Strangford Lough: an archaeological survey of the maritime cultural landscape. By Thomas McErlean, Rosemary McConkey and Wes Forsythe. (Belfast, the Blackstaff Press in association with the Environment and Heritage Service (2002). xxvi, 689 pp, 302 illustrations (mostly colour). ISBN 0-85640-723-2. Hardback, £25.

Some years ago, Tom McErlean gave a lecture to the Lecale Historical Society on the maritime archaeology of Strangford Lough, in which he gave a small 'taster' of what was to come. Little did any of us realize - and perhaps not even Tom himself - just what the end result was going to be. Like the Archaeological survey of County Down of almost forty years ago, this is a ground-breaking study of an aspect of the history of our county, using techniques which are only now becoming available. Indeed some of them became available because of the necessity to invent them during the course of this study.

The book is a collaborative venture among a number of archaeologists and others from associated disciplines, of which the three named above are the principal, but it is designed to appeal to the non-specialist reader. Initially we are given a detailed history of the Lough and its immediate hinterland from the very earliest times; then we are taken through the mediaeval period with its tidal fish traps giving the first hint of an industrial society. Naturally the tide mill at Nendrum, which was a spectacular discovery in its field, receives detailed treatment. The later kelp industry, and the ports and assorted landing places, all get valuable discussion. Shipping, ancient and modern, is covered in considerable detail.

Strangford Lough is a unique geographical feature in the British Isles, and the centuries of settlement around its shores lend themselves to an in-depth study of this kind. The number of monasteries which were established around the Lough both before and by de Courcy confirm the abundance of food sources which made it a focus of settlement from the earliest times.

The book is copiously illustrated, both with modern and historical illustrations, including many striking and superbly reproduced record photographs in colour; the editors have made tremendous efforts to track down old maps which this reviewer finds of particular interest. It is a large and heavy book; one which is not for bedtime reading; perhaps not one for reading right through but for dipping into as one wishes. I understand the initial print run was sold out within a few weeks and, as I write, I am not aware of plans to reprint. Those who were lucky enough to obtain a copy should treasure it: such a volume will not be repeated!

Fred Rankin

Ordnance Survey memoirs of Ireland. Index of people and places. Compiled by Patrick McWilliams (Belfast, Institute of Irish Studies, Queen's University, 2002). 747pp. ISBN 0-85389-812-X. Paperback, £25-00.

Anyone who has had cause to use the four County Down volumes (or indeed any of the other volumes) of the invaluable 40 - volume edition of the Memoirs will have been frustrated by the lack of indexes to the individual volumes. The work reported in the Memoirs was conducted on a parish basis, and few today will be aware of the boundaries of the old civil parishes, often making it difficult to determine where a town or village will be treated. This wonderful new tool, containing over 100,000 entries, now provides us with a comprehensive entree to perhaps our most important source for a study of Ulster's rural history, economy, human geography, and topography in the early nineteenth century. A hardback edition is also available.

Buildings of north County Down. By CEB Brett, with photographs by ACW Merrick (Belfast, Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2002). xiv, 290pp, 350 colour and black and white illustrations. ISBN 0-900457-57-0. Hardback, £28-00.

A personal selection, rather than a comprehensive inventory of some of the more interesting or important buildings which survive within the northern part of County Down - embracing the whole of the District Council areas of North Down, Ards, and Castlereagh, and those parts of the District Council areas of Lisburn and Craigavon which lie within the boundaries of the county. Over 180 private houses (large and small), churches and public buildings, follies and memorials are treated in a mixture of architectural history, archaeology, local history, gossip, description and comment. The ownership information should be of considerable interest to family historians.

The linen houses of the Lagan valley: the story of their families. By Kathleen Rankin (Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002). xviii, 221pp, 230 colour and black and white illustrations. ISBN 1-903688-20-5. Hardback, £24-00.

