Downings

DOWNINGS, a parish, in the barony of CLANE, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles (N. W.) from Naas, on the road to Edenderry; containing 1393 inhabitants. It is intersected by the Grand Canal, which passes through a large tract of bog extending into the parish, and has two bridges, called respectively Burgh's bridge and Bonner's bridge, where the summit level commences, which is estimated as having an elevation of 400 feet above the top of St. Patrick's steeple, Dublin, whence it proceeds to Ballyteague, a distance of four miles: there is a reservoir of 20 acres for the supply of the canal. The parish is mostly under tillage. The gentlemen's seats are Downings, the elegant residence of M. Bury, Esq., and Woodville, the seat of J. Bury, Esq.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kildare, the rectory forming part of the union of Kilcock, and the vicarage part of the union of Bridechurch: the tithes amount to £132. Divine service is performed in a house appointed by the bishop, once every Sunday and holy day. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Carogh. There are some slight remains of the old parish church.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.