The Ward Baronetcy

WE FIND in the roll of Battle Abbey that the family of WARD attended WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR into England, where, after some centuries, it appeared in three respectable branches; of which the Wards of Capesthorne, Cheshire. For several centuries, having possessed many extensive lordships, descended the family of WARD, of Bangor, in the person of

BERNARD WARD, who married a daughter of the ancient family of Leigh, of High Leigh, in Cheshire, and settled in Ulster about 1570.

This Bernard acquired the lands known as Carrickshannagh from Gerald, 11th Earl of Kildare, and renamed it CASTLE WARD.

His son and heir,

NICHOLAS WARD, wedded, before 1584, Joan, daughter of Ralph Leycester, of Toft Hall, Cheshire, and had issue,

Bernard, ancestor of the VISCOUNT BANGOR;
ROBERT, of whom we treat;
Thomas, colonel in the army; died at the battle of Worcester;
Nicholas.

Mr Ward's second son,

ROBERT WARD (1610-91), High Sheriff of County Down, 1661 and 1667, espoused, before 1661, Mary, daughter of the Most Rev Dr Henry Leslie, Lord Bishop of Meath.

Mr Ward received the honour of knighthood, 1670, and was created a baronet, in 1682, designated of Killough, County Down, for his loyal service to CHARLES II.

Sir Robert survived his only son, CHARLES, who left no issue by his wife Catherine, a daughter of Sir John Temple.

The baronetcy expired in 1691.

Old Castle Ward

THE VILLAGE of Killough, County Down, was established by Michael Ward, of Castle Ward, father of the 1st Viscount Bangor and a Justice of the King's Bench.

From Norman times the Russell family, who were Roman Catholics, had held the Manor of Killough, but they had been deprived of it after the uprising of 1641. 

Sir Robert Ward was granted the manor of Killough in 1672.

At Ballysallagh, a townland 2½ miles south-east of Downpatrick, 401 acres of land owned by the Earl of Ardglass, in 1669, were leased to Sir Robert.

St John's Point, a townland on southern most tip in Lecale district, northern-most point of Dundrum Bay, 290 acres, site of an ancient holy well & ancient church & graveyard (St John's) which was attached to Inch Abbey, was acquired by Sir Robert in 1670 and subsequently sold to James Cummins. 

First published in February, 2011.