorders. Some other Natural Curiosities are here talked of, but none very Remarkable. They tell you of Solomon's Porch, which by the description I could Learn to be no more than an odd figured Rock on the sea shore; of a clock maker in this Countrey that has made several attempts for the Perpetual Motion; of Mr. MacSwyne's Gun in County Donnegal, which, as I hear, is a hole in the Cliffs of the Rocks from whence there constantly issues a Considerable noise And wind by the beating of the waves below, Insomuch as to be able sometimes to return with considerable violence a Stone when you throw it down into it. They shewed me here some very round Stones found in great Quantityes in a Hill called Bullet Hill, in ye C. Derry. At Mr. Connelly's we stayed all Monday.

10.

Tuesday.
We were Invited to Dine with Major General Hamilton, who lives at a place called [space left blank] within 2 miles of Newtown, on the Road to Derry. Mrs. Hamilton here told me of a very famous Well in Enishowen, in C. Donnegall, which is a Vast Peninsula of Land between Loughfoile and Swilly, all belonging to [space left blank] called Mallinwell. Here the sick come from all parts to be cured by going into it, yet has the Waters of it no particular virtue, for it seems to be only a hollow in a Rock where one may sit and Let the Waves beat clear over you. However, the Coldness of the water has surely had good effects. She told me that she had been in't several times, but has not found much benefit. From hence, we went, after Dinner, thro' a good, pleasant countrey, and a small village called Muff, to Derry. Almost all the way from Colrain to Derry you travell on the Land belonging to the Corporations of London, to whom it was given by Patent for planting Colonyes and building these two Towns. From Newtown you have the great Bay called Lough Foile to the Right; and here, as we travelled, it being Low Water, we saw the great shell Banks which last for 6 or 8 mile here, and are in no likelyhood of being Exhausted, tho' the Boats are continually at work to carry them away for Manure. This being almost the only Manure used within 30 mile from Scotland, they would willingly give a Boat of Coal for as much Shells, but these are more valuable.

11.

Wednesday.
Derry is situated of a steep hill formed by a Turn in the River Foile, which half surrounds it, and washes the suburbs for a great way; it is here so great a River that they have not yet made a Bridge over it.

It so [happens] that there is no getting into the place from Colrain but by Boat, of which there are one or two constantly in use. However, the Town spreads, so that there are a few good houses got on Colrain side the River.

Derry is a good, Large, Compact, well-built Town. The old houses have Suffered much by the Siege of it, as well as ye Inhabitants by the Famine caused there. Yet I am assured, by Persons then in the Town, that this much talked of Siege ammounted to no more than a firm blockade. The Irish army Lay Incamped on opposite Hills at one side, while a Boom stretched across the River hindred help from abroad. Neither do I hear that [there] were ever any regular aproaches made but once, when they took a Small height, which indeed commands the Town at the side called Wind Mill hill; and even this they had not in possession, but were repulsed in 6 hours' time. However, the Artificial strength of this place is so litle, the Wall and Ditch so old and out of repair, and so ill provided with Artillery, rather in a worse condition than Galway or Lymerick, that I could scarce believe any Army could appear before it without reducing it. As to ye Famine, upon enquiry they tell me that there were Indeed no provisions to be bought or gotten in the Town for a Considerable time, so that all the Strangers who had come in to take Sanctuary there, were reduced to miserable difficulties; but the settled people of the Town, who foresaw things, and had opportunities of Laying Stores in beforehand, were in a much more Easy Condition. The compactness of this Town and Colrain I take to be owing to their having been built at once by the Londoners. They have a handsome, well-adorned Cathedral Church here, built on the Ruins of their old Cittadel; a good, handsome Town House, built by King William and Queen Mary; and also a handsome Large Free School, with a good house for the Master, and a Large Chamber above for a Library. This is now building; when Finished, the Books will be placed in't, which are a Collection of Divinity and Cannon Law Books, with some History, given by William, Late Lord Bishope of Derry, now Bishope of Dublin. The Houses are many of them good, new-built houses. Since the Siege, however, it does not seem to be a place of much business, Riches, or Trade. Severall of the Inhabitants have several litle pretty Improvements near the Town, particularly the Dean of Derry. Dean Bolton shewed me a place of his called [space left blank], about two miles from Town, which is pretty enough, and lyes halfway to Culmore Fort, which we went to view, or rather its Ruins, being entirely rased; in the Rubbish there are yet two or three pieces of Cannon. This Fort stood on the Banks of the River, nearer the sea than Derry, at a narrow part, so as to command the Passage. The Boome was stretched very near this place, nearer the Town, under the Cannon of the Fort; however, they found means to break thro' it, and thereby Relieved the besieged. We Lay in Derry at Mr. Norman's, an Ingenious man, An Alderman of the Town, and were Civilly Entertained at the Bishope's and Dean's. We Stayed here till Thursday.

12.

Thursday.
After Dinner we went along the Fine River Foile, thro' an open sort of Countrey, for about 4 hours, and arrived at Liffard, which is a very nasty, ugly Town, the County Town of Donnegall. Across the River lyes Strabane, which is Somewhat better Town in Tyrone, belonging to Lord Abercorn, who has here something of the Linnen Manufacture.

13.

Friday.
We left Strabane; two hours brought us to Newtown Steward , a small village belonging to Lord Mount Joy; two more, thro' a very woody Countrey, to Omagh, which is but a small ordinary Town For the County Town of Tyrone. From hence, thro' a wild Countrey enough, to Clogher. Here we lay at the Bishop's house, tho' he was abroad. This is a Burrough, but a most miserable one, having not above three or four houses in it, and not even the remains of any one, tho' 'tis certainly a very antient See.

14.

Saturday.
Left Clogher, and came in about four or five hours by a Short way thro' the miserablest wild uncultivated mountains that can be seen to Monaghan, which is a very pretty, thriving Village — a great many new and handsome houses. Sir Alexander Cairns, to whom the Town and adjoyning Estate belongs, has a very pretty Improvement making near the Town. Round Monaghan is a very pleasant Improved well Inclosed Countrey. From hence we went to Castleblaney, which is a Small Village and Seat belonging to the Lord Blaney, in a pleasant woody Situation near a fine Lough, Here we lay at a Tolerable Inn. From hence,

15.

Sunday,
Thro' Ardee to Knouth, and from thence,

16.

Tuesday,
Home.

@article{E700002-002,
  editor 	 = {Robert M. Young},
  title 	 = {Journey to the North, August 7th, 1708},
  journal 	 = {Historical notices of old Belfast and its vicinity},
  address 	 = {Belfast},
  publisher 	 = {Marcus Ward \& Co., Limited, Royal Ulster Works},
  date 	 = {1895},
  pages 	 = {152–160}
}
 E700002-002.bib