DOW* 



DOWN. 



exception of about 10 mile* betwwn UM Bann and the termination of 

 the Lagan navigation, the entire county boundary is formed either by 

 UM coast line or by line* of water carriage. The summit lerel of the 

 Lagan navigation towardj Lough Neagh U 112 feet above the level 

 of these*. 



The Newry Canal atlmiU vessel* of 60 tons through the heart of 

 Ulster. This canal, which was commenced in 1730, and opened in 

 1741, lira partly in the county of Down and partly in Armagh; it 

 extend*, from iu junction with the Bann River near Gilford, to Fathom, 

 on the Bay of Carlingford, about 14 IrUh or 17] English miles, having 

 iU summit level 77 feet above the sea. The average breadth of the 

 canal at top U 40 feet : the locks are 15 in number, and 22 feet in the 

 clear. It* management is now under the control of the Board of 

 Work*. 



Down i* well supplied with road*. The great northern road from 

 Belfast to Dublin pane* through the county from north to couth, 

 by ilillsborough, Droinore, Banbridge, Loughbrickland, and Newry : 

 this i* the only turnpike-road in Down. The other chief linen are 

 from Belfast to Donaghadee by Newtownard* : from Belfast to Down- 

 patrick by Ballynahinch ; and from Downpatrick to Newry by Castle- 

 wellan and Rathfriland. The Ulster railway, from Belfast to Armagh, 

 paxes through parU of the parUhes of Moira and Shankill in this 

 county. A railway ha* been constructed from Belfast to Holywood, 

 a bathing-place much resorted to by the citizens of Belfast in summer. 

 Another line, which i* to extend to Donaghadee, has been completed 

 as far as Newtownards ; another branch U projected to Downpatrick : 

 these line* form part of the Belfast and County Down railway. 



Otology, Hineraloffy, Ac. The chief geological features of the 

 county are strongly marked. The Mourne and Slieve Croob groups 

 coniut of granite. The boundary of this primitive district begins 

 from the east at Dundrum, whence patting northward to Slieve Croob, 

 it runs nearly due west, including the lordship of Newry, and passes 

 into the adjoining counties of Armagh and Louth. Northward and 

 eastward of the granite district the whole of the remainder of the 

 county i* occupied by an extension of the transition series which 

 forms the southern basin of Lough Neagh. Clay-slate in greater or 

 less degree* of induration U the prevalent rock. Towards the sea on 

 the north-cast and east, slate quarries are common. On the Antrim 

 boundary near Moira, an extension of the tertiary limestone or chalk 

 formation, which occurs throughout the basaltic district, occupies a 

 small portion of this county, and affords a valuable supply of lime 

 manure. Limestone boulders are found along the eastern shore of the 

 Bay of Belfast ; and at Carthespil, near Comber, on the western side 

 of Strangford Lough, there is a quarry of reddish granular lime- 

 stone. Ureat quantities of marl are raited in the neighbourhood of 

 Downpatrick. 



Copper ore has been found iu the mountains about 5 miles north- 

 east of Koestrevor ; also near Portaforry, and at Clonligg, between 

 Newtownards and Bangor, and in 1853 in the neighbourhood of Dun- 

 drum. At Bangor U a lead-mine which has been worked with 

 moderate success at various times. Lead ore occurs on the estate 

 of Ballyleady, in the same neighbourhood, and on that of Bryanaford, 

 near Newcastle ; also at Killough, and near Portaferry. 



Chalybeate spas occur at Newry, Dromore, Magheralin, near Donag- 

 hadee, and Rathfriland, and at various places in the barony of Ards. 

 A chalybeate spring strongly impregnated with sulphur and nitre rises 

 about 2 miles north-west of Ballynahinch, on the declivity of Slieve 

 Croob mountain, which has been found very efficacious in scorbutic 

 oases : the village of Ballynahinch has in consequence become a rather 

 fashionable resort during the summer months. 



Climate, Soil, Agriculture. The vicinity of the sea prevents the 

 continuance of frost* on the east and south ; and the insulated position 

 of the mountainous tract confines the heavier mists and rains to that 

 part of the county where their effects are least felt The general 

 inequality of the ground carries off surface waters and prevents damps, 

 so that the climate, although somewhat cold, is considered healthy. 

 The prevailing wind* in *pring are from the east : westerly winds, 

 although more frequent than from any other point, have not so great 

 a prevalence as in the neighbouring counties. Larch timber thrives 

 on very exposed situations on the Hourne mountains. 



The prevalent soil in the low district is a stony loam formed by the 

 decomposition of the nchUtose rook. Clayey soils are confined to the 

 north-east of the county and the barony of Ards, and are of a strong 

 and productive quality, but they are wet and require a large quantity 

 of manure. The richest soil in the county is in the district of Locale, 

 and a small tract of loam incumbent on limestone gravel in the 

 neighbourhood of Moira and Magberalin : the timber here is of larger 

 growth than elsewhere in Down. Alluvial tracts are frequent, and 

 yield luxuriant crop* of grass without manure. Considerable quan- 

 tities of wheat are raised throughout the county, but chiefly along 

 the shores of Strangford Lough; oate and barley are the chi.-f pniduce 

 of the south and centra of the county. Fences on the Antrim boundary 

 and along the line of the Dublin road are of quickthora ; clay banks 

 and dry stone walls are most frequent in the other parts of the 

 county. 



Large quantities of sea- weed are used a* manure along the north- 

 east and sssrtsrn coast. The distanoe of limestone quarries renders 

 lima manure very expensive throughout the central baronies ; but in 



the south and south-east there is an abundant supply of marl in 

 the barony of Locale. This valuable substance is found in morasses 

 and alluvial tracts at the bottoms of hills, and consists entirely of 

 marine exuvis: : the bed of marl is sometimes 5 feet in thickness. 



