Churchtown

CHURCHTOWN, or BRUHENNY, a parish, in the barony of ORRERY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 3½ miles (N. by W.) from Buttevant; containing 2795 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the road from Buttevant to Liscarrol, and contains 7029½ statute acres rated to the county cess, and valued at £6334. 16. 11. per annum. The land is generally good, and mostly in pasture; and agriculture is improving. Some bog, limestone, and a reddish-coloured marble are found here. The principal seats are Burton House, originally built by Sir Philip Perceval, destroyed in the war of 1641, rebuilt by the late Earl of Egmont, and now the residence of the Rev. Matthew Purcell; and Churchtown House, the residence of the Rev. F. W. Crofts. The village contains several neat slated houses, a good inn, and a constabulary police station. A court for the manor of Burton, which includes several parishes, is held once in three weeks, in which debts not exceeding 40s, late currency are recoverable.  The greater part of the parish is the property of the Earl of Egmont, who takes his title from the townland of Egmont, within its limits. 

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Cloyne, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £550. The church is a plain building with a square tower; and the spire, which was thrown down about three years since, has been rebuilt by a grant of £258 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. There is no glebe-house, but a glebe of 12 acres. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Liscarrol: the chapel is a neat cruciform building, and is about to be improved. There are two private schools, in which are about 80 boys and 30 girls; and the Earl of Egmont intends to build one at Churchtown, capable of accommodating 700 children, which will be placed tinder the National Board.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.