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 eight parishes in the south of the county, is one of the most memorable in the series. It covers those areas closest to Lough Neagh, including the villages of Aghagallon, Aghalee, Ballinderry, Crumlin and Glenavy.
The material paints a fascinating portrait of this area, with details of the fisheries and natural history of the lough, as well as commerce, facilitated by extensive road and river communications. Gentlemen's seats and public buildings are carefully recorded, while the history and antiquity of the region is exemplified by Laa Lau church. Social life is particularly well documented through emigration, education, justice and the habits of the people. Together these Memoirs provide a unique insight into life in this area over 150 years ago.