Savage of Ardkeen

THE very ancient house of SAVAGE was settled in Ulster since the time of the first conquest of Ireland by John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster, in 1117. Under that famous warrior, the original ancestor established himself in County Down; and by a written document, dated the 1st September, 1205, in the Tower of London, we find "Robin, son of William Savage, named as one of De Courcy's hostages for his appearance before KING JOHN."

The present barony of LECALE was anciently termed the Territory of the Savages, wherein, at Ardglass, they and their dependents erected seven castles, the ruins of which are still extant.

It appears, also, that a stately monastery of Dominicans was founded at Newtownards, in 1244, by the Savages, "gentlemen of English extraction."

From the extreme scarcity of records in Ulster, it is impossible, at this remote period, to determine, without liability to error, which is the senior branch of the family, that of Portaferry or ARDKEEN CASTLE.

In 1400, HENRY IV granted to Robert FitzJordan Savage the office of Sheriff of the Ards; and it appears, by an indenture in the public records, in 1538, made between Leonard Grey, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Raymond Savage, chieftain of the clan, "that Raymond should have the chieftainship and superiority of his sept in the Territory of the Savages, otherwise called Lecale."

BUT, in 1559, "the Lord Deputy, Sir William Fitzwilliam,  made a division between Roland and Raymond Savage of several towns and territories in the Ards."

The Ardkeen family

"avoucheth their first ancestor to have been seneschal over all Ulster; yet it would seem likely that this family has risen from a second brother of Savage of Portaferry etc, who, before ELIZABETH I's reign, had some territories in the barony of Lecale, and also in County Antrim, that family being always sore enemies to the O'NEILLS; and in old days this house of Ardkeen had, it may be, the appointment of Seneschal, the office being then honourable, though now despised;"

"And they had the lands they now, and which their cadets lately did, possess from the said Lords of the Little Ards, as is supposed, though they now hold only of the Crown."

"Moreover, that which makes the descent of Ardkeen from Portaferry more probable is, that these Savages give the same coat armorial with the said lords, without any distinction that I can perceive by their seals;"

"And although Portaferry hath had the precedency for a long time, yet Ardkeen pays him no chief rent; but as to the right of precedency, or as to the antiquity of these two families, I cannot determine;"

"Neither will I assert anything which may make discord among these good friends, or may savour of partiality in myself."

However, the mutual mention of one another, the exact coincidence of their armorial bearings, and the Christian names of their respective progenitors, may be received as presumptive evidence in favour of a common ancestry, so far back as the 12th century.

WE find, in 1325, EDWARD II granted the office of sheriff during pleasure, amongst others, to Robert Savage of Coleraine:

"Sir Robert Savage, a wealthy knight, who, the rather to preserve his own, began to wall and fortify his manor houses with castles, and plyes against the Irish enemy, exhorting his heir, Sir Henry Savage, to intend that work, so beneficial for himself and his posterity."

"Father, I remember the proverb, 'better a castle of bones than of stones', where strength and courage of valiant men are to help us. Never will I, by the grace of God."

Sir Robert Savage resided at LISSANOURE CASTLE; which castle was founded, tradition states, by Sir Philip Savage, in the reign of KING JOHN.

It was afterwards held by the O'Haras, and by them sold to the MACARTNEYS.

Sir Robert Savage died in 1360, and was interred in the Dominican friary, Coleraine, leaving the reputation of an excellent soldier.

There was also a colony of Savages settled at Carrickfergus, wherein was situated Castle Savage, the foundation of which was visible in levelling the ground in 1838.

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SIR WILLIAM LE SAVAGE (c1150-c1220), said to be a scion of the house of SAVAGE OF SCARCLIFFE, STAINESBY, and CLIFTON, thought to be the fourth son of Sir Roger le Savage, of Stainesby.

Sir William, appointed a baron of Ulster, settled himself at the strategic site of ARDKEEN, Ards Peninsula, County Down, and, about 1180, erected a castle at the summit of the hill.

To the south of this castle, a church was built, styled (according to Bishop Reeves, "ECCLESIA SANCTÆ MARIÆ DE ARDKEENE."