Down is not a grazing county, nor are there sheep farms ; but great 

 numbers of pigs are reared for the provision markets of Newry and 

 Belfast. The general condition of the people i* much superior to 

 that of the peasantry of the southern counties. The resident nobility 

 and gentry are more numerous in pioportion to the extent of the 

 county than in any other part of Ulster. The yeomanry of the 

 county are an intelligent class. 



Down contains nine baronies, and part of the lordship of Newry ; 

 the remainder of this division lying in Armagh. The baronies are 

 Ards, on the east and north-east, between Lough Strangford and the 

 sea : Castlereagh, Lower and Upper, on the north-east and north, 

 between Lough Strangford anil the county of Antrim : Dufferin, mi 

 the western shore of Lough Strangford : Iveagh, Lower, on the north 

 and north-west towards Antrim and Lough Neagh : Iveagh, Upper, on 

 the west and midland : Kinalearty, midland, between Upper Iveagh 

 and Dufferin : Lecale, on the south-east, between Strangford Lough 

 and Dundrum Bay : Mourne, lying between Dundrum Bay and Car- 

 lingford Lough ; and part ofr the lordship of Newry. BANBRIDOI : 

 DONAOKADEE ; DOWNPATRICK, the county town ; DROHOHK, the seat 

 of a bishop ; KILKEBL ; NEWTOWNARDS, and the Downshiro part of the 

 town of NEWHY, are noticed iu separate articles. Balymacarrett is 

 noticed under BELFAST, of which it is a suburb. Other places which 

 require to be mentioned we notice here. 



Anlglati, a decayed town, and small sea-port, at the head of the 

 Bay of Ardglaas, is distant 7 miles S.E. by S. from Downpatrick ; 

 population 974 in 1851. In the time of Henry VI. Ardglass was a 

 royal borough, governed by a portreeve; it was also at that time 

 represented in the Irish Parliament, and had a considerable trade. 

 After the rebellion of 1641, and the subsequent rise of Belfast as an 

 important sea-port, Ardglass sunk into insignificance. Latterly it 

 has somewhat improved ; the harbour is frequented by numerous 

 fishing boats, and small coasting vessels ; and visitors resort here in 

 considerable numbers during the season for bathing. The harbour and 

 bay afford good shelter. 



Jlullyuahinch, a small town near the centre of the county, 7 miles 

 N.W. by W. from Downpatrick; population 1006 in 1851, is situated 

 in a vale between ranges of rocky hills. Of late years more easy 

 communication has been obtained with neighbouring towns by means 

 of new roads. Fair* are held in Ballynahinch on the third Thursday 

 in each month. Near the town is Montalto House, once the principal 

 residence of the Hastings family. 



Bangor, a sea-port, market-town, and borough, is situated on the 

 shore of Bangor bay, on the south side of the entrance to Belfast 

 Lough ; distant 1 8 miles N. from Downpatrick ; population 2850 in 

 1851. Bangor is rather irregularly built, but has on the whole an 

 agreeable appearance. Besides the parish church, there are two Pres- 

 byterian meeting houses and a Methodist chapel. Efforts have been 

 mode during several years past to improve the harbour. A dock has 

 been constructed ; a small harbour suitable for boats has also been 

 made, and a pier run out from the south-east shore obliquely across 

 the bay. There is a good deal of intercourse by vessels between Bangor 

 and Portpatrick on the west coast of Scotland. The linen and cotton 

 manufactures employ many of the inhabitants of the town and neigh- 

 bourhood. Cattle and provisions are exported. An abbey existed 

 here at a very early period ; a portion of the ruins is still iu existence. 

 Fairs are held at Bangor on January 12th, May 1st, August 1st, and 

 November 22nd. 



CaHleweUan is a market-town situated on the rood from Newry to 

 Downpatrick, between the Mourne mountains and the Slieve Croob 

 range, 7 miles S.W. from Downpatrick; population 849 in 1851. 

 Castlewellan is a neat town, pleasantly situated; it possesses some 

 good buildings, including the market-bouse, sessions-house, and 

 chapels for Roman Catholics and Presbyterians. The market is held 

 weekly, the business transacted being chiefly in linen yam and farm 

 produce. Two bleaching establishments are in the neighbourhood. 

 Ten fairs are held in the course of the year. In the neighbour-he., ,,l 

 is Castlewellau, the seat of the Earl of Annesley, the grounds of which 

 are finely wooded and picturesque. 



Comber, or Cumber, is a small market-town at the north-western 

 extremity of Lough Strangford, 7 miles S.E. from Belfast ; population 

 1790 in 1851. The inhabitants are chiefly employed in the linen manu- 

 facture. The ruins of a castle, called Mount Alexander, exist on a site 

 which was formerly occupied by a Cistercian abbey. . Besides the parish 

 church, there are chapels for Presbyterians and Weuleyan Methodists. 

 At low water the beach presents a spacious expanse of sand some 

 thousands of acres in extent. Fairs are held at Comber on the fint 

 Thursday of January, O.S., on April 5th, June 28th, and October U't h. 

 There is here a station of the Belfast and Newtownards railway. 



Oil/ord, population 2814, a small market-town pleasantly situated 

 on the right bank of the river Bann, about 4 miles N.W. from Toll- 

 bridge. Flax spinning, linen weaving, and bleaching are carried on. 

 Fairs are hold on June 21st and November 21t. Gilford Castle, the 

 seat of Sir \Vi!li un Jolinstone, Bart., stands near the town. 



drey-Abbey, population 868 in 1861, is situated on the east shore of 



