Much of the townland of Ballyleidy, County Down lies inside the Clandeboye Estate, home of the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava.  When the present mansion house was built in 1801-04, it was called Ballyleidy House.

I took these photos of the Clandeboye Estate on their Open Day on 29th May 2016.

Thousands of people came to the Open Day, but it wasn’t hard to find a quiet spot in the gardens.

One of the most peaceful places is the area set aside for the family graves.

This is where I found the grave of Frederick, Lord Dufferin (1826-1902), who served as Governor-General of Canada from 1872 to 1888, and as Viceroy of India from 1884 to 1888.  His grave is marked with this inscription: “To the beloved memory of Frederick, Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, born at Florence on the 21st of June 1826, died at Clandeboye, the home he so dearly loved, on the 12th of February 1902.”

The Clandeboye Estate has changed since the 19th century.  Clandeboye Courtyard is used for weddings; Clandeboye Lodge is a hotel and restaurant; and local shops stock yoghurt made from Ballyleidy’s cows.

Another part of the estate has become a golf club.  The Blackwood Golf Centre covers two townlands – Ballyleidy and Ballysallagh Minor.  I’ve made it as far as the driving range, inside Ballyleidy.

The PLACENAMESNI website suggests that the “Leidy” part of this townland comes from the Irish surname Ó Lideadha, later Ó Lidí and anglicized as Liddy or Leddy.  I haven’t spotted any roads bearing the townland name, but I did find this grave for the Piper family in the churchyard at Bangor Abbey.

I will finish with one tree and one cow from Ballyleidy.

more information

Which county is Ballyleidy in? County Down

Which civil parish is Ballyleidy in?  Bangor

Which townlands border Ballyleidy?   To the north, on the far side of the A2 Belfast to Bangor Road, Ballykillare and Ballymullan.

To the east, still within the Clandeboye Estate, the townland of Ballyvarnet.

To the south, Ballyskeagh High and Ballyskeagh Low.

To the west, Ballysallagh Minor.

Click here to see a map of Ballyleidy on Townlands.IE.

And finally, click here to read about the townland name on PLACENAMESNI.ORG.