Knockcloghrim
Encyclopedia
Knockloughrim or Knockcloghrim is a small village
near Maghera in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. In the 2001 Census
it had a population of 186 people. Knockloughrim lies within the civil parish of Termoneeny and was part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.
/Royal Black Preceptory
(Knockloughrim Rising Sons of Ulster LOL 401 and Knockloughrim Red Cross Knights RBP 746 respectively), the local primary school, and regional newspaper Mid Ulster Mail. Other historic spellings include Knockcloughrim, Knockloghrim and Knocklockrim.
, felt it would be a good site for a model village. Bates also served as Town Clerk of Belfast
, being a prominent member of the Tory machine which controlled the city after local government reforms of 1842.
John Bates is alleged to have embezzeled money from the Corporation to fund the building of the village, and when this was discovered, he absconded to France. H would later be extradited, but died in 1855 before he could stand trial. There is a monument to his memory in Termoneeny parish church. Bates is also responsible for the fine 'Knock House', originally intended as a hotel. It served until 1921 as the Anglican rectory, and has since been a private dwelling. The last incumbent to dwell in the rectory was the Reverend Thomas Fisher, who was rector for 34 years until 1921. Knock House was also utilised during the First World War and Second World War to provide shelter for children evacuated from Belfast and other urban areas.
In 1830-1831, Knockloughrim was the scene of a severe riot in 1830 or 1831, when local Orangemen were apparently involved in a scuffle with Roman Catholics.
Until the early 1950s
, Knockloughrim was little more than a collection of houses and a church on the old Belfast-Derry route. The Northern Ireland Housing Trust (forerunner of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive) constructed a new estate which was completed in 1952, followed by several more over the following decades. This coupled with private developments has seen Knockloughrim expand.
The railway station was a stop on the railway line between Magherafelt and Maghera. The old railway bridge at Derganagh Road, under which locomotives passed on their way to and from Maghera, remains in excellent condition, although it is now substantially overgrown and difficult to access. After the Second World War, daffodils were planted on the embankment in a 'V for Victory' formation, and this is still evident today.
The A6 Glenshane Road (Belfast-Derry route) passes less than half a mile from the centre of the village. Until c1970, the main route between the two cities actually passed through the village.
and Magherafelt Methodist Churches. The Presbyterian Church, originally built in 1765 and replaced with the current building in 1840, is outside the village in the townland of Ballinacross. Termoneeny parish church is a joint charge with St Comgall's Parish Church, Desertmartin
and the Presbyterian Church is united with Bellaghy
Presbyterian Church. Local Roman Catholics attend Mass at nearby Mayogall, about 1.5 miles away.
Termoneeny church, which has occupied its current site in the centre of the village since 1801, is an attractive listed building surrounded by mature woodland, and is dedicated to the honour of St Conlus, who is reputed to have been a 5th Century brass worker from the nearby parish of Tamlaght O'Crilly. However, despite extensive research, no firm record of him has been produced. It has been suggested, although it is obviously far from certain, that St Conlus may actually be a variation on the name of the much more famous St Columba. The oldest gravestone in the churchyard dates from 1859. At least three former rectors of the parish are buried in the churchyard:
The parish existed as a 'stand-alone' entity (having been united with Ballyscullion parish for over a century beforehand) between 1795 and 1921, with a rector residing in the attendant Rectory for much of this period. After the death of Rev. Thomas Fisher in 1921, the parish was ultimately amalgamated with the neighbouring parishes of Maghera and Killelagh; this union was terminated in 1980, when the current union with Dromore parish (Desertmartin
) commenced.
by-pass, which opened in 2004. Their facilities now encompass a large portion of both sides of the Quarry Road, just outside the village, including the old McLean's Quarry.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
near Maghera in County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. In the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
it had a population of 186 people. Knockloughrim lies within the civil parish of Termoneeny and was part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.
