MONKSTOWN

MONKSTOWN, a parish, in the half-barony of RATHDOWN, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles (S. E.) from Dublin, on the road to Bray by Kingstown ; containing, with the town of Kingstown and the village of Blackrock (both of which are separately described), 9815 inhabitants. The parish probably derived its name from an ancient grange within its limits belonging to the priory of the Holy Trinity, Dublin. It is pleasantly situated on the bay of Dublin, and comprises 1214 ½ acres of land, of which a large portion is in demesnes and pleasure grounds.

The scenery is beautifully diversified, and the neighbourhood thickly studded with handsome seats and pleasing villas, most of which command fine views of the bay and the adjacent country. Of these, the principal are Monkstown Castle, the residence of Linden Bolton, Esq., a modern house, in the grounds of which are the ruins of two ancient castles of unknown origin; Rockville, of S. Bewley, Esq.; Bloomsbury, of J. Pim, Esq.; Windsor, of M. Thunder, Esq.; Ashton Park, of A. Thunder, Esq.; Monkstown House, of Captain Kirwan; Somerset, of W. Disney, Esq.; Rochford, of G. P. Wallace, Esq.; Ranelagh House, of Mrs. Molesworth; Rich View, of R. Jordan, Esq.; Richmond Villa, of E. Alexander, Esq.; Carrigbrennan, of J. Pim, jun., Esq.; Richmond Cottage, of R. Gray,Esq.; Glenville, of Mrs. Warburton; Glenville, of H. Rooke, Esq.; Easton Lodge, of Colonel Burgoyne; Richview Priory, of R. Jordan, Esq.; Purbeck Lodge, of Captain Rochfort; Heathville, of J. M. Cheater, Esq.; Plantation, of W. Plant, Esq., M.D.; De Vesci Lodge, of R. Allen, Esq.; Hillsborough, of J. Pim, Esq.; Woodpark, of Mrs. Stepney; Avondale, of C. Hughes, Esq.; Albany House, of A. Williamson, Esq.; Mill-beach, of J. Williamson, Esq.; Monkstown, of E. Maguire, Esq.; Thornhill, of B. Arthure, Esq.; Cromwell Lodge, of J. Price, Esq.; Lark Hill, of T. Allen, Esq.; Richmond Hill, of B. Grant, Esq.; Milfield, of P. Gogarty, Esq.; Monkstown Hill, of S. James, Esq.; and Seafield Cottage, of M. George, Esq. The Dublin and Kingstown railway passes from Blackrock to Kingstown along the coast of this parish.

The living is a rectory and curacy, in the diocese of Dublin, the rectory united to those of Kill, Dalkey, Killiney, and Tully, together constituting the corps of the deanery of Christ-Church, Dublin, in the patronage of the Crown; and the curacy united to the curacies of the same parishes, forming the union of Monkstown, in the patronage of the Dean.

The tithes amount to £204. 9., the whole payable to the curate; the dean receives only two-thirds of the tithes of the other parishes in the union, the remaining third being also paid to the curate. The glebe-house is a neat building, and there are two glebes, comprising together 14 acres. The church was rebuilt a few years since in the later English style, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £216 towards its repair. There are chapels of ease at Blackrock, Killiney, and Kingstown.

In the R. C. divisions the greater part of the parish is within the union or district of Kingstown. There is a place of worship for the Society of Friends. About 780 children are taught in five public schools, of which the parochial and infants' schools are supported by subscription, and two under the new Board of Education are aided by an annual donation from the R. C. clergyman; there is also a private school, in which are about 60 children. The Rathdown dispensary, in this parish, was established in 1812, and from that time till June, 1835, afforded relief to 28,424 patients. From an accumulation of its funds, amounting to £500, an hospital was erected in 1834, containing four wards with eight beds in each, and apartments for the requisite attendants; it is situated in a healthy spot, nearly in the centre of the barony, and is supported by subscription. There are some remains of the ancient church; and near the village of Glasthule is a curious rocking-stone of very large dimensions.