A commentary on the major linen families and on nearly sixty of the magnificent houses they lived in along the Lagan valley in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Although many of the houses are no longer standing, the opulent lifestyle of the great linen barons has been captured in photographs of family groups and activities, and in shots of interiors, drawn from private and other collections. The book is arranged around a number of nodal points - Waringstown, Donacloney and Dromore; Hillsborough; Lisburn; Lambeg; Drumbeg; Dunmurry; Finaghy; and Edenderry - and contains useful maps, together with a number of family trees which help to clarify the often complicated descent of properties among the various branches of a family. Dr Rankin is presently working on a similar book to cover the Bann valley.

The Mountains of Mourne a celebration of a place apart. By David Kirk (Belfast, Appletree Press, 2003). 144pp, 211 coloured illustrations. ISBN 0-86281-872-9. Paperback, £12-99.

This is a book for all Mourne lovers to wallow in unashamedly and to return to repeatedly. A collection of David Kirk's superb photographs, if possible even more evocative than usual, is supplemented by an anthology of poems, prose extracts and personal impressions drawn from a wide variety of sources, the whole providing a visual and verbal paean in praise of the unique magic of place. One can almost feel the wind on one's cheeks, hear the bubbling waters of the streams, run one's fingers over the rough surface of the granite boulders, breathe in the pungent smells of heather and gorse, or watch the scudding clouds constantly change the light. A final down-to-earth section reminds us of our duty of care for such a precious heritage and contains a useful guide to further reading, with practical information on the Mourne Heritage Trust. A hardback edition was published in 2002 (ISBN 0-86281-846-X, £19-95).

A man stepped out for death: Thomas Russell and County Down. Edited by Brian Turner (Newtownards, Colourpoint Books in association with the Hearts of Down, 2003). 95pp, 22 illustrations. ISBN 1-904242-11-1. Paperback, £4-99.

Following their commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the 1798 United Irish rebellion, 1798: rebellion in County Down (1998), the Hearts of Down historical group now commemorate the 200th anniversary of the execution of 'The man from God-knows-where' for his attempt to raise County Down in support of Robert Emmet's rebellion of 1803. Our Vice-Chairman has edited a total of four articles, together with the texts of Florence Mary Wilson's well-known ballad and Russell's own 1796 'A letter to the people of Ireland'. Kenneth Dawson contributes a biography of Russell; Philip Orr explores Russell's friendships with the naturalist, John Templeton, and the millennialist, Francis Dobbs; Richard Ferguson, a practising barrister, concludes that Russell's trial in Downpatrick Courthouse was legally a travesty of justice; and Deirdre Armstrong assesses the status of Florence Mary Wilson as a writer in a wider context.

Lost railways of Co. Down and Co. Armagh. By Stephen Johnson (Catrine, Ayrshire, Stenlake Publications, 2002). 49pp, 52 black and white illustrations. ISBN 1-84033-176-3. Paperback, £7-50.

Essentially a book of historic photographs taken between 1904 and 1963, with extended captions, and dealing largely with stations now closed on the old Belfast & County Down Railway routes and on the past and present Great Northern Railway routes. The precise dates, and factual and technical information, will appeal to railway buffs, but for those who remember the era of steam travel there is much to bring waves of nostalgia.

Smyths of the Bann. By Paul McCandless (Banbridge, the author, 2 Hockley Terrace, Scarva Road, BT32 3QB, 2002). 80pp, 37 black and white illustrations. Paperback, gratis.

During the nineteenth century one of the most successful manufactories along the River Bann was Brice Smyth & Sons at Brookfield, near Banbridge, which was in operation from about 1825. This became Smyth's Weaving & Co. Ltd in 1884, and after the second World War formed part of Moygashel until taken over by Courtaulds in 1964, eventually closing in 1980. Another branch of the Smyth family ran the Milltown bleachworks, at one time the largest on the Bann, from about 1832 until 1942. Under the auspices of the ABC Millennium Awards Scheme, Paul McCandless has made a compilation of all biographical information he could find on every member of the Smyth family who lived in their three houses in Brookfield, Milltown and Belfield, and elsewhere, up to the present; and has also outlined the history of the mills and their workers.

