NEWRY

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

"NEWRY, a parish, post and market town, and parliamentary borough partly in the barony of Newry and Upper Orior, county Armagh, but chiefly constituting the lordship of Newry, in the county of Down, and province of Ulster, Ireland. The town is a seaport of importance and a parliamentary borough, 18 miles S.E. of Armagh, and 63 from Dublin. It is situated on the Newry Navigation, which commences at Fathom and goes on to Enniskillen and Belturbet. It has stations on the Newry and Enniskillen railway and on the Warrenpoint and Rosstrevor line. It consists of two detached districts lying along the Newry river, or canal. The surface is mountainous and boggy, but the soil for the most part good. The highest summit among the Newry mountains is 1,385 feet above sea-level. The prevailing rocks are granite and porphyry. The living is a vicarage in the exempt jurisdiction of Newry and Mourne, value £400. The church was built in 1811 by W. Needham, Esq., Sir Trevor Corry, Earl Kilmorey, and General Needham. There is likewise a chapel-of-ease, which was formerly the parish church, also several Presbyterian, Wesleyan Methodist, and Roman Catholic places of worship, and numerous schools, including the model school. Among the numerous residences in the parish are Mount Kearney, Ellenvale, Ashgrove, Loughorne House, Glenvale, Temple Hill, Greenwood Park, Ashton, Fathom Park, and Derrymore House. The two portions of the town are connected by several bridges. The modern part of Newry, called the Low Ground, consists of a collection of houses and streets, and the whole place has been much improved of late years. Among the public buildings are the Roman Catholic chapel of Dromore, the townhall, market-house, court house, bridewells, three commercial banks, a savings-bank, custom-house, barracks, assembly rooms, dispensary and fever hospital. At the N. end of the town stands a monument to Trevor Corry. The trade of Newry is very important, as it ranks among the first seaports of Ulster, and has as its sub-ports Warrenspoint, Ardglass, Killileigh, Killough, Newcastle, and Quail. The principal exports are grain, provision, eggs and cattle, and the imports fruit and timber. It contains several corn and flour mills, distilleries, breweries, and tanneries, also gas and water works. The Newry Examiner and the Commercial Telegraph are published in the town, which enjoyed many privileges. Among those retained is the jurisdiction of Newry and Mourne, which invests the lord of the manor with absolute episcopal power over that district. This peculiar custom arose in the foundation of an abbey in 1175 by Maurice M'Loughlin, King of Ireland. In 1543 Henry VIII. turned the abbey into a collegiate church, which was suppressed by Edward VI. and given to Sir Nicholas Bagnal, who converted it into a residence. In 1689 the Duke of Berwick, when retreating before Schomberg, set fire to the town and made much havoc. Charters of incorporation were obtained in the time of James I. and James II. The corporation consisted of a provost, free burgesses, and commonalty, but is now governed by a corps of 21 commissioners. It sent two members to the Irish parliament before the Union, and now returns one representative to the imperial parliament. Quarter and petty sessions are held in the town. The Earl Kilmorey takes the title of viscount from hence. Newry gives name to a presbytery containing Annalong, Castlebellingham, Clark's-Bridge, Cremore, Donoughmore, Drumbanagher, Dundalk, Kilkeel, Kingsmills, Markethill, Mountmorris, Mourne, Newry, Newtown, Hamilton, Pointz Pass, Ryans, Tullyallen, and Warrenspoint. The Newry Poor-law Union contains 22 electoral divisions in the counties Armagh and Down. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday are market days. Fairs are held on 3rd April and 29th October."

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