PREFACE.

An accurate knowledge of our domestic history is no ordinary attainment: to be entirely, or even partially, unacquainted with it is inexcusable, as the history of LONDONDERRY is not an uninteresting one. In vain do we attempt to plead an apology for our deficiency, to the intelligent and inquisitive stranger or tourist, if found unable to gratify his curiosity in this respect, although we may plume ourselves in having imbibed much from the "Greek and Roman spring." The tourist has hitherto inquired for “ a GUIDE TO LONDONDERRY"-but none to be had.

:

The Annals and Statistics of our City, being like those of other Cities, are composed of many incidents briefly narrated in their selection and 'classification for our present purpose, considerable precaution has been used; whilst the authenticity of each article has been duly scrutinised. In tracing down the chain that led to those important events, which, long since tended, chiefly, to characterise the Citizens of Londonderry and the Colonists of Ulster, the Author (or rather the Compiler,) has made occasional references to the general histories of England and Ireland, in order to notice briefly the principal plots, agencies, rebellions, atrocities, &c. immediately preceding, and connected with those events, that our youthful Fellow-Citizens may in some degree, have more directly a knowledge of the causes from

which those events originated. In thus proceeding, radically and gradually, the Author humbly hopes that this volume will prove serviceable.

With respect to the plates.-The plan of the City and that of the Siege have been taken, and reduced to the size of the book, from plans taken immediately after the retiring of the besieging army, and the opening of the gates, by Captain Francis Neville, a meritorious Engineer Officer of the garrison, who distinguished himself during that memorable event. The sketches of the South-side and East-end of the Cathedral, have also been reduced from views taken by the same gentleman; which sketches represent its external appearance now, nearly the same as then, with the exception of the spire, and a few modern, fantastic decorations. The frontispiece represents a view of the City at the present time, sketched at a position on the North-east side of the river.

Londonderry, July 31, 1847.

Origin...Name... Situation... Description of the ancient Buildings,

&c. of the Town

...

5

CHAPTER II.

Chronological List of remarkable Events... Government of the

Town... Ecclesiastical... Coarb....Erenach-and Termoner....

Bishops

...

9

...

CHAPTER III.

The Principal Septs or Clans of Ulster... Their Position... Con-

federates... Influence of the Chiefs in the Districts surrounding

Derry, on the accession of Queen Elizabeth, 1558,

CHAPTER IV.

12

Movements of influential Chiefs... First attempt to plant a Gar-

rison at Derry... Result... Fate of O'Neill and O'Donnell, &c. 17

CHAPTER V.

Second attempt to colonize Derry... Arrival of Sir Henry Docwra

...State of the Town... Destruction of the first City

CHAPTER VI.

Digression... Testimony of the Irish Parliament recognizing his

Majesty's Title to the Crown of England... Old Statutes against

the Irish repealed... Report of "the Judgment in the House

of Lords"... Skinners' Company versus the Irish Society...

"Motives and Reasons to induce the City of London to un-

dertake the Plantation," &c.

21

27

Twelve principal Companies of the Corporation of London...In-

corporation of the Irish Society... Abstract of the Charter to

the City of Londonderry... Works to be done at Derry in a time

specified... Arrival of Commissioners, Messrs. Smithes and

Springham... Conspiracy to seize Derry and the English forts

...Execution of Conspirators... Great alarm of the Colonists...

Report of Commissioners... Erection of the Walls or Fortifica-

tions... Bulwarks, &c.... Ordnance

...

Page

333

...

CHAPTER VIII.

Gates, &c.... Area, length, breadth, &c. of the Fortifications...

Original Names of Streets... Borough Boundary lately adopted

.Former Municipality, in detail... Disbursements in Derry...

Commission, &c.... Bishop BRAMHALL obtained Grants...The

"fifteen hundred acres " and seven hundred acres... Extracts

relating thereto

...

41

CHAPTER IX.

Population and Improvements of the City given, 1618-19, by

NICHOLAS PYNNAR, Esq.... Ditto in 1622, by Sir THOMAS

PHILLIPS and RICHARD HADSOR, Esq.... Of houses then built,

few now remain... Muster of the "well-armed men," with their

names, in 1622... Character of the Colonists or settlers as to

origin... Rents of houses and lands, with rates of produce, en-

couragement for artificers, &c.... State of the Plantation;

"tapp-houses"... Few descendants now of the original settlers

Proportion and characteristic... Names common, in the popu-

lation of 1846, with termination, &c.... Physical and physiog-

nominal characters of the several races; with an encomium on

their moral character, generally,

CHAPTER X.

...

Digression into the History of Ireland... Sanguinary Broils of

England... Religious Creeds, first proclaimed the war-whoop of

Parties in Ireland... Desperate state of Ireland from 1641 to

the restoration of Charles II.... Settlers or Colonists divided

into parties....." Catholic army," how constituted...." Acts

agreed upon, ordained, &c." by the council of Kilkenny, 1642

The ever-memorable Conspiracy of 1641... By whom conducted

... How discovered... Deposition or Oath of OWEN O'CONOLLY

... Result.. Alarm, and provision made for the safety of Derry

Arrangements made by the Corporation and Citizens for de-

fence...Derry besieged by contending parties (in turn)... Death

of the celebrated Colonel OWEN ROE O'NEILL.

49

57

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XI.

THE EVER-MEMORABLE SIEGE, 1688-89.

Preliminary observations on the policy of Charles II. James II.

and William, Prince of Orange... National Conspiracy to sub-

vert the Established Institutions and the Established Religion

...Tyrconnell's determination to subdue the colonists... Prepa-

ration to defend the City of Derry... The Siege

Page

76

CHAPTER XII.

Memoranda of the Siege, with the Address of the Citizens to his

Majesty King William III....Officers and others who distin.

guished themselves during the Siege... An Act for the attain-

der of Protestants, passed in the Irish Parliament during the

administration of King James... Names of the persons so at-

tainted... Proclamation of Luttrel, Governor of Dublin... Glean-

ings or historical reminiscences relative to the principal person-

ages accessary in attempting to effect the Counter Revolution,

with the reduction of the City of Londonderry... Anniversary

of shutting the gates, and the commemoration of the Siege 151

CHAPTER XIII.

In 1690, Derry, literally, a City of bones... General orders of the

Authorities to collect and bury the unburied dead! ... Contribu-

tions of the twelve Companies to repair the Walls and principal

houses... The garrison and Citizens, culpably neglected during

the late struggles and almost unparalleled sufferings by

the non-resident "Lords of the Soil "... Re-election of the

Corporation... Address of that body to the Hon. the Irish So-

ciety... A long dissertation on the transfer, or appropriation of

the 1500 acres, or (part of the) Abbey lands, with the appoint-

ment of Bishop Bramhall... Underhand transactions of the

Bishop relative to those lands... Claim of the Bishops to the

Salmon fishery, by a former grant of a Pope... Long discus-

sions between the Corporation of Derry and the Irish Society,

but no satisfactory result... Provosts-Marshal... Governors of

the City of Londonderry and Culmore Fort .. Members of Par-

liament for the City... Late Corporation, (Mayors and Sheriffs

only)... Recorders... Corporation in 1847, (how constituted,)

&c,... City Arms

187

CHAPTER XIV.

State of the City at the termination of the Siege... Extension of

the Town beyond the Walls... Quays and general improvements