Ballyrickard is Northwest of Comber and takes in a section of the Newtownards Road to the shores of Strangford Lough, stretching in an L-shape to cover 0.63 square miles or just over 400 acres.
In Irish,'Baile Riocaird' which means Richard's Townland- Perhaps an early inhabitant of Ballyrickard Motte [DOW010:031]. A Medieval motte scheduled for protection, rising to a height of 4.6m with a flat summit. Such a location gives strategic views right across the Strangford shoreline and plains of Scrabo towards Newtownards.
Also present in Ballyrickard is a later site of significance- that of a Second World War Pillbox [DOW:011:054]. This pillbox situated on the shoreline of Strangford Lough was part of the original Southern defences for RAF Newtownards.
Ballyrickard was originally a parish of six townlands known as Ballyrickard or 'White Richard' and included Ballyrickard, Ringcreevy, Ballyneganeme (Now Glassmoss & Longlands), Ballyhenry, Castleavery and Carnennuck (now Cherryvalley). There was a chapel in Ballyrickard, which was in ruins in the 17th century and of which all trace has now disappeared.
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