Lecale

EDITED EXTRACTS FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY GAZETTEER OF IRELAND, PUBLISHED IN 1846

LECALE, a barony on the east coast of County Down.

It is bounded, on the north, by the barony of Dufferin, and the foot of Strangford Lough; on the north-east, by the entrance of Strangford Lough, which separates it from Ards; on the east and south, by the Irish Sea; and on the west, by the baronies of Upper Iveagh and Dufferin.

Its length, south by westward, is 9½ miles; its extreme breadth is 8; and its area is 61,592 acres, of which 336 acres are water.

The principal and almost only indentation of the coast is the bay of Killough.

Killough Bay (Image: William Alfred Green)

The only noticeable insular ground is Gun's Island.

The surface has a well cultivated, pleasant, ornate, and occasionally picturesque appearance.

Excepting the Ballynahinch River, with its little estuary, along the north-west, all the streams are of very meagre run and volume.

This barony contains part of the parish of Kilmegan, and the whole of the parishes of Ardglass, Ballee, Ballyculter, Ballykinlar, Bright, Down, Dunsford, Inch, Kilclief, Rathmullan, Saul, and Tyrella.

It was recently divided into two very nearly equal parts or baronial districts, called Lower Lecale and Upper Lecale.

First published in March, 2021.