Sketch from The Savage Family In Ulster, published in 1906 by George Savage-Armstrong

The surrounding grounds of this church became the burial-place of the Savages of ARDKEEN.

This William, Baron le Savage, had issue, two sons,

ROBERT, his successor;

Thomas.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR ROBERT LE SAVAVE (c1180-c1259), was father of

HENRY LE SAVAGE; during whose lifetime, it is claimed, the Savages erected the Dominican friary in the town of Newtownards, County Down.

Mr le Savage died in 1276 or 1277, and was succeeded by his son and heir,

HENRY LE SAVAGE, a minor, born in 1270, father of

SIR ROBERT SAVAGE, called "the Great," a brave warrior and noble knight, appointed, by EDWARD III, Seneschal of Ulster.

Sir Robert is said to have built LISSANOURE CASTLE in County Antrim.

Tradition, according to George Savage-Armstrong, erroneously ascribes the foundation of Lissanoure Castle to a Sir Philip Savage in the reign of KING JOHN, no person of that name having existed at that period. The name Philip does not appear in the Savage family till several centuries later.

Sir Robert died in 1360, and was succeeded by his son and heir,

SIR HENRY SAVAGE, BARON SAVAGE, Lord of the Ards, summoned to Parliament in 1374 as a baron, by writ-of-summons.

He had issue,

EDMUND, his heir;

Henry.

Sir Henry died about 1382, and was succeeded by his elder son,

EDMUND SAVAGE (c1340-c1393), Seneschal of Ulster, Constable of Carrickfergus Castle, who was succeeded by his son and heir,

EDMUND SAVAGE, the Younger, Seneschal of Ulster, who died before 1422, and was succeeded by his cousin,

SIR ROLAND SAVAGE, Seneschal of Ulster, Lord of Lecale, who had issue,

RAYMOND, his heir;

James;

Patrick;

Robert;

another son and daughter.

He died in 1519, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

RAYMOND SAVAGE, of Ardkeen, Lord of Lecale, who died in 1575, and was succeeded by his nephew,

FERDOROUGH SAVAGE, of Ardkeen, who died in 1602, and was succeeded by his nephew,

HENRY SAVAGE (1588-1655), High Sheriff of County Down, 1634, who married firstly, Ellis Ny Neile; and secondly, Elizabeth Nevin, nice to the first Viscountess Montgomery, and had issue,

JOHN;

Hugh;

James;

Richard;

Joan; Elizabeth.

Mr Savage was buried, according to his wishes, at Ardkeen church, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN SAVAGE (c1634-99), of Ardkeen, High Sheriff of County Down, 1663, who married Margaret Clarke, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;

John;

Philip;

Sarah.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

HUGH SAVAGE (c1665-1723), of Ardkeen, an officer in WILLIAM III's army, who fought at the battle of the Boyne. 

This Hugh Savage is said to have demolished the ancient castle of Ardkeen, and built a new manor house lower down the slope of the hill; the reason being that the original site was too exposed to the elements.

Captain Savage espoused Lucy, daughter of Thomas Lucas, of CASTLE SHANE, County Monaghan, and had issue,

FRANCIS, his heir;

Philip, of Rock Savage, Ballygalget;

Charles (1702-40), buried at Ardkeen Church;

Lucas;

Lucy; Mary; Anne.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

FRANCIS SAVAGE (-1770), of Ardkeen, High Sheriff of County Down, 1732, who married, in 1723, his cousin, Mary, daughter of Edward Lucas, of Castle Shane, and had issue,

CHARLES, his heir;

Francis;

Elizabeth; Hester; Mary.

Mr Savage was succeeded by his elder son,

CHARLES SAVAGE (1746-79), of Ardkeen, High Sheriff of County Down, 1770, who wedded firstly in 1769, Anne, daughter of Cromwell Price, of HOLLYMOUNT, County Down, and had issue,

FRANCIS, his heir;

Cromwell, MP, died without issue;

Mary Anne.

