The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland are a uniquely detailed source for the history of the northern half of Ireland immediately before the Great Famine. They were written in the 1830s to accompany the 6" Ordnance Survey maps, but with one exception were not published at the time. In this new edition they act as a nineteenth-century Domesday book and are essential to the understanding of the cultural heritage of our communities. The Memoirs document the landscape and situation, buildings and antiquities, land-holdings and population, employment and livelihood of the parishes.
Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 7: County Down II, 1832-34, 1837 contains the Memoirs for 24 parishes in North Down adjacent to Belfast, as well as those of the Ards Peninsula. Areas covered include Saintfield, Comber, Knockbreda, Holywood, Bangor, Donaghadee, Newtownards and Portaferry. The material paints a fascinating picture of Greater Belfast and Strangford Lough and provides a unique insight into life in this area over 150 years ago.
Chapters
Introduction
Brief history of the Irish Ordnance Survey and Memoirs
Definition of Terms used
Note on Memoirs of County Down
Parishes in County Down
- Ardkeen
- Ardquin
- Ballyhalbert (Saint Andrew's)
- Ballyphilip
- Ballytrustan
- Ballywalter
- Bangor
- Castleboy
- Comber
- Donaghadee
- Drumbeg
- Drumbo
- Dundonald
- Grey Abbey
- Holywood
- Inishargy
- Killinchy
- Kilmood
- Knockbreda
- Newtownards
- Saintfield
- Slanes
- Tullynakill
- Witter
List of selected maps and drawings
- County Down, with parish boundaries
- County Down, 1837, by Samuel Lewis
- Tablet in Comber church
- Round Tower in Drumbo
- Cromlech in Giants Ring at Drumbo
- Sketrick Castle
- Movilla Abbey and graveyard
- Newtownards old Church
List of O.S. maps, 1830s
- Bangor
- Ballymacarret
- Comber
- Donaghadee
- Holywood
- Newtownards
- Portaferry
- Saintfield