Camus Parish Church, Christ Church, Strabane, Camus Parish, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland Historical Notes
Church of Ireland
Extracted from Derry Clergy and Parishes – Rev. James B. Leslie (1937)
Transcribed, Compiled and Submitted by
Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia
len_swindley[at]hotmail.com
This file of HISTORICAL NOTES FOR CAMUS PARISH CHURCH, CHRIST CHURCH, CHURCH OF IRELAND, STRABANE, COUNTY TYRONE forms part of the vast archive of 4,000+ pages of genealogical records relating to COUNTIES TYRONE, DONEGAL, LONDONDERRY & FERMANAGH provided without charge or subscription by CoTyroneIreland Welcome to the Premier Website & Research Tool for Cos. Tyrone, Donegal, Londonderry & Fermanagh Genealogy (cotyroneireland.com) A complete list of records pertaining to STRABANE and CAMUS PARISH CHURCH, COUNTY TYRONE on this website can be found at the foot of this file.
Camus means “curved stream,” and the name of the parish has reference to the course of the River Mourne opposite the Church.
The Patron Saint was Conall.
It is not mentioned in the Papal Taxation nor in Colton’s Visitation, which means that the herenach paid no rent to the Bishop.
Date Notes 1609 An Inquisition found that the parish contained on ballinetagh wherein was only a person presentative, who received 2/3 of the tithes, and a herenach, who received the other third, and had one balliboe of land. In the patent 2 balliboes of Camus are con to the See. 1622 The Parish was united to Leckpatrick being contiguous. “The Church of Camus is ruined, the incumbent is Henry Noble. The parish being small and ye town of Strabane built in the confines thereof, I united in ye former incumbent’s time these two parishes and think them fit to be united the rather because there is a faire church begun by the late Earl of Abercorne intended to serve for these parishes……however that building of the Church which the doing (?=dying) of the Earl hath ceased.” 1661 Robert Allen was Parish Clerk (Visitation Book.) 1686 Robert Forgyshill was Parish Clerk, Daniel Magee, M.A., Schoolmaster, Robert Adams of Strabane and Archibald McFarland, Strabane, Churchwardens; Philip Clark of Strabane and Alexr. Erwin of Edenmare, Inquisitors. (Visitation Book 1693 George Bluvort was Clerk, Charles Cohain, Schoolmaster; John Frederick and John Wilson, Churchwardens 1692-3; John Bunting and George Fraizel, Churchwardens 1693-4; William Rob and Gav. Moore, Inquisitors for 1692-3, and John Mitchell and John Nichol for 1693-4
“The Incumbent holds with this Leckpatrick……… and likewise some other livings in the Diocese of Raphoe. Strabane, a considerable towne is in this parish, but the rector resides in Leckpatricke, 2 miles from the towne; he serves this in the morning and Leckpatricke in the afternoon, but he is obliged to keep a curate. There are about 100 Conformable persons in this parish. The Church was made an Hospitall by King James’s Army, and much defaced, but is well repaired; the utensils for the Communion were saved: the old church stood near the other end of the parish but was removed to Strabane which stands in the confines of this parish and the next. It will be convenient to keep them united and to oblige the rector to reside at Strabane and keep a Curate at Leckpatricke who may assist to read dayly prayers at Strabane. The Glebe is granted by patent by the denomination of Rehorny alias Leagharnagh” – one ballibo “containing 60 acres, but in ye Survey it is called Barnes and contains 126 acres.” Rector is warned to have daily prayers in the Church and re Confirmation.
1718 George Blewart was still Clerk, Jas. Mackey was Schoolmaster; William Hoakey and Joseph Boyle, Churchwardens; John McCoghy, Inquisitor. 1719 William Beard and Joseph Boyle were Churchwardens. (Visitation Book). 1768 Church was in good repair . The Rector, Geo. Maghee does not reside on account of his health. His Curate John McCausland constantly resides (Parliamentary Returns).
Lewis says the Church was originally built as a Chapel for the new town of Strabane by the Earl of Abercorn in 1619, and has been used since as the Parish Church.
1806 Church lately repaired, is now in perfect order, no Glebe house, 350 acres of Glebe. A Curate assists the Rector (Parliamentary Returns). 1837 Lewis also says that prior to 1829 there was a Bluecoat School here, with an income of £30 per annum which was then (1837) used in clothing 13 boys. The tithes then amounted to £468. 1861 There were 967 Church people and 1,186 Protestant Dissenters [Presbyterians].
COUNTY TYRONE Records can be found at:
Further records for CAMUS-JUXTA-MOURNE PARISH, STRABANE, COUNTY TYRONE
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