1783 Taylor & Skinner Lurgan, Moira, Crumlin, Glenavy and Ballinderry, Ireland Road Map
This hand-coloured antique Irish road map, published in 1783, is Map 16 from the second revised edition of Taylor & Skinner’s Maps of the Roads of Ireland. Surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783, it records the historic road network around Lurgan, Magheralin, Moira, Aghagallon, Aghalee, Ballinderry, Glenavy and Crumlin, crossing parts of County Armagh, County Down and County Antrim.
The original heading “From Dublin” identifies this sheet as part of the continuing road survey from the capital. The map shows a detailed network of principal roads and connecting routes linking the settlements around Lough Neagh, together with mile markers, churches, estates, waterways and country houses.
Lurgan is prominently shown with several roads converging around the town, including connections towards Portadown, Moira and the surrounding countryside. Nearby properties and estates include Gracehall, Springhill, Newforge and other residences associated with contemporary landowners.
Moira appears as another important road junction, with Moira Castle clearly identified nearby. Roads connect the town with Lurgan, Lisburn and Dromore, while Magheralin and surrounding estates are also carefully recorded.
The route continues through the area around Aghagallon and Aghalee, with numerous churches, country houses and local roads shown beside the principal route. The engraving also records Ballinderry, together with nearby estates and the road connections towards Lisburn.
Glenavy and Crumlin form major features on another section of the sheet. Around Glenavy, roads connect towards Lisburn, while Crumlin appears with the Belfast Road and surrounding properties clearly marked.
Lough Neagh dominates much of the map visually, with Rams Island, Langford Lodge and Portmore among the prominent geographical and estate features shown beside the water.
The engraved county-boundary inscriptions “Enter Armagh Co.”, “Enter Down Co.” and “Enter Antrim Co.” make this sheet particularly useful for understanding how the historic road network crossed between the three counties during the late 18th century.
As throughout Taylor & Skinner’s survey, numerous named estates, country houses and contemporary landowners appear beside the roads, giving the engraving additional interest for Irish local history, genealogy and family-history research.
Identified as Map 16 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.