THE SLATE QUARRY AND SLATE QUARRY HOUSE IN CROSSGAR |
1. The earliest mention found of the slate quarry in Crossgar is in “Harris Topographical Atlas; Co Down – 1744”: “The old Parish Church of Dromarah, about 3 miles S.S.W. of Anahilt, lay in ruins since the general Devastation of Churches in 1641; but good parts of the walls out-braving the injuries of time, were lately repaired, and the church rendered fit for service in the last Festival of St. Matthew, when it was restored . Near this Church a good slate Quarry was found on the estate of Lord Hillsborough.” 2. We find a similar mention in “Seward – Topographic Hiberniea – 1802” “Near the church a good slate quarry was found on the estate of Lord Hillsborough.” 3. There is also mention of slate quarries in the Ordnance Survey for Dromara by Lieutenant G. A Bennett, 22 November 1834: “There are several good slate quarries but not at present worked.” 4. The McKenny family formally enters the story of the Crossgar slate quarry in the early 1800’s. Oral history indicates that the first Slate Quarry House McKenny was a son of John McKenny of Crossgar, farmer, whose ancestors had been relocated from The Maze in Blaris Parish as part of the Cromwell relocation. The son is reported to have immigrated to the United States as a very young man, made considerable money and returned to Dromara as John McKenny, Gentleman (often a title describing education or affluence). As most of the Dromara McKenny’s who immigrated to the United States settled in New York City, it is believed that such was the case of this John McKenny. It is possible that John McKenny, Gentleman, was requested to return to Dromara to handle the affairs of an apparent ailing father as evidenced by his father’s will written in 1805. If the timing of John McKenny is consistent with the practice of executing wills close to the end of a lifetime, as evidenced in the Probate Court records, then John McKenny, farmer was anticipating the end of his life in the near future. 5. With his “fortune” earned in America, John McKenny, Gentleman, built a large house in Crossgar which was named “Slate Quarry House” (due most likely to its proximity to a slate quarry), initiated some commercial ventures and took charge of his father’s lease in Drin. 6. John McKenny of Crossgar, Gentleman, held two leases for land with Arthur Lord Viscount Dungannon. (a) The first was executed on 16 January 1804 for small farm in Crossgar consisting of 3 acres, 3 rods and 35 perches plantation measure. The property was described as “lately in the occupancy of Phelinny and Patrick Morgan”. As there does not appear to be another property lease for John McKenny in Crossgar, this appears to be the property upon which John McKenny built "Slate Quarry House". The lease is held by the PRONI under document D1954-4-508 (b) The second was executed on 12 January 1804 for a larger farm in Drin consisting of 31 acres, 1 rod and 17 perches of arable lands, pasture and meadow and 29 acres, 3 rods, 31 perches of mountain. Again, the property is described as “lately in the occupancy of Phelinny and Patrick Morgan”. The lease is held by the PRONI under document D778/507.
7. Regarding the Crossgar slate quarry, Arthur Lord Viscount Dungannon entered into a “rights of use”
Finally, the lease to be “surrendered whenever no more slates can be found on said estate”. The lease is kept in the PRONI as document D778/541. 8. The commercial value of the slate quarry appeared to have significantly diminished by 1819, as there appears the following memorandum to Lord Dungannon from R. Jebb (the overall handler of Dungannon's properties in Northern Ireland):
9. There is some evidence that more than one slate quarry existed in the townland of Crossgar, and perhaps even on the property surrounding the McKenny farm at Slate Quarry House. As already evidenced in PRONI document D778/541, above, mention is made of more than one slate quarry in Crossgar: “all other slate quarries in the Townlands of Crossgar “. Further, again as previously mentioned above, the 1834 Ordnance Survey for Dromara cites several slate quarries in Dromara (but not necessarily located in Crossgar): “There are several good slate quarries but not at present worked.” Finally, while reference is almost always made to the address “Slate Quarry House”, upon occasion, the address of the property is described as “Slate Quarries”, as in the case of the will of a later McKenny in 1924. 10. Slate Quarry House remained in the McKenney family for several generations. The family normally retained a few sons in Dromara to manage the farm and businesses and funded the immigration or education abroad of the other children. This practice was conducted to avoid diluting the fortunes of the family by requiring the land to support too many people.
This John McKenny listed in the Griffith’s Valuation married Margaret McCurry from Antrim and upon his death in 1880 left Slate Quarry House and the surrounding land to his sons Michael and John McKenny. John (my grandfather) immigrated to New York City and his brother Michael became the sole owner of the property. Michael’s mother, Margaret McCurry McKenny remained in the home until at least 1901 as she is shown as the head of the family in the 1901 Irish Census. Further, “Mrs. McKenny, Slate Quarry House” is listed in the Belfast and Ulster Directories for 1921-1924, but it is impossible to determine if that individual is Margaret McCurry McKenny, of the wife of a brother of Michael McKenny (as Michael did not marry). Michael became a commercial traveller and later a Director of Thomas Hills Motor Fittings. As such, he spent considerable time in Dublin most likely at the neglect of Slate Quarry House. Upon Michael McKenny’s death in 1922, Slate Quarry House was inherited by Michael’s brother, James Henry McKenny. James Henry died a few years later in 1925, survived by two older children living in Brooklyn, NY (Michael Francis McKenny and James Henry McKenny) from a first marriage and two small children (David McKenny and Mollie McKenny) from a second marriage. Upon the death of James Henry McKenny, Slate Quarry House, its furnishings (and most likely the farm itself) were sold at public auction to raise money for the support of his two small children. The banner advertising the auction read:
Branch & Rogan – Auctioneers” 12. Slate Quarry House was listed on 27 October 1976 as a historic building. Sadly, the only information obtained from the organisation controlling this listing was disappointingly brief: “…..our records indicate that the house was probably built early in the 19th century. It is described as a 2-storey, 3 bay stucco faced house.”
Patrick McKenney |
