Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752 (Author: Richard Pococke)
entry 61
On the 1st of September I went to visit Dean Bruce who was out of town, view'd the Charter School; this town is finely situated on an eminence which commands a fine view of the Country to the south; it is the estate of the Earl of Orrery and the town is chiefly supported by the Dragoons, for whom there is a barrack, and by the thoroughfare which is very [gap: extent: one word] since the road from Limerick to Cork is carried through this town which before was farther to the east; near Ard Patrick I crossed over the hills to the Valley in which the river Snider runs, and first came to Buttevant, which gives the title of Baron to the Earl of Barrimore and the eldest son by Courtesy takes that title: Here are large remains of an old Convent as well as Castle. We crossed over the Snider and saw Doneraile to the left and came to Malloe famous for its waters, which are on a lime stone and have something of the virtue of the Bristol waters. There is commonly much company here every summer, and they have a Long Room for Assemblies: It is situated on a small river that here falls into the Blackwater, which we crossed, and going over the hill we passed by Sir Robert Deane's house, and came to four mile water where I dined, having met in the way Lady Dean and Mrs. Oliver in their Chariot and six, with both of whom I was acquainted and paid my compliments to them. I came 8 miles to Cork finely situated on the river Lee which divides above the town and running on each side of it, makes it an Island, as it does also below and forms the little and great Island, below which it spreads again and makes the harbour of Cork called the Cove, near which there is
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lately built a strong fort to defend the entrance of the harbour; the part of Cork which is built to the river is pleasant, but most of the streets are narrow and dirty, which makes chairs of great use here, and there are several of them ply in different parts of the town. This See and Church was founded by St. Finbarr in the 7th century, to whom the Cathedral is dedicated and is commonly called St. Barry's; the See of Ross, is united to Cork, supposed to be founded in the 6th Century by St. Facknan who built there a Priory of Canons of St. Austin. This place is situated to the west on [gap: extent: one word]. There are six parish churches in the town, here was one Abbey, four Monasteries, and a Nunnery. The History of a Settlement of a tower of a church here like that of Pisa, and of their management of it is a great curiosity: there are several Hospitals in the town; but the foundling Hospital is most remarkable, they have in it about 40, between 2 and 300 abroad, they are well clothed and kept neatly. An act passed lately for their changing children with the Poor house of Dublin, in order to prevent any persons putting in children, with design to get them afterwards to their own disposal. The Exchange and Custom house here are handsome buildings. The County jail at the South gate, is a noble building of three stories, all Rustick, and of the Tuscan order, and appears more like a palace than a jail. There are in the town 7366 houses, and the souls are computed to be above 73000. There is a great export from this Port of Beef, butter, wool, and yarn, besides a very considerable import of all sorts of Goods.