In 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Enniskerry like this:
ENNISKERRY, a post-town, in the parish of POWERSCOURT, barony of RATHDOWN, county of WICKLOW, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (W. S.W.) from Bray, and 10 (S. by E.) from Dublin, on the road from Dublin, by Dundrum, to Roundwood; containing 497 inhabitants. This place, which is of modern origin, and has risen chiefly under the auspices of the noble family of Wingfield, Viscounts Powerscourt, occupies a beautiful situation on the acclivity of a hill rising from the bank of a mountain river called the Kerry. ...
It contains about 70 houses, most of which are tastefully built in the cottage style and inhabited by families of respectability; and from its vicinity to the beautiful scenery of the Dargle, the Powerscourt demesne, the waterfall, the Scalp, and other objects of general attraction, is a favourite resort for strangers and visitors from Dublin, for whose accommodation two very comfortable hotels and lodging-houses have been fitted up. The air is extremely pure and mild, and the equability of its temperature is highly favourable to persons affected with pulmonary diseases; a mail and a stage coach and jaunting cars ply daily between it and Dublin. The environs are very pleasing, and, exclusively of the seats and villas noticed under the head of Powerscourt, there are several handsome villas in the immediate vicinity of the village, of which the principal are Summer ,Hill, that of P. Flood, Esq.; Sea View, occupied by the Rev. A. Wynne; Enniskerry Lodge, of Capt. T. Mason, R.N.; and Wingfield Terrace, of J. Gason, Esq., M.D. A constabulary police force is stationed here, and petty sessions are held on alternate Fridays. Near the bridge is a neat school-house, with apartments for a master and mistress, erected by the late Lord Powerscourt; it has lately merged into an infants' school, supported by the present lord, and part of the building is appropriated to the use of a lending library. A girls' school, a very neat building on the Scalp side of the Kerry, was erected by the late Lady Powerscourt, in 1828, and is also supported by his lordship. Here is a dispensary, and in 1828 a fever hospital was erected by subscription, towards which Lord Powerscourt contributed £200. Alms-houses for six aged and infirm women were built partly by the late Lord Powerscourt and the Rev. R. Daly, the rector of the parish. A district society has been established for selling clothing to the poor at reduced prices.—See POWERSCOURT.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Enniskerry, in and County Wicklow | Map and description, A Vision of Ireland through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofireland.org/place/28207
Date accessed: 05th November 2024
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