148 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



found near the surface, or in connexion with old buildings. The 

 place or places where they were made are unknown. At present 

 in Belfast there are about five manufactories on a small scale, the 

 clay being imported from Devonshire. 



Pottery. — In Dr. Molyneux's "Tour in the North of Ireland,'* 

 1708, we find, " Here we saw a very good manufacture of earthen- 

 ware, which was nearest to delft of any made in Ireland, and really 

 is not much short of it. It is very clear and pretty, and uni- 

 versally used in the North, and I think not so much owing to any 

 peculiar happiness in the clay, but rather to the manner of testing 

 and mixing it up." On the map of Belfast, 1791, there are two 

 distinct factories marked " Pottery and China Manufactory." 

 According to George Benn, "History of Belfast" (1877, p. 355), 

 these manufactories were relinquished in 1799. It is not known 

 where the clay was procured. 



Old bricks are found in Carrickfergus and Dundrum Castles, 

 but they appear to be much more recent than the original struc- 

 tures. They are much smaller than those now in use, and tra- 

 dition says they were imported from Holland in the reign of 

 William III. At the present time in the neighbourhood of 

 Belfast, and elsewhere in the Cos. Antrim and Down, bricks, 

 flooring-tiles, ridge-tiles, drain-tiles, and such like, also flower- 

 pots, are manufactured, generally from the washed " Till," but also 

 from the clays of the Keuper marls. In all cases the presence of 

 clay in a suitable position is the main desideratum in establishing 

 works. It has been the custom in the neighbourhood of Belfast to 

 take ground likely to come in soon as building sites, and make 

 bricks on the spot. 



ARMAGH. 



Potter's Clay is mentioned by Lewis (1837) as found in this 

 county ; but no locality is given. 



Pipe-clay of a good quality, and in a stratum 41 feet thick, is 

 said to have been got at a depth of 30 feet when sinking a well a 

 little west of Ardress House. — (g. s. m.) 



Yery good red Bricks are made in various places in the vicinity 

 of Armagh, 20s. to 25s. per 1000, 9J x 4| x 3 ; while those made in 



