TESSAURAN

TESSAURAN, a parish, in the barony of GARRYCASTLE, KING'S county, and province of LEINSTER, 2 miles (N. by W.) from Cloghan, on the road to Shannon-Bridge; containing 5587 inhabitants. This parish is situated between the river Shannon and the greater Brosna river, which latter runs into the former at its southern extremity: it comprises 5184 statute acres of arable land, and upwards of 1600 acres of red bog. Limestone is quarried both for building and agricultural purposes; and great facility is afforded by the Shannon and the Grand Canal for the conveyance of agricultural produce to Dublin and Limerick. Petty sessions are held on alternate Tuesdays at Belmont.

The seats are Moytown, the residence of Colonel L'Estrange; Belmont, of Robert Baker, Esq.; Kilcummin, of William L'Estrange, Esq.; and Hunstanton, of Major Carlton.

The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Meath, united by act of council in 1804 to the vicarage of Farbane, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £200, and there is a glebe of 114 acres of profitable land, valued at £256. 10. per ann.; there is also a glebe of 282 acres (exclusive of bog) in the parish of Farbane: the gross value of the benefice, including the glebes, amounts to £876. 19. 2. per ann. The glebe-house was built in 1812 by the present incumbent, at an expense of £2119. The church is a neat edifice, built in 1806 by aid of a gift of £500 Irish currency, from the late Board of First Fruits, and enlarged in 1831 by private subscription, aided by a loan of £300 British, from the same Board; on this occasion Colonel L'Estrange contributed £80.

In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Farbane; the chapel at High-street is a plain building of recent erection. In the national school at High-street, which is aided by £6 per ann. from a local fund, and a female school at Moytown, supported by Mrs. L'Estrange, about 90 children are educated; and there are two private schools, in which are about 130 children, and a Sunday school. A loan fund has been established for the benefit of the industrious poor. Of the abbey founded here about the commencement of the sixth century, and of which St. Trena was abbot, not a vestige exits. The old churchyard, which for the last two centuries has been the burial-place of the L'Estrange family, is still used.