Discover Castle Ward. By Lyn Gallagher (Saintfield, Northern Ireland Regional Office, The National Trust, 2003). 29pp, 50 colour illustrations. ISBN 1-84359-083-2. Paperback, £ 4-00.

A comparison between the present booklet and the previous guidebooks to Castle Ward shows an interesting change. The old familiar format of a room-by-room description backed up by short summaries of family history has been replaced by a much fuller account of the development of family, house and estate: indeed all one would need to know as background to a visit. The detail of room description can now be left to the much more personal ambience of a guided tour.

A taste of Comber: the town & its history. By Len Ball & Desmond Rainey (Dundonald, The White Row Press, 2002). 125pp, 92 colour and black and white illustrations. ISBN 1-870132-06-8. Paperback, £7-95.

A very readable, informative and beautifully produced labour of love by two founder members of the Comber Historical Society, continuing the series of local histories from the same publisher which has previously dealt with Dundonald (1987) and Newtownards (1994).

The Church and community of St John the Evangelist, Gilford. By Anne Cairns (Lurgan, Englewood Press, 2002). 120pp, black and white illustrations. Paperback, gratis.

Another product of the sponsorship of the ABC Millennium Awards Scheme, this is more than a narrowly defined parish history and contains much on the general development of Gilford.

Bagenal's Castle - Caislean Ui Bheigleinn. By Noreen Cunningham (Newry, Newry and Mourne District Council, 2002). 21pp, 20 black and white illustrations. Paperback.

During the second half of the sixteenth century, Sir Nicholas Bagenal, Marshal of the Army in Ireland, was the proprietor and landlord of Newry, where, in about 1570, he built himself a castellated house on the site of the twelfth-century Cistercian abbey, and, in 1578, St Patrick's Church. The precise location of the castle had long been forgotten until in 1996 Noreen Cunningham, Curator of the Newry Museum, identified its remaining structure submerged in the nineteeth-century warehouse of McCann's Victoria Bakery in Castle Street. The castle is to be restored to form premises for the Newry and Mourne Museum and the Tourist Information Centre. Although this booklet was designed to accompany a travelling exhibition on the project, it contains a most useful potted history of Newry to the early eighteenth century.

Newry's war dead. Edited by Colin Moffett (Newry, Equality Unit, Newry and Mourne District Council, 2002). 186pp, black and white illustrations. Paperback, £5-00.

This is much more than a mere listing of the names of those who gave their lives during the 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 World Wars. Wherever possible, family, service and other biographical details have been added, and illustrations have been drawn from the memorabilia of individuals, such as awards, discharge documents and letters. There is an account of Newry's migrating war memorial, and the book ends with more extended biographies of a representative of each of the main armed forces. These give a vivid impression of the effects of war on both those at the front and their families at home.

Changing scenes: changing ministry in a changing Church in a changing land. By Brian Mayne (Dublin, The Columba Press, 2003). 220pp, ISBN 1-85607-405-6. Paperback, £8-99.

Canon Mayne has been a member of the Lecale Historical Society for some considerable time. His autobiography describes his life in the Church of Ireland from early days in Belfast, via curacies in Ballymoney and Knock, and the establishment of new area parishes at Knocknagoney and Belvoir, to the Deanery of Waterford. Of the forty-four years of his ministry, the last seventeen were served as Rector of the Lecale Group of parishes, which form the subject of two of his final chapters. There is much of interest here on ecumenical life in Lecale, the restoration of Down Cathedral, the Loughinisland atrocity of 1994, the local political scene, and relations with the Orange Order.

Gordon Wheeler

Recent periodicals: selective contents lists

Down Survey. Yearbook of Down County Museum. 2002 Twentieth century Down.

