Blaris Explained

Official Name:Blaris
Irish Name:Bláras
Static Image:Blaris Old Burial Ground - geograph.org.uk - 189631.jpg
Static Image Caption:Blaris old burial ground in 2006
Country:Northern Ireland
Postcode Area:BT
Dial Code:028
Hide Services:yes

Blaris [1] is a civil parish covering areas of both County Antrim and County Down, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the historic baronies of Castlereagh Upper and Iveagh Lower, Upper Half in County Down and Massereene Upper in County Antrim. It is also a townland of 543 acres,[2] which contains the site of the Blaris medieval parish church, and is on the south-east side of the River Lagan, adjacent to Lisburn.[1]

History

In the 1306 Papal Taxation the church is recorded as Ecclesia de Blaris. In 1605 the townland of Blaris is recorded as Ballytempleblarisse, . In the mid-19th century the antiquarian William Reeves noted that very little of the church was intact, although the graveyard remained.[1]

Blaris old burial ground is in the townland of Blaris and is reputed to have had a church in mediaeval times. The oldest gravestone dates from 1626. Some of those who took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798 were executed outside the graveyard and are buried in an unmarked plot.[3]

Settlements

The civil parish contains the following settlements:[2]

Townlands

The civil parish contains the following townlands:[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blaris. Place Names NI. 18 May 2015.
  2. Web site: Blaris. IreAtlas Townlands Database. 16 May 2015.
  3. Web site: Blaris old graveyard. Ros Davies County Down, NI Family History Research Site. 18 May 2015.