293 APPENDIX. 



the condition of inheritance in the direct line ; in con- 

 fequence of which fome of them began to provide for 

 their defcendants, by creeling caftles " and fortified 

 houfes, and by attending to fuch improvements as were 

 moft in fafhion at the time they lived. Yet how (lowly 

 this idea operated, may be collected from the fmall 

 number of buildings of flrength creeled by the old 

 Irifli, in comparifon with the Englifli. A flight (ketch 

 of the hiflory of thofe ancient buildings, which are to 

 be found in many parts of this county, will add 

 flrength to this obfervation ; and will (hew, that the 

 three great families of the O'Neil's, Me. Cartanes, and 

 Me. Gennifes, who poflefled nearly the whole of this 

 county, fo far from portioning out their territories like 

 the Engliih, and having places of ftrength creeled upon, 

 them, fcarcely poflefled a ftrong hold for their own 

 refidence. Con O'Neil, who held fo great a portion 

 of Cafllereagh and the Ards, feems to have had no 

 other fortified place than his feat at Caftlereagh, which 

 was fituated on the fummit of a hill of the fame name, 

 in a fort encompafTed three fourths by a deep ditch. 

 Me. Cartane, whofe lauds extended into the barony of 

 Kinelearty, and the fouth part of Caftlereagh, refided 

 at Annadom, nor do I find mention made of any other 

 place immediately belonging to him. The Magennifes 

 indeed are faid to have had Newcaflle, built by Felix 

 (according to the Hiflory of the County of Down) in 

 1588 ; a houfe alfo at CafUewellan, and a caftle on the 



hill 



