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DUNDRUM,
a maritime village, in that part of the parish of KILMEGAN which is in
the barony of LECALE, county of DOWN, and province of ULSTER, 1 ½
mile (S.) from Clough, on the road from Newry to Downpatrick : the population
is returned with the parish.
This place is situated on an inner bay, about 1
½ mile long by a quarter of a mile broad, at the head of the larger
one to which it gives name; and was distinguished for its ancient castle,
of which though twice besieged and taken by the lord deputy, and finally
demolished by Cromwell, there are still considerable and very interesting
remains. It is said to have been built by Sir John de Courcy for Knights
Templars, who kept possession of it till the suppression of their order
in 1313, when it was transferred to the Prior of Down. On the dissolution
of the monasteries, the castle, with several townlands, was given to Gerald,
Earl of Kildare, and subsequently to the Maginnis family, on whose attainder
it was forfeited to the Crown and granted to the Earl of Ardglass, it
afterwards became the property of Viscount Blundell, from whom it descended
to the Marquess of Downshire, its present proprietor. The village, which
previously consisted of one narrow street, containing only a few houses
very indifferently built, has been recently much improved by the Marquess
of Downshire, who has widened the old street and opened several new lines
of road, and has promoted the erection of many neat and comfortable dwelling-houses.
He has also built a spacious and commodious hotel, hot and cold baths,
and adjoining the latter a lodging-house for himself, which is occasionally
let to strangers during the summer. The principal trade is the export
of grain, for which a small but convenient quay has been constructed by
his lordship, who has also built warehouses and stores for grain. Fairs
are held on Jan. 3rd, Feb. 5th. May 12th, Aug. 6th, and Oct. 10th. The
larger bay, which affords great facilities for bathing, extends from the
foot of the mountain of Slieve Donard to St. John's Point, a distance
of nine miles, and nearly four miles inland. The ground is mostly clean
and the depth moderate , but the bay is exposed to severe gusts of wind
from the Mourne mountains, the south and south-east winds send in a heavy
sea, and vessels should never remain here unless when the wind is from
the north or north-east. The ground immediately outside the larger bay
is said to be one of the best fishing grounds in the British seas, affording
always in their respective seasons large supplies of excellent haddock,
cod, whiting, plaice, sole, and turbot. The western shore is a continued
range of sand hills, through which is an inlet deep enough to admit vessels
of 50 tons laden with coal, lime, and slate to the quay at the village.
In the inlet, during the summer months, there are large shoals of sand
eels, to take which several hundreds of the neighbouring peasantry assemble
every tide, and provide themselves with an abundant supply for some months.
The remains of the castle consist chiefly of a lofty circular tower of
more than 30 feet internal diameter, built on the summit of a rock overlooking
the bay, the walls and the winding staircase leading to the battlements
are nearly perfect, but the roofs and the floors of the several stories
have fallen in, and the vault or dungeon, deeply excavated in the rock,
is exposed. The tower is surrounded by a deep fosse hewn in the solid
rock, and on the east are the remains of two lofty bastions : the walls
of the ancient gatehouse are still standing. Dr. Thomas Smith, consecrated
Bishop of Limerick in 1695, was a native of this place. -See KILMEGAN.
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