He wedded secondly, in 1777, Catherine, daughter of John Leonard, of Brownstown, County Kildare.

Mr Savage was succeeded by his elder son,

FRANCIS SAVAGE MP (1769-1823), of Ardkeen and HOLLYMOUNT, High Sheriff of County Down, 1791 and 1819, who inherited Hollymount from the Price family through his mother.

Mr Savage espoused firstly, Jane, daughter of James Crawford, of CRAWFORDSBURN, County Down, and had issue, an only child,

MARY ANNE.

HE wedded secondly, in 1806, the Lady Harriet Butler, third daughter of Henry Thomas, 2nd Earl of Carrick, by which lady he had no issue.

Mr Francis Savage died in 1823, without surviving issue, and bequeathed his entire estates to his widow, Lady Harriet, for life.

Following Lady Harriet's decease, it was stipulated that the estate was to pass to his nephew, Clayton Bayly, eldest son of his only sister, Mary Anne Bayly (née Savage).

Following Francis Savage's death, the representation of the Ardkeen branch of the family passed to the male heir of Philip Savage, of Rock Savage, Ballygalget (second son of Captain Hugh Savage, of Ardkeen),

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN BOSCAWEN SAVAGE KCB (1760-1843), of Herefordshire, and Woolwich, who wedded Sophia Cock, and had issue,

HENRY JOHN, his heir;

John Morris.

Sir John was succeeded by his elder son,

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HENRY JOHN SAVAGE (1792-1866), of Rock Savage, Ballygalget, who espoused firstly, Eliza Dolbet, and had issue,

HENRY JOHN, his heir;

William;

Eliza Sophia; Sophia Caroline; Penrose Anne; Harriet Frances.

General Savage, of St Helier's, Jersey, sold the Ballygalget property, in 1858, to his kinsman, Major Nugent, of Portaferry.

His surviving son,

HENRY JOHN SAVAGE (1816-), married, in 1849, Isabel, only child of Colonel Ward, and had issue,

HENRY CHARLES;

Arthur Raymond Boscawen;

Isabel Harriet; Isabel Ada; Florence.

ARDKEEN IN THE LIFETIME OF FRANCIS SAVAGE

From The Savages of the Ards (George Savage-Armstrong)

THE DWELLING-HOUSE

The new manor house at Ardkeen stood (I'm quoting from George Savage-Armstrong) on the narrow neck of land connecting the hill that slopes to the present Portaferry Road with Castle Hill.

It was a good house, but probably not a very large one, facing southwards.

Its outbuildings were to its right, further up the slope of Castle Hill.

The house used to be surrounded with stately trees, which covered the two hills and Phersons Island.

A fine pleasure-ground, called the Ladies' Grove, stretched towards The Dorn.

There were two entrances, each with a gate lodge, and the drive affording an avenue of trees.

One gate-lodge was near the main entrance to the deer-park, Castle Hill, and graveyard, to the south of the school-house; and one to the north, where the road towards Kircubbin touches the shore.

A better prospect of the manor house was had from the Kircubbin side, rather than the Portaferry side, as it was concealed by trees to the south.

From The Savages of Ulster (George Savage-Armstrong)

Walks wound through the grounds, and one broad walk ran round the entire base of Castle Hill, and was bordered on the sea side by a lovely whitethorn hedge.

An extensive orchard existed over the eastern slope of Castle Hill, towards the graveyard.

In the grounds there was a stone house called The Garden House, the ruins of which stood till about 1900.

There was also a pigeon-house.

In the garden there was a deep well, said to have been approached by thirty steps.

Around the shores of The Dorn and towards Bishop's Mill was the rocky, undulating Deer Park, planted with beautiful thorn-trees, grass, gorse, fern, and heather.

It was surrounded with a high and well-built stone wall running for more than a mile, along the Portaferry Road and the lough-shore.

Within the deer-park there was a yard and offices.

The demesne was renowned for the excellent quality of its deer.

The School-house, later used as a post-office, was close to the Portaferry entrance to the estate, and Lady Harriet Savage surrounded it with trees.

First published in January, 2022.