Name
The village's name is roughly pronounced noc-cloc-rim. The spelling Knockcloghrim has been adopted by the district council, the Electoral Office, and many other official bodies. The spelling Knockloughrim is used by the local Orange lodgeOrange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
/Royal Black Preceptory
Royal Black Preceptory
The Royal Black Institution, also known as the Royal Black Preceptory or The Imperial Grand Black Chapter Of The British Commonwealth or simply as the Black Institution is a Protestant fraternal society....
(Knockloughrim Rising Sons of Ulster LOL 401 and Knockloughrim Red Cross Knights RBP 746 respectively), the local primary school, and regional newspaper Mid Ulster Mail. Other historic spellings include Knockcloughrim, Knockloghrim and Knocklockrim.
History
Knockloughrim was founded by John Bates, (1803-1855) a prominent Belfast solicitor who, on travelling through the area on his way to the azzizes in DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, felt it would be a good site for a model village. Bates also served as Town Clerk of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, being a prominent member of the Tory machine which controlled the city after local government reforms of 1842.
John Bates is alleged to have embezzeled money from the Corporation to fund the building of the village, and when this was discovered, he absconded to France. H would later be extradited, but died in 1855 before he could stand trial. There is a monument to his memory in Termoneeny parish church. Bates is also responsible for the fine 'Knock House', originally intended as a hotel. It served until 1921 as the Anglican rectory, and has since been a private dwelling. The last incumbent to dwell in the rectory was the Reverend Thomas Fisher, who was rector for 34 years until 1921. Knock House was also utilised during the First World War and Second World War to provide shelter for children evacuated from Belfast and other urban areas.
In 1830-1831, Knockloughrim was the scene of a severe riot in 1830 or 1831, when local Orangemen were apparently involved in a scuffle with Roman Catholics.
Until the early 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
, Knockloughrim was little more than a collection of houses and a church on the old Belfast-Derry route. The Northern Ireland Housing Trust (forerunner of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive) constructed a new estate which was completed in 1952, followed by several more over the following decades. This coupled with private developments has seen Knockloughrim expand.
Culture
Knockloughrim hosts little in the way of major events, barring an annual band parade by Knockloughrim Accordion Band, which is usually held on the second Saturday in June. The Royal Black Perceptory's Last Saturday demonstration was hosted in Knockloughrim in 1925. There are plans to change this, and make the village a greater hub for community events.Buildings
- Termoneeny parish church, St. Conlus' (Church of IrelandChurch of IrelandThe Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
). - Knockloughrim Windmill is a restored windmillWindmillA windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
which was in operation until the Great Wind of 1895 blew the sails off. It is an historic monument, one of three listed buildings in the village, and contains local history exhibits. The windmill is now owned by the MagherafeltMagherafeltMagherafelt is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,372 people recorded in the 2001 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of County Londonderry and is the social, economic and political hub of the area...
and Knockloughrim MethodistMethodismMethodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Church and stands in the church grounds. Not surprisingly, it is the only windmill owned by the Methodist Church. The windmill was built some time between 1860 and 1875 by William Palmer (1823-1898). Apparently it used to be called Palmer's Folly because it never worked properly. The windmill was built beside a steam mill, also owned by Palmer, making this one of very the few sites in all of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
that had originally both steam and wind powered machinery in the same location, described as a corn and flaxFlaxFlax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
mill. The buildings where the steam and flax mills were once located now form a small industrial estate, known as The Mill Yard. The windmill is said to have had six sails as opposed to the more common configuration of four, although there is some argument about this. The original roof was blown off by the Big Wind in 1895 and the strange onion shaped top that is there today is a replacement. Local legend has it that such a dome was an original fixture on the windmill, although an absence of photographs from the period means there is no certainty. After it was disabled by the Big Wind it had many uses, one of which was as a meeting place for the local OrangeOrange InstitutionThe Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
lodge before the present Orange Hall was built in 1908. The windmill was restored in 1993. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, it is currently closed, and will probably remain so indefinitely.
