THE SCOT IN ULSTER

THE SCOT SETTLES NORTH DOWN

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Deputy, an office which he held until 1616. He was an exceedingly able and resolute man, a faithful servant of the King, but one who never lost sight of his own advantage. In the distribution of lands which took place during his term of office, he shared largely; but even before he became Deputy he had received a piece of land which is still in the hands of his descendant, the Marquis of Donegal. In 1603 Chichester obtained a grant of "the castle of Beal-faste or Belfast, with the appurtenants and hereditaments, spiritual and temporal, situate in the Lower Clandeboye;" [1] while in the years immediately succeeding he acquired the lands along the north shore of what was then called Carrickfergus Bay almost to Lough Larne. There seems to have been an old castle, in a tumble-down condition--as most things were in this part of the country--at Belfast, when Chichester got the lands, and probably a hamlet, but it was a place of no importance. Belfast is in reality, from its very foundation, not an Irish, but an English and Scottish town. Chichester was too busy with the affairs of the State to attend to "planting" his allotment of land, so he contented himself with building a great house, and let his lands on long leases, largely to the officers of his army, so that they might do duty for him. The survey of 1611 tells us how the settlement was progressing. What is now covered by the southern portion of Belfast had been leased by Chichester for sixty-one years, at £10 per annum,...continue reading »

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[1] Benn's History of Belfast, p. 78.

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Page 25

The Scot in Ulster:
Sketch of the History of the Scottish Population of Ulster

by John Harrison

1888