Dunmurry

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF IRELAND, 1837

DUNMURRY, parish of Drumbeg, barony of Upper Belfast, County Antrim, on the river Glenwater, and road from Belfast to Lisburn, nearly midway between these two towns.

Dunmurry ca 1830 (Image: historic OS map)

This place, which takes its name from two Danish forts, or raths, in its immediate vicinity, was formerly the parish of Ballygosh, which soon after the Reformation was annexed to that of Drumbeg.

Its ancient name has been superseded by that of the village which has been erected, and which is beautifully situated in a sequestered and fertile vale, and remarkably neat.

Dunmurry (Image: W A Green/NMNI)

On the Glenwater are two bridges, one at the village, an ancient structure, and the other, over which the Dublin road passes, a noble pile of two arches of freestone, quarried on the spot.

The surrounding hills being richly planted add greatly to the beauty of the scenery, which is also embellished with several handsome seats, of which the principal are SEYMOUR HILL;

Woodbourne (Image: eBay)

 WOODBOURNE; Dunmurry House [demolished]; Suffolk [demolished]; Glenville; and Collin House [demolished].

Dunmurry (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

In the village are some extensive flour mills, worked partly by water and partly by steam, and ttached to them are large stores for grain and malt kilns.

THE church of Ballygosh has long since disappeared, and the rectorial tithes of the two townlands which constituted the parish were granted by JAMES I to Sir Arthur Chichester, and the vicarial tithes to the incumbent of Drumbeg.

There is a place of worship for Presbyterians, formerly in connection with the General, but now with the Remonstrant, Synod of Ulster.

On Collin mountain, to the north-west of the village, is a very conspicuous cairn of considerable extent; it consists of small stones piled together in a conical form, and is now almost covered with green sward.

First Dunmurry Presbyterian Church (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

FIRST DUNMURRY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,  (described as "Meeting-house" on the historic map above) is almost certainly the oldest building in Dunmurry.

Circa 1906 (Image: Ebay)

The congregation of Dunmurry's first Presbyterian church was established in 1676, and a meeting-house was erected on a nearby site, of which no trace remains.

A second place of worship was built in 1714, and a date stone at the back of the building, inscribed with “Anno Christi, 1714, R Georgy RJ,” could be from the original meeting house.

The mural plaque over the left entrance door declares that it was built in 1719, presumed to be a painter's error, given that the present building was erected in 1779.

The architect of the present church is uncertain, though it's thought to have been Roger Mulholland, architect of First Presbyterian Church, Rosemary Street, Belfast, in 1783.

Rev James Stouppe, Minister from 1772-80 (Timothy Ferres, 2022)

A stained-glass window in the front elevation, in memory of John McCance JP (1816-63) and his brother Henry McCance JP DL (1829-1900), was erected in 1900.

McCance memorial window

First published in July, 2022.