1783 Taylor & Skinner Belfast, Lisburn, Banbridge, Dromore & Hillsborough, Ireland Road Map
This hand-coloured antique Irish road map, published in 1783, is Map 5 from the second revised edition of Taylor & Skinner’s Maps of the Roads of Ireland. Surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783, it is presented as two adjoining strip maps on a single engraved sheet, showing historic roads through Loughbrickland, Banbridge, Dromore, Hillsborough, Lisburn, Lambeg and Belfast across Counties Down and Antrim.
The left-hand strip follows the road north from Loughbrickland through Banbridge and Dromore. At Banbridge, roads branch towards Armagh, Rathfriland, Castlewellan and Gilford, while the surrounding countryside is recorded with turnpikes, hills, churches, estates and named country houses.
Dromore forms another important junction, with roads towards Moira, Gilford, Lagan, Castlewellan and Rathfriland clearly engraved. Nearby features include Gillhall, Ballynahinch Road, Magherally Church and numerous properties associated with contemporary landowners.
The right-hand strip follows the important road corridor from Hillsborough through Lisburn and Lambeg towards Belfast, closely accompanied by the River Lagan and Lagan Canal. Lisburn is prominently shown with roads towards Antrim, Lurgan and Downpatrick, together with nearby places including Lambeg, Drumbo, Edenderry and Malone.
At the northern end of the sheet, Belfast is shown beside Belfast Lough, with its compact late-18th-century street plan and several principal roads radiating from the town. Routes towards Antrim, Carrickfergus and Newtownards are identified, along with turnpikes, estates and properties surrounding the developing settlement.
The engraving provides an especially interesting view of the historic transport corridor between Belfast and Lisburn, with the River Lagan, canal, roads and adjoining estates all shown together. The large engraved county names ANTRIM and DOWN further emphasise the relationship between the two counties.
As throughout Taylor & Skinner’s survey, the map records much more than the principal road. Numerous country houses, churches, estates, side roads, turnpikes and contemporary landowners are identified, adding considerable interest for Irish local history, genealogy and family-history research.
The heading “To Donaghadee” identifies this sheet as part of the continuing route towards Donaghadee, while Map 5 concentrates particularly on the road network linking Belfast, Lisburn, Hillsborough, Dromore and Banbridge.
Identified as Map 5 in Taylor & Skinner’s Maps of the Roads of Ireland, it forms part of their extensive late-18th-century survey of Ireland’s principal roads.