The Ordnance Survey Memoirs are a uniquely detailed source for the history of the northern half of Ireland immediately before the Great Famine. They were written in the 1830s to accompany the 6" Ordnance Survey maps, but with one exception were not published at the time. In this new edition they act as a nineteenth-century Domesday book and are essential to the understanding of the cultural heritage of our communities. The Memoirs document the landscape and situation, buildings and antiquities, land-holdings and population, employment and livelihood of the parishes.
This volume contains the Memoirs for the east Londonderry parishes of Maghera and Tamlaght O'Crilly, the latter bordering county Antrim. The scope of the reports is comprehensive, containing descriptions of the towns of Maghera and Swatragh, and villages of Curran and Tamlaght, as well as providing detailed information on natural features and antiquities, emigration and education, and traditions and superstitions of the people. The material provides a fascinating insight into life in this predominantly rural area over one hundred and fifty years ago.