WICKLOW SOCIETY
The farm-houses of the principal tenants in the northern and eastern parts are built in a style of superior accommodation, with roomy and convenient offices: those in the southern and western parts were mostly destroyed in the year 179S, but have been rebuilt in an improved mode, with slated roofs. In the vicinity of gentlemen's demesnes are many pretty cottages, and those of the north-eastern part of the county generally have an appearance of superior comfort; but the habitations of the lower tenants and cottiers are for the most part extremely wretched, being roughly formed of sods or stones supporting a thatched roof not impervious to the weather. The squalid misery of these in some of the mountain districts is extreme; in some places even the roof is formed of sods taken from the mountain side. The character of the peasantry is the same as in the country generally; with regard to their language, it is remarkable that while the Irish is often spoken in the contiguous counties, it is never heard here, and scarcely a peasant even of the wildest districts understands it.
Natural curiosities of a minor character, such as mineral springs, are very few; but those of the highest order, exhibited in its mountains and glens, their fantastic rocks and picturesque waterfalls, present a greater variety of sublime features than any tract of equal extent in the island. The most celebrated spots are, the waterfall of Poul-a-Phuca, near Blessington; Luggelaw, included in the modern parish of Calary; the Vale of the Avonmore and the Meeting of the Waters below Rathdrum; the Vale of Ovoca, with its contiguous seats and demesnes, extending by Castle-Mac-Adam towards Arklow; the Glen of the Downs, near Delgany; the Scalp near Enniskerry; the recesses of Glendalough; the Devil's Glen, that of Dunran, and those of Kiltimon and Ballyvolan, in the parish of Killeskey; the Dargle, the Waterfall, and Lough Bray, near Powerscourt; Glenmalur, with its waterfalls, in the parish of Rathdrum; Lough Dan, near Roundwood; and Hermitage and Altadore near Newtown-Mount-Kennedy. The abrupt rocks of vast size at Kilcoole and Cronroe are worthy of especial notice. Wicklow gives the titles of Viscount and Earl to the family of Howard.
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