Transport
Knockloughrim railway station opened on 18 August 1880, closed for passenger traffic on 28 August 1950 and finally closed altogether on 1 October 1959.The railway station was a stop on the railway line between Magherafelt and Maghera. The old railway bridge at Derganagh Road, under which locomotives passed on their way to and from Maghera, remains in excellent condition, although it is now substantially overgrown and difficult to access. After the Second World War, daffodils were planted on the embankment in a 'V for Victory' formation, and this is still evident today.
The A6 Glenshane Road (Belfast-Derry route) passes less than half a mile from the centre of the village. Until c1970, the main route between the two cities actually passed through the village.
Religion
There are two places of worship located within the village, namely St. Conlus' Parish Church (Anglican communion) and the Methodist Church, built in 1984 to replace the old Gospel Hall, which is a joint charge with CookstownCookstown
Cookstown may refer to either of the following:*Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland*Cookstown, Ontario, Canada*Cookstown, New Jersey, United States...
and Magherafelt Methodist Churches. The Presbyterian Church, originally built in 1765 and replaced with the current building in 1840, is outside the village in the townland of Ballinacross. Termoneeny parish church is a joint charge with St Comgall's Parish Church, Desertmartin
Desertmartin
Desertmartin is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is four miles from Magherafelt, at the foot of Slieve Gallion. In the 2001 Census Desertmartin greater area had a population of 1,276. It had a population of 2257 in 1837 and 3101 in 1910. It lies within Desertmartin...
and the Presbyterian Church is united with Bellaghy
Bellaghy
Bellaghy , is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north of Magherafelt. At the centre of the village lies the junction of three main roads leading to Magherafelt, Portglenone and Toome. It had a population of 1,063 people in the...
Presbyterian Church. Local Roman Catholics attend Mass at nearby Mayogall, about 1.5 miles away.
Parish of Termoneeny
The Church of Ireland parish of Termoneeny (believed to mean the rock of Heaney) has the village as its main population settlement. The parish is geographically one of the smallest in the diocese of Derry and Raphoe, and comprises the following townlands:- Mullagh
- Knocknakielt
- Carricknakielt
- Derganagh
- Cabragh
- Lurganagoose
- Broagh
- Lemnaroy
- Ballynahone Beg
Termoneeny church, which has occupied its current site in the centre of the village since 1801, is an attractive listed building surrounded by mature woodland, and is dedicated to the honour of St Conlus, who is reputed to have been a 5th Century brass worker from the nearby parish of Tamlaght O'Crilly. However, despite extensive research, no firm record of him has been produced. It has been suggested, although it is obviously far from certain, that St Conlus may actually be a variation on the name of the much more famous St Columba. The oldest gravestone in the churchyard dates from 1859. At least three former rectors of the parish are buried in the churchyard:
- Rev Henry Colthurst (rector 1862-1875)
- Rev Thomas Reddy (rector 1875-1884)
- Rev Thomas Fisher (rector 1887-1921)
The parish existed as a 'stand-alone' entity (having been united with Ballyscullion parish for over a century beforehand) between 1795 and 1921, with a rector residing in the attendant Rectory for much of this period. After the death of Rev. Thomas Fisher in 1921, the parish was ultimately amalgamated with the neighbouring parishes of Maghera and Killelagh; this union was terminated in 1980, when the current union with Dromore parish (Desertmartin
Desertmartin
Desertmartin is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is four miles from Magherafelt, at the foot of Slieve Gallion. In the 2001 Census Desertmartin greater area had a population of 1,276. It had a population of 2257 in 1837 and 3101 in 1910. It lies within Desertmartin...
) commenced.
Economy
Knockloughrim is the location of FP McCann Ltd, one of Northern Ireland's biggest quarrying contractors, and are responsible for many major projects, including the construction of the ToomeToome
Toome or Toom is a small village and townland on the northwest corner of Lough Neagh in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 722.-History:...
by-pass, which opened in 2004. Their facilities now encompass a large portion of both sides of the Quarry Road, just outside the village, including the old McLean's Quarry.