Carrickfergus County in the 1830s

The county of the town extends about five statute miles along the shore, and its mean length and breadth are nearly equal; it contains, according to the Ordnance survey, 16,700a. 1r. 34p., including Lough Morne, which comprises 89a. 3r. 22p. The amount of Grand Jury presentments, for 1835, was £839. 5. 7 ½., of which £186. 8. 9. was for repairing the roads, bridges, &c.; £386. 10. 3. for public establishments, charities, officers' salaries, &c.; and £266. 6. 7 ½. for the repayment of a loan advanced by Government. Lough Morne, or More, about three miles north of the town, is said to be the largest in Ireland at the same elevation, which is 556 feet above the level of the sea; it has a powerful spring near the centre, and is well stored with eels and pike.

The principal streams, all of which take a nearly direct course into the bay, are the Woodburn, which is formed by the union of two rivulets about two miles above the town (on each of which is a picturesque cascade), and supplies two large cotton mills, a flour and corn-mill, and a large mill for spinning linen yarn near the town; the Orland Water, which descends from Lough Morne, and falls into the bay at the eastern suburb of the town; the Sulla-Tober, which falls into the bay near the same place; the Copeland Water, which forms the eastern boundary of the county; the Silver Stream, which bounds it on the south-west; and the Red River: in all of these are found black and white trout, eels, and stickleback. The surface is studded with the villages of Eden or Edengrenny, Clipperstown, Woodburn, and Bonnybefore; with several hamlets, numerous gentlemen's seats scattered along the shore, and surrounded with ornamental plantations; and several farm-houses of comfortable appearance interspersed throughout. The principal gentlemen's seats are Thornfield, the residence of P. Kirk, Esq., M. P.; Oakfield, of W. D. D. Wilson, Esq.; St. Catherine's, of Colonel Walsh; Glen Park, of Capt. Skinner; Barn Cottage, of J. Cowan, Esq.; Prospect, of — Vance, Esq.; Wood-ford, of the Rev. J. Gwynn; Sea Park, of the Rev. J. Chaine; and Scout Bush, of Edward Bruce, Esq.