The Ordnance Survey Memoirs are a uniquely detailed source for the history of the northern half of Ireland immediately before the Great Famine. They were written in the 1830s to accompany the 6" Ordnance Survey maps, but with one exception were not published at the time. In this new edition they act as a nineteenth-century Domesday book and are essential to the understanding of the cultural heritage of our communities.
The Memoirs document the landscape and situation, buildings and antiquities, land-holdings and population, employment and livelihood of the parishes.
This volume contains the Memoirs for 5 parishes the north of county Antrim, an area stretching from Cushendun to Ballycastle and Rathlin Island, then westward to Armoy and Ballintoy.
There are marvellous details of the manufactories, gentlemen's seats, public buildings and, especially, the antiquities of the region. We also gain a fascinating insight into social life through the habits of the people, health, justice and education. Commerce, too, is recorded through the fairs at Ballycastle, where the harbour ensured the prosperity of local fisheries. Rathlin Island, with its peculiar sweathouses, is also well covered.
The material paints a unique picture of life in this coastal area over one hundred and fifty years ago.