Newtown

NEWTOWN, or NEWTOWN-FARTULLAGH, a parish, chiefly in the barony of MOYCASHEL, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, but partly in the barony of FARTULLAGH, on the mail road from Dublin to Athlone; containing, with part of the post-town of Tyrrell's-Pass, 2752 inhabitants. It is bounded on the west by the river Brosna, and comprises 8318½ statute acres, of which 6520 are applotted under the tithe act: on the north and east is a great extent of bog, and there is a tract of marsh near the river. The land, which is of a light quality, is partly in tillage, and partly laid out in large grazing farms: limestone gravel is found here. The seats are Newforest, the residence of H. Daniel, Esq.; and Cornahir, of the Rev. Chas. Vignolles, D.D. Newtownloe, formerly the residence of the Low family, is now in ruins. On the western side of the parish are the villages of Ballingore and Newtownloe, and on the eastern side is that of Killevally.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Meath, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £237. 6. 1½. The glebe-house was built in 1818, at an expense of £1147, of which £323 was a gift, and £415 a loan, from the late Board of First Fruits: the glebe comprises 41½ statute acres, valued at £26 per annum. The church, a neat structure in the Gothic style, was completed in 1834, at a cost of £1370, of which £1000 was a gift from the late Board, and the remainder was defrayed by the present incumbent, the Rev. Chas. Vignolles, D.D. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Castletown, and contains the chapel of Raheenmore. At Tyrrell's-Pass is a meeting-house for Methodists. About 60 children are educated in the parochial school, which is partly supported by the rector; and about 50 are taught in two private schools.

In the Split hills is a spring remarkable for its great depth and the purity of its water, from which emerges a small stream; and near the old family mansion of the Lows are the remains of an ancient fortress with a circular tower. See BALLINGORE, KILLEVALLY, and TYRRELL'S-PASS.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.