Moville (upper)
Taken from A Topographical Dictionary by Samuel Lewis
Moville upper is a parish, in the barony of Ennishowen, county
of Donegal, and province of Ulster, 15 miles (N.N.E.) from Londonderry,
on the road to Greencastle; containing 4902 inhabitants. St. Patrick
founded a monastery here, called Maghbhile and Domnachbhile, over
which he placed AEngusius, the sum of Olild; it soon became celebrated
for its wealth, and notices of its abbots occur from the year 590
to 953, among whom was the celebrated St.Finian. The remains are
called Cooley, meaning "the City", probably from a large
number of persons having settled around this famous pile, which
appears, from what is left of the western and southern walls, to
have been a very extensive edifice. For some time before the reformation
it was used as the parish church, and so continued until destroyed
during the civil war of 1688. In the adjoining cemetery is a very
ancient tomb, said to be that of St.Finian; and outside the walls
stands a very lofty and handsome stone cross, hewn out of one block,
and in good preservation. These ruins occupy a gentle eminence,
near the shores of Lough Foyle, commanding a full view of the Atlantic.
The parish, which is situated on the western shore of Lough Foyle,
comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 19,081 statute acres:
one half is mountainous, and the remainder consists of good and
middling arable land with detached pieces of bog scattered all over
the parish. The land is generally light, and everywhere encumbered
by rocks, heath and whins; the greater portion of the rocks are
clay-slate.
Cooley
Photograph taken by Patricia M. Golden 12th November
2005
Near Whitecastle is excellent sandstone, and there are strong indications
of coal, near which is a curious and extraordinary whin dyke. Here
the system of rundale is still kept up and the land, being divided
into very small holdings, is much neglected, nearly all the population
being employed in the weaving of linen cloth and fishing, combined
with agricultural pursuits: the produce of the land is chiefly corn
and flax, wheat having only been grown since 1830, but it is found
to answer very well. The parish is within the jurisdiction of the
manor court held at Greencastle. The principal seats are Red Castle,
the residence of Atkinson Wray, Esq; White Castle of L. Carey, Esq;
Foyle View, of R. Lepper Esq; Greenbank, of J. Robinson Esq; Ballylawn
of S. Carmichael Esq; Beech Cottage, of the Rev. A. Clements; and
the Glebe House, of the Rev. J. Molesworth Staples. The living is
a rectory in the diocese of Derry, forming the corps of the prebend
thereof, in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £555.
The glebe House was built in 1775 at a cost of £590 by the
then incumbent; the glebe comprises 74 Cunningham acres, valued
at £66. 12s. per annum. The church is an ancient, small, and
inconvenient edifice, on the shore of the Lough; it was built by
the Carey family, in 1741, as a private chapel, and afterwards became
a chapel of ease, and eventually the parish church; but, being much
too small, a larger is about to be erected. In the R.C. divisions
this parish and Lower Moville from the union or district; there
is a chapel at Drung. Near Castle Carey is a very neat meeting house
for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster. About
400 children are educated in seven public schools, of which the
parochial school at Ballylawn is being rebuilt; it is partly supported
by the rector, and with five other schools, is in connection with
the National Board; the school house of one of the latter, at Terryroan,
was erected by the Earl of Caledon, and the rector contributes £5
per annum for its support. There are also four Sunday schools. Not
far from drung are eight upright stones, near which are several
lying down, the remains of an ancient cromlech. Part of a fosse
and some terraces and remains of former mansions are to be traced
near Red and White castles, and at Castle Carey.
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