3 oo [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



voted to Ardglass. This spot appears to have early been of 

 importance, many battles having been fought in the locality, and 

 traces of its occupation still remain in the earthwork known as 

 " The Moat," just outside the town. 



To John de Courcy and his Anglo-Norman followers we are 

 indebted for the numerous castles in this district. 



The family of Jordans settled in Ardglass, 1 177, and King John, 

 in company with Mariadac, King of Limerick, is recorded to have 

 visited " Castrum Jordani de Sankeville." In 12 17 Jordan de 

 Sankeville was confirmed in his possessions " de Ardglass " by 

 Henry III, and in Elizabeth's time the Jordans were said to be 

 still the principal gentry about Ardglass. Jordan's Castle in the 

 centre of the town, is the best preserved of the castles, and is 

 named after Simon Jordan, who held it for three years against the 

 rebels, till June, 1601, when he was relieved by Deputy Mountjoy. 

 Margaret's Castle is the fragment of a square tower of which little 

 is known. King's Castle, once the chief stronghold, is now a 

 modern building, of which nothing is ancient except the name. 

 " Newark," or " Ardglass Castle, " is an extensive group of build- 

 ings chiefly modern, but some portions may date from before 1426, 

 as an inquisition of Henry VI. in that year mentions " One 

 Messuage called Newark, in Ardglass." It is thought to have 

 been erected by a company of London Merchants who settled here 

 early in the fifteenth century. 



The customs of the port were granted by Henry VIII. to 

 Gerald, Earl of Kildare, but were afterwards re-sold to Charles I. 

 in 1637. Ardglass fell behind in competition with Belfast, Carrick, 

 Newry, &c, and in 18 to, when the Fitzgeralds sold the estate it 

 was a mere fishing village. The new purchaser, the late Mr. 

 Ogilvie, set zealously to work to raise the status of the place. 



Sir John Rennie was employed, and much money spent on 

 harbour works, but the injuries caused by storms, the competition 

 and jealousy of its wealthier rivals, and the apathy of successive 



