Gosstpings about the Parish of Saul. 47 



which seem to have been a common custom in the middle ages. 

 Thus Down is called Dun-leith-glaisse, Drum-lei th-glaisse, 

 Dun-da-leith-glaisse, Aras-Keltair, Rath-keltair, Mic-Duach ; 

 the fortification of Keltair, the son of Duach, the former name 

 Doun, from Dun, a rath or fort, and finally Downpatrick. It 

 was on this rath or mound, which is one of the largest and most 

 perfect in Ireland, that the native princes of the district were 

 crowned. Mr. Hanna informed me that King Keltair, of the 

 battles, was buried in the centre of this mound, and the large 

 stone cross which was erected over his grave was removed by 

 De Courcey, who set it up in the centre of the town to mark off 

 the English, Irish, and Scotch quarters. The base I discovered 

 in the yard of Denvir's hotel, under the pump. It is at present 

 used as a watering-trough ; the shaft is in the possession of the 

 Rev. Father O'Kane, and may be seen any time at the Roman 

 Catholic Cathedral Church. The head is carefully preserved by 

 Mr. W. N. Wallace. There are large portions of the stone 

 cross which marked the grave of St. Patrick to be seen at the 

 old cathedral, the base of which is also used as a watering- 

 trough. In 1526 the Abbey of Saul, with two castles, a garden 

 within the site thereof, and three carucates in Saul and 

 Meritowne (Ballysugah) were granted to Gerald, Earl of 

 Kildare. In 1770 the Protestant church of the parish was erected 

 on the site of the old abbey. There still remains one small 

 vaulted chamber, with a square window and doorway, and a 

 portion of one of the gables about 2 feet thick. Some time 

 about 1870, when extensive excavations were being made for 

 the erection of a large vault, a number of graves were discovered, 

 lined with flagstones, and each containing a number of small 

 white pebbles, similar to those often found in ancient Irish 

 graves. 1 remember a few years ago, while a farmer named 

 John Fitzsimons was engaged breaking up the field adjoining 

 the graveyard, he unearthed a number of beautifully carved 

 stones, but on my return to the place the following day they 

 had mysteriously disappeared. The late Mr.fSamuel Hastings, 

 of Downpatrick, had two well-preserved stone pillar bases, 



