Information on the Peninsula to date with links for the landed Gentry.

[Lena McVea]

 The Peninsula is just 3 miles wide and about 15/16 miles long.
As you can imagine in a time before public transport there was a huge lot of inter-marrying by families. They seemed to stick to a group of names and 2nd cousins would sometimes marry.
Most of the population were either farmers or sailors and of course the labourers.

There were also families of the "landed" gentry with big estates.

The Bishops Echlin of Bishop Mills and Echlinville now again Rubane House, Kircubbin:- see this link

THE ECHLINVILLE STORY 1613 SAVAGE

http://www.worldfamilies.net/forum/index.php?topic=8886.0

Savages [Norman Knights of Portaferry Castle now a ruin] Family now known as Nugent but the estate was sold.

http://freespace.virgin.net/mp.hearth/P%27ferry.html


Montgomery [first of the 1601 Scottish landlords] Rosemont Estate http://www.greyabbeyhouse.com/house.html
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The Ross family of Portavoe, Donagadee 1603 - 41 [GENTLEMAN ROBERT ROSSE]

The 1641 Rebellion

1642- 1688 A GREAT HOUSE RISES; JAMES ROSS GENTLEMAN EXIT JAMES ROSS

1689 1730 JAMES ROSS 2ND.

1690 BATTLE OF THE BOYNE WILLIAM OF ORANGE DEFEATS JAMES 1ST OF ENGLAND & IRELAND

1731-55
JAMES GREAT DESIGN FAILS
THE BIG CHILL
THE END OF THE ROSSES

1756 THE RISE OF THE KERRS

1790 THE MANIFESTO ITALY

1788 THE REBELLION

1789 PORTAVOE HOUSE SHOWING ON A MAP

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Major George Mathews, Springvale; now owned by Lord Dunleath  http://www.ballywalterpark.com/history.html

Stewarts The Lords Londonderry http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-mountstewart All this in 3 miles by 15 miles.

The Allens of Kircubbin and Dunover both connected to Mount Panther. I have proof of my own to back this.

Just found out there was another Mount Pleasant about Dunover Ballywalter

With thanks to Ros Davies for the following:-    

Mount Panther in Kilmegan parish

House & estate of 245 acres built mid 1700s. It is situated on the Clough to Dundrum road. Supposedly named after an ancient 'cat' legend. Residence of Dean & Mrs. Patrick Delaney in 1744. In 1836, Mount Panther house & demesne was the residence of Mr John Allen Esq. It was described as a remarkably fine house, situated on rising ground and seen to perfection from the Clough road. The grounds were neatly planted.Residence of John R.Allen in 1852 & 1863 & of George Allen Esq. in 1886 & 1910.

The building was badly burnt and is today in ruins. Local legend says that it had 365 windows. The demesne is still extensive and productive. In 2008 the house & estate went up for sale by current owner Richard Fitzpatrick for £8 million .
Newspaper articles from Down Recorder;
accident 30 May 1844; National School prizes 13 Jun 1857

Newspaper articles from Mourne Observer;
remembering previous occupants 30 Jan 2008 p10; photos 23 Jan 2008 p32

Check out http://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/2008/04/brief-history-of-mount-panther-county.html
References;V3 p58 & V7 p18 OSM: DR; old b/map K13;POD; O'L V1 p 349;GV; POD; WDG p81, 121 (photo)
 
I am beginning to see a huge migration [much bigger than I realised] to the USA and Canada especially Amherst Island where they set up a community, from their own Ards Peninsula immigrants.

Researched, Edited and posted by
Lena McVea Co. Admin