Derryloran Parish & Cookstown, Cos. Tyrone & Londonderry, Northern Ireland in 1837
Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland

Transcribed, Compiled and Submitted by
Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia
len_swindley[at]hotmail.com

DERRYLORAN, a parish, partly in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, but chiefly in that of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER, on the road from Armagh to Coleraine, and from Omagh to Belfast; containing, with the post-town of Cookstown, 8,406 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 12,100¼ statute acres, of which 9,656½ are in Tyrone, and 2,443¾ in Londonderry. There are 400 acres of woodland and 100 of bog; the remainder is arable and pasture land: the Drapers’ Company of London are the chief proprietors. The soil is fertile and well cultivated, and the bog is very valuable as fuel. The parish is well fenced and watered by the river Ballinderry, and ornamented with the plantations of Killymoon and Loughry, which, with the other seats, are more particularly noticed in the article on Cookstown. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Lord-Primate: the tithes amount to £552. 8. The glebe-house was built in 1820, by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £1050 from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe consists of 71 acres. The church, situated in Cooks- town, was built in 1822, by aid of a loan of £3,000 from the same Board, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £283 for its repair. In the R. C. divisions the parish is united to that of Desertcreight, and contains a chapel at Cookstown, where are also four dissenting meeting-houses. Besides the schools in Cook town, there are schools for both sexes at Ballygroogan, Tubberlane, Killycurragh, and Derrycrummy, aided by annual donations from Lord Castle-Steuart; two at Cloghoge; and one at Gortalowry, aided by collections at the R. C. chapel.

COOKSTOWN, a market and post-town, in that part of the parish of DERRYLORAN which is in the barony of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER, 20 miles (E. N. E.) from Omagh, and 56½| (N. N. W.) from Dublin, by the mail road, but only 79 by the direct road; containing 2,883 inhabitants. This place derives its name from its founder, Allan Cook, who had a lease for years renewable under the see of Armagh, upon whose land the old town was built, about the year 1609. It is situated on the mail coach road from Dungannon to Coleraine, and consists of one wide street more than a mile and a quarter long, with another street intersecting it at right angles, containing 570 houses, many of which are large, well built with stone, and slated. The present town was built about the year 1750, by Mr. Stewart, its then proprietor, and is advantageously situated in a fine and fertile district, which is well wooded and watered, and abundantly supplied with limestone. A patent for a market and fairs was granted to Allan Cook, Aug. 3rd, 1628. The market is on Tuesday for grain, and on Saturday for linen cloth, flax, yarn, cattle, pigs, and provisions. Fairs are held on the first Saturday in every month, for general farming stock. The market-place consists chiefly of merchants’ stores and shops. At Greenvale is a large establishment for bleaching, dyeing, and finishing linens for the English markets; there are others at Wellbrook and at Ardtrea, besides two large ones at Tullylaggan. A constabulary police force has been stationed in the town. A manorial court for the primate’s manor of Ardtrea is held here” once a month, for the recovery of debts under £5: its jurisdiction extends into the parishes of Lissan, Derryloran, Kildress, Desertcreight, Arboe, Ardtrea, Clonoe, Ballyclog, Tamlaght, Ballinderry, and Donoghenry. Petty sessions are held on alternate Fridays. Close adjoining the town is Killymoon, the residence of W. Stewart, Esq., proprietor of the town and of the land immediately adjacent; it was built from a design by Mr. Nash, in the pure Saxon style, and is situated in an extensive demesne, containing some uncommonly fine timber. Not far distant are Loughry, the residence of J. Lindesay, Esq., and Lissan, the seat of Sir T. Staples, Bart. The former is in a demesne of about 200 acres, finely wooded, and watered by the river Loughry: the estate was granted, in 1604, by Jas. I. to Sir Robert Lyndesay, his chief harbinger, and has ever since been the residence of the senior branch of that ancient family, which is among the claimants of the earldom of Craufurd and Lyndesay. The other seats in the vicinity are Oaklands, the residence of Capt. Richardson; the glebe-house, of the Rev. C. Bardin, D. D.; and Greenvale, of T. Adair, Esq.; besides several other handsome houses in and near the town. The parish church of Derryloran, in the southern part of the town, is a large and hand some cruciform edifice, built of hewn freestone from a design by Mr. Nash, in the early English style of architecture: it has a tower and lofty octagonal spire, and the interior is fitted up in the Saxon style. Near the centre of the town is a large and handsome Presbyterian meeting-house, in connection with the Synod of Ulster, and also one in connection with the Associate Synod, each of which is of the first class and has a manse for the clergyman. A second meeting-house in connection with the Synod, of Ulster was built in 1835, and there are places of worship for Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, and, at a short distance from the town, a large R. C. chapel. An infants’ school was established in 1834, by Mrs. Hassard and other ladies, for which a house is now being built; and a parochial school-house is also being erected, on land given by Mr. Stewart: near the town are several other schools. Here are also a news-room and a dispensary. Close to the town are the ruins of the old church of Derryloran, and not far distant are two large forts, one circular, the other square. In Killymoon demesne are the ruins of an old meeting-house; at Drumcraw is the site of a church, and at Loughry a fine cromlech.