Part 23 of Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752

Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752 (Author: Richard Pococke)

entry 22

On the 16th Mr. Hart treated me with great civility, invited me to spend the day, and sent his son Captain Hart

to show me the neat Chapel of Muff, and a pleasant view from a hill, from which among other things I saw Culmore Church: He accompanied me with great civility as far as the strand which crosses to Birt. I crossed that strand the southern side of which is bad, enter'd on it, two miles from Fatham or Fawn Dr. Ledwiches. On the other side of the Strand is a large Meeting house to which there was a great concourse of people from all parts being the Fast day before the Sacrament, and they had a sermon, to which they come fasting and afterwards take their repast. I went on three miles and passed by Mr. Forwood's, having had a view of the fine hill of Birte a peninsula called an Island, on the top of which are the remains of an old round Tower; this is part of Mr. Forwood's estate: a little mile further brought us to Newtown Cunningham, the estate of Mr. Hamilton, where his brother the Curate now lives, they are sons of Archdeacon Hamilton, who formerly lived here, he is a very fine old Gentleman between 80 and 90, I dined here and came to the top of a high hill, by an easy ascent, from which there was a most glorious view of all Lough Swilly seen behind three or four heads of land which lock in and divide it in a most beautiful manner; to the south west we had a view up the river Swilly beyond Letterkenny, a very fine vale to the south, the Country of Manor Cunningham and some adjacent villages, as an Amphitheater, encompassed with hills well improved, rising gently over one another to a considerable height, on the other side of which is Raphoe. I came to Manor Cunningham three miles from Newtown. It is a large village; I went a little beyond it to the Charter School of Ray founded by Dr. Foster late Bishop of Raphoe on 22 acres of land given by John Leslie Esqr. at a small rent, and 2 in perpetuity without rent, for 20 boys and 20 girls. I went on five miles westward to Letterkenny; nothing can

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be imagined more beautiful than the winding of the Swilly and several streams running into it, all at that time full with the tide: The view of Letterkenny of Mr. Spaw's house beyond it and opposite to it Captain Chambers and above it Major Stafford's page to King James the 2d., who has been some time dead, add greatly to the beauty of the prospect.³⁶

This high ground on each side the river being most like the fine views on the Aire in Yorkshire. At Newtown Cunningham I came into the Barony of Raphoe and the Diocese of that name; the Barony of Inishowen being in the Diocese of Derry. I was informed that the place of residence of the Bishop of Derry was first at Newtownstewart and then at Marra, they had no Episcopal house at Derry, till Bishop King purchased the present house of the Normans by the lease of Fawn which they now enjoy. Nor could I be certainly informed that there was ever any Cathedral Church at Derry, and the present seems not to be properly a Cathedral, but only made use of by the Bishop and Chapter, the parish belonging to the Deanery, as most of the parishes do near Derry.—Letterkenny seems to have its name, as some other places from being the grant or letter to one of the name of Kenny, so in Boyhlagh Letter—McWard was probably granted by patent or Letter it may be from the head of a clan to a family of the name of McWard—Letterkenny is more beautiful in prospect than when one enters it, consisting of one Street meanly built, with gardens behind the houses: and there are remains of an old Square Castle. The chief trade of the town consists of shops to furnish the country to the north, and a market for oats and Barley, wheat, some yarn and flax.