SANDFORD

SANDFORD, a village, in the parish of ST. PETER, barony of UPPERCROSS, county of DUBLIN, and province of LEINSTER, 1 ½ mile (S.) from the General Post-Office, on the road to Enniskerry: the population is returned with the parish. The name of this place is derived from the circumstance of Lord Mount-Sandford having, in 1826, erected and endowed an episcopal chapel, under the provisions of an act of the 11th and 12th of George III. Though not possessed of any property in the neighbourhood, sympathising with a large population destitute of any place of worship for Protestants, his lordship liberally expended about £5000 in building a church, parsonage, and school-houses, besides securing an endowment of £50 per annum to the chaplain. These buildings occupy a very interesting site: the church is fitted up in a chaste and simple style, and is capable of accommodating 900 people; 300 sittings are free: the rent of the remainder, in addition to the endowment, forms the maintenance of the clergyman. The salaries of clerk, organist, school-master, &c., are paid by collections among the congregation; so that this chapelry has never been any charge on the parish. The founder vested the right of appointment to the chaplaincy in four clergymen and one layman, as trustees, with power to fill up vacancies in their number. Each school contains about 60 children of each sex, one-half of whom are Roman Catholics: there is a lending library attached to the establishment.