CASTLETOWN-KINDELANE, or VASTINA, a parish

CASTLETOWN-KINDELANE, or VASTINA, a parish, in the barony of MOYCASHEL, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 4 ¾ miles (N.) from Kilbeggan; containing 4052 inhabitants, of which number, 191 are in the village. This place is called also Castletown-Geoghegan, from its earliest proprietors, the McGeoghegans, chiefs of Moycashel, of whose ancient castle there are still some remains, and is principally the property of Sir Richard Nagle, Bart., the representative of that ancient family, who is resident. The parish is situated on the road from Kilbeggan to Mullingar, and comprises 10,116 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The land is almost equally divided between arable and pasture; there is a considerable tract of red bog, but no waste land, and the system of agriculture is improving. Limestone abounds, but no quarries are worked.

Jamestown, the seat of Sir Richard Nagle, Bart., is a spacious and handsome castellated mansion of modern erection, containing an interesting collection of ancient portraits and some curious relics of antiquity; in the vicinity is preserved McGeoghegan's Chair, in which the chiefs of Moycashel were anciently inaugurated. Middleton, the property of J. Middleton Berry, Esq., and now occupied by W. Hodson, Esq., is also in the parish. The village consists of 36 houses; it is a constabulary police station, and there is a patent for fairs, but none are held at present. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Meath, and in the patronage of the Crown; the tithes of 50 acres are impropriate in Sir William Lambart Cromie, Bart. The entire tithes amount to £495. 13. 10., of which £15. 13. 10. is payable to the rector of Churchtown for a townland in this parish, which is impropriate in that union, and the remainder to the vicar; that part of the rectory which is impropriate in Sir W. L. Cromie, is not under composition.

The church, a modern building in good repair, was erected in 1808, by aid of a gift of £500 from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe-house was built in 1813, by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £900 from the same Board: the glebe comprises 20 acres, subject to an annual rent of £2. 2. per acre. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising also the parish of Newtown; there are two chapels, one in Castletown village and one at Raheenmoore. The parochial school, on the glebe land, is supported by subscription and an annual donation from the rector; and there is a national school endowed with two acres of land by the late Richard Malone, Esq., of Baronstown. In these schools about 55 boys and 40 girls are instructed; and there are also six pay schools, in which are about 134 children.