Navan & District Historical Society

Slater’s Directory, 1894

Kentstown, a parish in co. Meath, barony of Lower Duleek, union of Navan, diocese of Meath, 4 miles south south east from Beauparc station on the Great Northern railway and 5 south from Slane; it contains 6 townlands.  There is a public school and a police barrack.  Somerville House, the seat of Lord Athlumney, stands on an elevation within extensive grounds, presenting many natural beauties and watered by the Nanny.  The area comprises 2,530 acres ; the population in 1891 was 245. Letters through Navan.

Church of Ireland; Rev. Edward Goff B.A.

Private Residents:

Athlumney Lord, Somerville House.

Goff, Rev. Edward B.A.

Kinsella, J. Yeldonstown.

Farmers:

Austin, Patrick.

Campbell, Nicholas, Tinterath.

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Kentstown

The Parliamentary Gazetteer 0f Ireland, 1844-1845, Vol. 2

Kentstown, a parish in the barony of Lower Duleek, 5 1/4 miles south west by west of the town of Duleek, co. Meath, Leinster. Length, 1 3/4 mile; breadth, 1 1/2; area, 2,521 acres. Pop., in 1831, 500; in 1841, 514. Houses 84.  The surface consists of four different qualities of land, all in about equal proportions; and is traversed northward by the road from Dublin to Slane.

This parish is a rectory in the dio. of Meath.  Tithe composition, £200; glebe, £24.  The rectories of Kentstown and Danistown, and the vicarage of Ballymagarvey , constitute the benefice of Kentstown. Length, 3 3/4 miles; breadth, 1/1/2. Pop. in 1831, 1,027.  Gross income, £399 12s. 6d.; nett, £305 17s 6 1/2d. Patron of Kentstown, Lord Dunsanny; of Danistown and Ballymagarvey, the Crown.  The church was built about 86 years ago, and was subsequently enlarged at the expense of the parish; and the steeple was erected, in 1797, by Sir James Somerville.  Sittings 200; attendance 55.  There is a Roman Catholic chapel in Ballymagarvey.  In 1834, the Protestants of the parish amounted to 40, and the Roman Catholics to 456; the Protestants of the union to 70, and the Roman Catholics to 988; a free girls’ school in the parish was supported by Lady Maria Sommerville, and had on its books 12 girls; and a hedge school in Ballymagarvey was usually attended by about 20 children.