School: Christian Brothers, Athlone

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1. Limits of Borough

   

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   The limits of the borough comprehend, under the charter, a circle of a mile and a half radius from the centre of the bridge, but as regards electoral purposes, were diminished by the late enactments, and now include only the town and a very small surrounding district comprising 485 statute acres. The number of voters registered at the last general election amounted to 274, of whom 179 polled; the sovereign or vice-sovereign and the recorder are justices of the peace within the borough, having exclusive jurisdiction under the charter; the clerk of the market. The civil court of the borough which has jurisdiction in pleas (cases) not exceeding £5, was held under the sovereign every third Thursday, but has been discontinued for more than fourteen years. The sovereign or his deputy sits thrice a week to hear complaints or matters arising within the borough. Quarter sessions for the Athlone divisions of Roscommon in June and December. "The portion of the borough on the Westmeath side of the river is in the Moate division of that county, where the quarter sessions are held regularly four times a year. Petty sessions for the adjacent rural districts are held within the limits of the borough on both sides of the river, on alternate Saturdays, at which the county magistrates respectively preside. "By letters patent in the 27th of Charles II.,the half quarter of land of Athlone, otherwise Beallough, with the manor, Castle, etc., was granted to Richard Lord Ranelagh with power to hold courts leet and baron, which courts are not now held; but the seneschal of the manor of Twyford, who holds his courts at Moate, claims jurisdiction over that part of that borough which is in the county of Westmeath. "The courthouse, or tholsel, was built in 1703. It was partly occupied as a guardroom and partly for holding the sovereign's court, but has been taken down. "There is a borough prison, to which, from its unfitness, offenders are only committed for a few hours prior to their removal; and within the corporation district is a prison belonging to the County Roscommon to which the sovereign commits offenders. "The town comprises the parishes of St. Peter and St. Mary - the former in the western and the latter in the eastern portion. The (Protestant) living of St Peter's is a perpetual curacy, in the Diocese of Elphin and in the patronage of the bishop. The church, * which is situated on the site of the ancient monastery of St. Peter, was built in 1804, by aid of a gift of £500 and a loan of £300 from the late Board of First Fruits, and has been recently repaired by a grant of £344 from the ecclesiastical commissioners.

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   English

2. The Glebe House

   

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   "The Glebe House was built at the same time, by a loan of £312 and a gift of £100 from the same Board; the glebe comprises six acres near the church. The living of St. Mary's is a rectory and vicarage, in the Diocese of Meath and in the patronage of the bishop. The ractory was granted by Charles I. in 1636 to Richard Linguard, together with a portion of the tithes in the parish of Ratoath, County Meath, for the augmentation of the vicarage, which was then stated to be worth only £40 per annum. These tithes now amount to £100. The church was rebuilt in 1826 by a grant of £2,300 from the late Board of First Fruits.
   "It is a neat edifice, with a square embattled tower. The tower of the old church is still standing and contains the bell which gave the signal for William's army to cross the river at the seige of Athlone.
   "In the Roman Catholic divisions, the parish of St. Peter is united with that of Drum and contains three chapels- St. Peter's, Drum, and Clonown-besides a small Religious House of the Augustinian Order, now falling into decay; and the R.C. parish of St. Mary is co-extensive with that of the (Protestant) established church, but in the Diocese of Ardagh, and contains a spacious chapel erected in 179[?] and also a chapel attached to a Religious House of the Franciscan Order rebuilt [in?] 1825."

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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