WATERFORD CITY GEOLOGY

The county of the city, from the peculiar situation of the town on the northern confines of the county of Waterford, is made to include a portion of land on the north of the river Suir, which formerly belonged to the county of Kilkenny; and by the charter of Charles I. comprises the great port and river up to Carrick, that part of the county of Kilkenny which is contained in the parish of Kilculliheen, all the lands on the opposite bank of the river in the parishes of Kilbarry and Killoteran, and the town of Passage; comprehending together, according to the Ordnance survey, 9683 statute acres, of which about 882 acres are occupied by the city and suburbs; the amount of Grand Jury cess, in 1835, was £4928. 9. 7 ½.

The rural districts present no peculiarity of character; the northern part chiefly consists of high grounds, commanding fine views of the city; and on the opposite side, especially on the banks of the river above the city, are some elevated lands, except near the course of John's river, where there is an extensive level of marshy land. The prevailing substratum is argillaceous schistus, with silicious breccia near the summits of the hills, over which red sandstone frequently occurs; sienite and hornblende are found at Kilronan, talcous slate near Knockhouse, lydian stone on the road to Annestown; hornstone and jasper, alternating with flinty slate, in the same neighbourhood; and serpentine, resting on a blueish black quartzose rock, at Knockhouse.

The face of Bilberry rock, over the river Suir, above the city, presents a very interesting section, in which, in addition to the above-named minerals, are veins of quartz, comprising a considerable quantity of micaceous iron ore and scalygraphite, both passing into oxyde of iron and jasper, and in some places forming, with the quartz, a beautiful jaspery iron-stone; brown crystallised quartz, with minute crystals of chlorite; red ochre in abundance, sulphate of barytes, oxyde of titanium, bituminous shale, talcous slate, and arsenieurate of iron.

The principal gentlemen's seats in the vicinity are New Park, the residence of the Rt. Hon. Sir John Newport, Bart., who represented this city in parliament for a series of years; Belmont House, of Henry Winston Barren, Esq.; Mullinabro', of J. Hawtrey Jones, Esq.; May Park, of G. Meara, Esq.; Belmont, of I. Roberts, Esq.; Mount Pleasant, of S. King, Esq.; Ballinamona, of T. Carew, Esq.; Killaspy, of Alex. Sherlock, Esq.; Bellevue, of P. Power, Esq.; Bishop's Hall, of S. Blackmore, Esq.; Faithlegg House, of N. Power, Esq.; Woodstown, of Lord Carew; Woodstown, of the Earl of Huntingdon; Summerfield, of Lord Ebrington; Harbour View, of Captain Morris; Dromona, of T. Coghlan, Esq.; Grantstown, of the Rev. Fras. Reynett; Blenheim Lodge, of Pierce Sweetman, Esq.; and the residences of J. Stephens and M. Dobbyn, Esqrs., at Ballycanvin.

County Waterford | Waterford City | Waterford City Topography | Waterford Trade | Waterford Harbour | Waterford Charter | Waterford Diocese | Waterford Churches | Waterford City Geology | Waterford Parishes | Waterford Schools | Waterford Hospitals | Waterford City Antiquities