W's opinion, a spectacle grand and magnificent. The village, when he visited it, consisted of about one hundred neat houses, all whitewashed; with a Ch. surrounded by trees, and a river running through it, over which there is a stone bridge; the whole much enlivened by a bleaching-green on its banks. All this, together with a cotton manufactory, has been the labour of 40 years. It is highly worthy of notice, and is easily accessible by the good roads in its vicinity. The botanist will receive much pleasure from the inspection of the very fine collection of indigenous and exotic shrubs which Mr. Foster has collected round his comfortable mansion. See also _Curwen's Letters_, vol. ii. p. 292. Observe the Ch. tower, of chaste Gothic architecture; the curious winter garden. In a romantic valley, 5 m. W. from Drogheda and about 1-1/2 m. from the banks of the Boyne, stand the once massy but now dilapidated ruins of Mellifont Abbey, founded for Cistertian monks, by O'Carrol prince of Uriel, in the 12th century, and a spot of great interest in the history of the English invasion of Ireland; for here died, and now lies interred, Dervorgilla, daughter of O'Malaghlin, king of Meath, a second Helen, who being married to Tigernach O'Rourke prince of Brefinny, was basely ravished by Mac Murrogh king of Leinster, who was in consequence forced to fly from his dominions, and sought that succour from Henry II. which led to the subjugation of the island. At the Dissolution it was given to Sir Edward Moore, who made it a castellated residence; but it afterwards became a ruin, and within the last fifty years has suffered extremely. The most curious part is a remnant of an octagonal baptistery. See _Hoare_, p. 242. Monasterboice, a village about 3 m. from Drogheda, has a good specimen of the ancient round towers, 110 feet in height and 51 in circumference, with walls of the thickness of 3 feet 6 inches. The door is at present only 6 feet from the ground; and it appears to have contained six stories, from the stones that project in the interior. The tower itself is built of a slaty stone, frequent in the hills in the vicinity; but the door is cased of freestone. Its summit is already in decay. Near it are the ruins of two Chapels; also two very curious crosses, the largest 18 feet in height, with a variety of sculptures. A good view is given by Grose. See _Hoare_, p. 237. Torfeckan village stands near the sea, and about 3-1/2 m. from Drogheda. It was once a place of some importance, though now a paltry village, with nothing remarkable but some towers of its ancient Castle, fast falling into decay; and connected with some ruins of an Abbey founded for nuns in the 12th century. Till within these few years the Castle had been habitable, and was a frequent residence of the Archbishops of Armagh, to which see it belongs. See ruins of Glasspistol Castle.