Ballygalget, County Down

Background

The name of this townland was coined in the Anglo-Norman period. It is possible that it originated as Galgyl(s)ton, though this is not attested, and was later gaelicized as Baile Ghalgail. This was subsequently anglicised as Ballygalgell and developed to Ballygalget.  In the Papal Taxation of 1306 the name of the place is recorded as Ecclesia de Sithe ‘the church of Sithe’, a name which according to Reeves (EA 22) derives from Irish Síth ‘taken in the sense of ‘a hill’’. Reeves goes on to explain that the name Sithe was replaced by Ballygalget due to the occupation of Le Sythe by an Anglo-Norman tenant named Nicholas Galgyl: ‘It was found by Inquisition in 1334, that certain lands ‘in le Syth’, in the county of Newtown of Blaethwic [= modern Newtonards], were held under William de Burgo by ‘Nicholas Galgyl’; and these lands are elsewhere called, probably from him, ‘Ballygalgell’ - Cal. Canc. Hib. i p. 144.  Which latter name has been changed to ‘Ballygalget’’.  

The surname Galgyl is not treated in the standard works, and it is possible that it has not survived.  However, it may be a variant of Golgill, which is a rare name, no longer extant, attested in the Craven district of Yorkshire West Riding during the late Middle Ages.  Thomas Golgill of Balghom (modern Malham) paid 4d in poll tax in 1379 (Malhamdale Poll Tax). 

References

Hughes A. J. (1992): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 2 p. 125; revised PT, 2012.

Additional Information

N.B. reassigned from Witter to Ballyphilip

Historical name form

Old Form	Ref. Date	Reference
Sithe, Ecclesia de	1306c	Eccles. Tax. 22
Sythe (held under William de Burgo by 'Nicholas Galgyl')	1333	Inq. Earl Ulster (EA) 361
Ballygalgell	1390	Cal. Canc. Hib. (EA) i 144
Ballygalged, Capella de	1615	Terrier (Reeves) 59
Ballygalbat(?)	1622	Ulster Visit. Reeves 57
Ballygalgott	1661	Trien. Visit. (Bramhall) 8
Baile galgat ""town of the hero or champion""	1834c	J O'D (OSNB) E.34
Baile Galgail ""Galgyl''s townland""	2001	HMC replies HMCdec01
Ballygalget	1559	Sav. Ulst. 175
Ballygalgett	1617	Inq. Ult. (Down) $6 Jac. I
Ballygalgett	1617	Inq. Ult. (Down) $5 Jac. I
Ballegalgat	1623	Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxv
Ballegalgat al. Ballegnegh	1623	Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxv
Ballygalgat	1623	Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] xxxvi
Rectorie of Ballegalgat	1623	Ham. Copy Inq. [1623] li
Ballygolgett	1625	Inq. Ult. (Down) $14 Jac. I
Ballygallgett	1627	Inq. Ult. (Down) $10 Car. I
Ballygalgett	1631	Inq. Ult. (Down) $27 Car. I
Ballygallgate	1631	Inq. Ult. (Down) $20 Car. I
Ballygallgatt	1636	Inq. Ult. (Down) $66 Car. I
Ballygalgott	1640	Sav. Ulst. 246
Ballygallgatt	1641	Inq. Ult. (Down) $100 Car. I
Ballygallgett	1641	Inq. Ult. (Down) $102 Car. I
Ballegalgett	1645	Inq. Ult. (Down) $104 Car. I
Ballgalgat	1650c	Inq. Ult. (Down) $108 Car. I
Ballygalgott	1655	Sav. Ulst. 193
Ballegallgatt	1657	Inq. Down (Reeves1) 129
Balegalgat	1659c	Census 1659 92
Ballygalgott	1661	BSD 84
Grange of Balligallgott	1661	BSD 84
Ballygallgatt	1662	Inq. Ult. (Down) $16 Car. II
Ballygalgat	1663	Sub. Roll Down 282
Ballygalgit	1701	Sav. Ulst. 198
Ballygalget	1723	Sav. Ulst. 204
B.gelget	1737	Sav. Ulst. 376
Ballygilget	1810	Wm. Map (OSNB) E.34
Ballygalget	1830c	Bnd. Sur. (OSNB) E.34
Ballygalgot	1830c	High Const. Applot. (OSNB) E.34
ch. site Killeavy Shankill Knockdoo Rock-Savage	2001	HMC replies HMCsched

Barony

Ards Upper

Parish

Ballyphilip

Parish in 1851

Witter

Townland

None

Place name ID

12433

Place name type

T