Lecale Historical Society Archive

Downpatrick, Co. Down

Lecale, Co. Down

Lecale Historical Society is based in Downpatrick, the County Town of Down. It's aim is to assist the community in promoting the study of the local history, heritage and environment. The Society was formed in 1974. Since 1983 it has published an annual journal.

Lecale Historical Society website has a variety of resources including -

• A complete transcription of the 1901 Census of Ireland for the Baronies of Upper and Lower Lecale. The information is indexed by parish, townland and individual names. There are some 200 townlands, the town of Downpatrick and the villages of Raholp, Strangford, Ardglass, Killough and Dundrum. Some 15,000 names are listed. There are interactive maps. As well as family details, there is information on housing conditions, outbuildings and religious affiliation
• A complete transcription of Griffiths Valuation 1863 for the two Baronies, indexed by parish, townland and town street. Individual names are linked to the scanned page.
• Descriptions of the towns, villiages and civil parishes of County Down in Samuel Lewis' 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland.
• Transcripts of hundreds of letters of 18th century local families to and from America and Australia - one series, discovered in a wall, detailing the seagoing adventures of members of a Newcastle family.
• Details of ships associated with Lecale, including wrecks, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.