Caisleán na Gaoithe

CASTLEVENTRY, a parish, partly in the barony of IBANE and BARRYROE, but chiefly in the Western Division of the barony of EAST CARBERY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 5 miles (W.) from Clonakilty; containing 2474 inhabitants. This parish is situated a little to the north of the road from Cork to Skibbereen, between Clonakilty and Ross, and comprises 4663 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. About one-half of the land is under tillage, producing good crops; the remainder is chiefly rough hilly pasture, with some small portions of bog, which is very valuable for fuel. Much of the rough and unprofitable land is capable of being reclaimed; but although new and excellent lines of road have been recently opened, very little improvement has yet been made in the system of agriculture. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ross, and is part of the union of Kilkeranmore; the rectory is impropriate in — Foot and — Roberts, Esqrs. The tithes amount to £524, of which one-half is payable to the impropriators, and the other to the vicar. The church is a large edifice, in the early English style, with a lofty square tower, and was built by aid of a gift of £900 from the late Board of First Fruits. There is neither glebe-house nor glebe. In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or district of Kilmeen. The parochial male and female schools, at Saroo, are supported by the Cork Diocesan Association, the vicar, and J. S. Townsend, Esq., who has endowed the schools with an acre of land. On the summit of a lofty hill are the ruins of the old church, situated in a very strong fortress, called Templum Ventrie, built in 1298 by the Knights Templars, on the site of a heathen temple; and near it are the remains of another, called Bealad. In the neighbourhood have been found several ancient ornaments and some celts of stone and bronze.

Source: Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)