'No gallant ship', Ian Wilson [The harbours of Dundrum and Portaferry and the vessels which used them, 1886 - 1906]; 'Volunteers at the World's End: the Ulster Divison at Ballykinler, 1914 - 1915', Philip Orr; 'Kilkeel harbour: a fishing community in flux' [1866 - 2001], Gemma Reid; 'A legendary beauty: Priscilla Countess Annesley (1866 - 1941)', Eileen Black; 'The Coronation in County Down , Linda McKenna [How the Coronation of Elizabeth II was celebrated locally]; 'Joseph Fisher and Sons, coal merchants and agents, Newry' [1852 -1958], Noreen Cunningham; 'James Coree, Ardglass harbour master' [ca1895 -1919, and the Coree family], James Coree; 'The Carlingford Lough disaster: fact, folklore and fiction , Sean Patterson [The collision of the SS Connemara and the SS Retriever in November 1916]; 'Sea of life: maritime items in the Down County Museum', ML Simpson.

Inverbrena. Memories from the Strangford area, No 7, 2002. (Inverbrena Local History Group)

'The tidal mill at Blackcauseway', George McKibbin; 'Ballyculter Parish 1877, Ronnie Buchanan (Based on the contents of the parish magazine]; 'Centenary of Kilclief G.A.A. Club 1901- 2001', Peig Denvir; 'Three saints in one', Eilis Fitzsimons [Argues that Saint Caelan of Kilclief, Saint Mochae of Nendrum and Saint Cooey of Portaferry are one and the same]; 'From oil lamp to neon lights', Eamon McMullan [Domestic lighting in Strangford from the 1930s until the advent of electricity in 1954]; 'A letter from Down to Henry IV: 1410 AD', Eilis Fitzsimons [Reproduces the fifteenth-century seal of the town of Kilclief]; 'Glebe House', [Kilclief], Mena McKeating; `Born again! Who? Me?', Eamon McMullan [Historical notes on Strangford Parish from 1809, with personal reminiscences about parish priests in the 1930s and 1940s].

Journal of the Upper Ards Historical Society, No. 26, 2002.

"'Auburn', Cloughy Road, Portaferry', 'Thomas Byers [The occupants of the house since it was built in 1925]; 'Queen s University Marine Biology Station: a personal account - plus a little science. Part 1', P J S Boaden; 'The "Wild Deer", Jim Blaney ' [Glasgow sailing ship wrecked off Cloughy in 1883]; 'James McMullan , boxing champion' [1914 - 1996], James McMullan; 'Ex libris James Shanks: the bookplate and the collector', FC Williams [Shanks was an amateur archaeologist and geologist, of Ballyfounder]; `The life and times of St Andrew's Church, Balligan 1704 - 2002 and beyond', M A Armstrong; 'The Echlin family of County Dublin ... Part 2', Eugene Coyle; 'The Cistercians in Co. Down, Brian McDonald; 'A centenary year - Kirkistown Castle Golf Club 1902 - 2002', A F Croley.

Saintfield Heritage, No. 6, 2002. (Saintfield Heritage Society)

'Col. M.C. Perceval-Price B.A., DL, JP 1907 - 2002', Sir Christopher Brand; 'McAuley a Saintfield family who disappeared in 1841', Marlene Davidson [Family who emigrated to Australia in 1841]; 'Wm Anderson - Saintfield's poet: Saintfield in 1829', Harriet Devlin; `Parish of Saintfield and Carrickmannon', Seamus Mullan; 'A Rowallane experience', M C Snowden [The development of the gardens by Rev. John Moore and Hugh Armitage-Moore]; 'A tale of two newspapers', J R Todd [Contains a list of Saintfield subscribers to the Belfast Newsletter in 1796]; `Saintfield Golf Club'; 'Saintfield Masonic Bazaar 16th -18th September 1920'; 'Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster', J R Todd [Deals particularly with the Saintfield and Boardmills clubs].