Drumbo

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, 1837

DRUMBO, or Drumboe, a parish, in the barony of Upper Castlereagh, County Down, four miles from Lisburn, on the River Lagan, and on the old road to Belfast.

Twelve townlands of the ancient parish having been lately annexed to Drumbeg, it now comprises 9629 statute acres, chiefly arable, with a very small proportion of woodland, and, except lands belonging to gentleman who farm their own property, in a very indifferent state of cultivation, though lately much improved: there is a large tract of bog.

The weaving of cotton is carried on for the manufacturers of Belfast; and at Edenderry is a bleach-green.

The Lagan opens a communication with Belfast, Lisburn, and Lough Neagh.

Belvedere House (Image: Belfast Live)

The principal seats are Edenderry, the residence of W Russell; Edenderry House, of C Dunlop; Belvedere, of A Durham; New Grove, of J Russell; and the elegant lodge and greater part of the demesne of Purdysburn, the splendid residence of Narcissus Batt.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Down, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £517.

The glebe house was built in 1816; the glebe comprises 6½ acres.

Drumbo Presbyterian Church (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

The church, a handsome Grecian edifice with a lofty tower surmounted by a copper dome, was erected in 1788, by subscription, aided by a grant of £500 from the Board of First Fruits, a donation of 150 guineas from Mr Hull, of Belvedere, and of 100 guineas from the Marquess of Downshire.

There are places of worship for Presbyterians, Independents, and Methodists.

Ballymacbrennan schoolhouse (Image: Belfast Telegraph)

Nearly 600 children are educated in the several public schools of the parish; that at Purdysburn was built at the expense of Mr Batt, who supports the school and also provides residences for the master and mistress, who have about 150 pupils; and the master of a school at Ballymacbrennan receives £20 per annum from the trustees of Erasmus Smith's fund, and has an acre of land given by the Marquess of Downshire.

There are also six private schools, in which there are about 400 children.

Giant's Ring: image of a painting in the Welch Collection/NMNI

Not far from the parish church is the Giant's Ring, a circular entrenchment enclosing more than eight plantation acres, perfectly level; in the centre of the enclosure is a large cromlech, or Druids' altar, consisting of seven upright stones supporting a table stone of nearly circular form and sloping towards the east: the land is now let, and the earthwork is being removed for the purpose of cultivation.

Drumbo ca 1830 (historic OS map).  Click to enlarge

In the burial ground close to the supposed site of the ancient church was an abbey, said to have been founded by St Patrick, and of which St Mochumna was the first abbot; there is also an ancient round tower.

Drumbo Round Tower (Timothy Ferres, 2024)

In the parish are eight large raths, the most conspicuous of which, on the summit of Tullyard, is constructed of earth, loose stones, and vitrified substances, similar to the cairns of Scotland.

It is supposed by some writers that there was anciently a fortified town here.