Bangor in 1835

BANGOR, or BENCHOR, signifying the White Choir, a borough and sea-port town in the county of Down in Ireland. It is partly in the barony of Ardes and partly in that of Castlereagh, and situated on the bay of Carrickfergus.

It is a place of great antiquity, though the date of its foundation is not known. It was at one time famous for its abbey of canons, which was founded by St. Comgall, a person of noble family, in the middle of the sixth century. It is said that there were 3,000 resident monks in it at the time of its greatest prosperity. Cormac, King of Leinster, is reported to have closed his life in the abbey, in the year 567. It was restored in 1120 by St. Malachy, having previously gone to ruins: some remains of the abbey still exist.

The town was originally governed by a provost and twelve burgesses, who, before the union between Great Britain and Ireland, had the right of returning two members to the Irish parliament.

Bangor has lately had a pier erected, with a view to the encouragement of the deep sea fishery, for which the place is said to be well adapted.

In the parish, which is called by the same name, there is a lead-mine of some value, which is worked by the Mining Company of Ireland.

Lord Bangor, the proprietor of the place, supports a school in the borough, out of his own private purse, in which fifty-six girls are educated; and Lady Duffien maintains a school, in the parish, which gives a good education to forty girls.

Bangor is 75 miles north-east of Dublin, or 114 miles by the road.

It has three annual fairs, one on January 20th, another on May 1st, and the third on November 22nd.

The population of the town is 1,520, and of the parish 9,355.