MIDDLETON

In 1868, the parish of Middleton contained the following places:

"MIDDLETON, (or MIDLETON), a parish, post and market town, in the barony of Imokilly, county Cork, province of Munster, Ireland, 12 miles E. of Cork. It is a station on the Cork and Youghal railway. The parish is 2½ miles long by 2 broad, and contains, besides the larger part of the town of Middleton, the village of Ballinacurra. The surface consists generally of a fertile soil. It is traversed by the road from Cork to Waterford. The town is situated between the rivers Curra and Lewis, on an inlet from Cork harbour, called the river Middleton, or Anachora, here crossed by a stone bridge, and on the road from Cork to Waterford. It consists of one main street, with several smaller ones branching from it. The houses are generally of neat appearance. Middleton was formerly a parliamentary borough chartered in the time of Charles II., and returned two members to the Irish parliament till the Union, when it was disfranchised. It has a thriving trade, chiefly in corn, and there is a large distillery. The principal buildings are the market-house, court-house, bridewell, assembly rooms, fever hospital, dispensary, and union poor-house. There is a chief police station. General sessions are held in June and November, and petty sessions once a fortnight. The living is a rectory and vicarage in the diocese of Cloyne, value £708, in the patronage of the bishop. The church was rebuilt in 1825 by the late Board of First Fruits. It is situated in the town, and has a spire. There are two Roman Catholic chapels, one of which is in the town, besides the Convent of the Presentation with a large school attached. The public free school or college was founded in 1709 by Lady Elizabeth Villars. There are several day schools in the parish. Cahirmore Castle, formerly a seat of the Fitzgeralds, is now the residence of Lord Middleton's representative. This place was formerly called Castrachore, from Castre ni chore, i.e. "castle of the ford." A Cistercian abbey was founded here in 1182, and granted, together with Castleredmond, to the Broderick family in 1670, to whom Middleton gives title of viscount. Remains of the old church are seen here, likewise ruins of an hospital and the ancient Castleredmond. Middleton is the head of a Poor-law Union, containing 21 electoral divisions in county Cork. Saturday is market day. Fairs are held on 14th February and May, 6th July, 10th September and October, and 22nd November.

"BALLYNACORRA, a village in the baronies of Barrymore and Imokilly, in the county of Cork, province of Munster, Ireland, near Middleton.

"CARRIGSHANE, a hamlet in the barony of Imokilly, in the county of Cork, province of Munster, Ireland, not far from Middleton, and the north-eastern extremity of Cork harbour."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018