33 o [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



under the frowning mass of Carlingford mountain, the ancient 

 town of that name is reached. Situated on the extreme northern 

 frontier of the English pale, Carlingford has played an important 

 part in Irish history, of which its many ruined castles are still 

 monuments. On leaving the station an old tower in good pre- 

 servation is first seen, apparently once of much importance, the 

 date of which is uncertain, but it probably belongs to the early 

 part of the fifteenth century. 



Carlingford, like many other places, has been claimed as the 

 landing place of St. Patrick. This, however, is merely tradition. 

 Of another, as notorious, if less revered personage, viz., King 

 John, we have numerous documentary notices, in connection with 

 Carlingford. We find from these that he occupied the castle as 

 early as A.D. 1210, apparently soon after its erection. Amongst 

 other entries in the state papers of the time are the following : — 

 July 10, 1 2 10, "at Carlingford, to Henry FitzEarl, for 2 galleys 

 going with a message for the King — 10 marks." Another dated 

 August 2, 1 2 10, "to Robert de Ros, for play at Carlingford, with 

 Warin FitzGerald, when the King was his partner — 37s 4d." At 

 the same place " to Nicholas the carpenter — 20s." " Master 

 Osbert, quarryman, and Alberic, ditcher, 10s." " To Barberill, to 

 buy wax, 4 marks." Many other items of later date are scattered 

 through the records. The castle as it now stands forms an impos- 

 ing pile of massive masonry, covering the irregular outline of a 

 rocky point, and it passed through many vicissitudes before being 

 finally dismantled about the middle of the seventeenth century. On 

 its grey walls are to be found several plants not of common occur- 

 rence. The wall flower ( Cheiranthus cheiri), and the red valerian 

 ( Centranthus ruber), both grow here spontaneously, and truly wild. 

 There are besides, the wall barley {Hordeum murinum), and the 

 hard meadow grass (Sclerochloa rigida), whilst the lovely little 

 Aspleniutn Trichomanes is especially luxuriant and abundant. 



A second old tower, also near the railway station, is interesting 



