SANTRY, or SANTREFF, a parish, in the barony of COOLOCK, county of DUBLIN, and the province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (N.) from Dublin, on the road to Swords; containing 1159 inhabitants, of which number, 125 are in the village.
In 1641 the village was burnt, and great devastation was committed in the parish, by a detachment from the parliamentarian forces stationed at Dublin, which had been sent against a party of royalists that had taken post here.
The parish comprises 4525 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the land is of good quality, chiefly in meadow and pasture; that which is under tillage is fertile, and the system of agriculture is improving.
Nearly adjoining the village is Santry House, the seat of Sir Compton Domville, Bart., proprietor of the parish, a stately mansion of brick, containing many spacious apartments ornamented with numerous family portraits, a valuable collection of historical and scriptural paintings by the best masters, and many valuable specimens of the fine arts: the demesne, comprising more than 140 acres, is tastefully laid out in gardens and pleasure-grounds, richly embellished with timber, and commanding some beautiful scenery and some extensive mountain and sea views.
There are numerous other seats and villas in the parish, of which the principal are:
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Belcamp House, the residence of C. S. Hawthorne, Esq., a handsome mansion, situated on finely disposed grounds and commanding some rich views ;
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Woodlands, of Col. A. Thomson, C. B., built by Dean Jackson, contemporary with Dean Swift, who was a frequent inmate here;
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Belcamp, of Sir H. M. J. W. Jervis, Bart., an elegant villa beautifully situated;
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Santry Lodge; of J. Martin, Esq. ;
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Belcamp, of Mrs. Chainley ;
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Woodford, of F. W. Edwards, Esq. ;
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Woodlawn, of Capt. Logan; and
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Collinstown, of L. Brangan, Esq.
The village is pleasantly situated on the road to Swords; it contains 25 houses, neatly built, and derives much interest from the adjoining demesne of Santry House : near it is a station of the city police.
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin, and in the patronage of the Crown, in which one-half of the rectorial tithes is impropriate ; the other half is annexed to the vicarage.
- The tithes amount to £462, of which £200 is payable to the Crown, and £262 to the vicar.
- The glebe-house was built on a glebe of one acre in 1829, at an expense of £1300, towards which the late Board of First Fruits contributed a gift of £200 and a loan of £600 ; the remainder was defrayed by the Rev. Dennis Browne, the present incumbent.
- The church, towards the repair of which the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have granted £264, is a plain neat edifice, rebuilt in 1709, and contains the tombs of many of the Barry and Domville families , successive proprietors of the estate.
In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union of Clontarf ; there is a chapel at Ballymun.
The charter school under the Incorporated Society is endowed with land by R. H. L. Gardiner ; the house, towards which Primate Boulter contributed £400, is a spacious building, situated on the road to Drogheda : in this school about 30 children are clothed, maintained, and educated, and when of age are placed out as apprentices ; and about 50 children are taught in two other public schools.
