BALDUNGAN, a parish

Samuel Lewis

A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland

1837

BALDUNGAN, a parish, in the barony of BALROTHERY, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER, 14 miles (N. N. E.) from Dublin; containing 88 inhabitants. A strong fortress was erected here, in the 13th century, by the Barnewall family, which subsequently became the property of the Lords of Howth, and in the civil war of 1641 was defended for the parliament by Colonel Fitzwilliam, but was ultimately surrendered to the royalists, by whom it was dismantled and a great portion of the building destroyed; the remains, which were very extensive, have, within the last few years, been almost wholly taken down by the tenant. Near its site are still some remains of a church, more than 80 feet in length, with a tower of ten sides, of durable materials and excellent workmanship. According to Archdall, here was a commandery of Knights Templars, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, of which this was probably the church. The prevailing substratum of the parish is limestone; but the hill of Baldungan is chiefly composed of Lydian stone and flinty slate. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Dublin, and in the patronage of the Earl of Howth: the tithes amount to £52. 4. The church is in ruins, and there is neither glebe-house nor glebe. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Skerries.

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