a municipal and parliamentary borough and market-town of Ireland, capital of the county of Down, 74 miles N.N.E. of Dublin. It is situated in the bottom of a valley formed by hills of some elevation, near the S.W. extremity of Strangford Lough, and is divided into the English, Irish, and Scotch quarters. It consists of four main streets meeting near the centre, the principal of which are the Irish and English streets. In the former all business is carried on; the latter is well built, and contains several neat private residences. The principal buildings are the cathedral parish church, Roman Catholic chapel, two Presbyterian and three Methodist meeting-houses, diocesan school, county court-house, prison, almshouses, widows' houses, barracks, infirmary, and fever hospital. A small trade is carried on at Strangford Lough by means of vessels of 100 tons, which discharge at Quoil quay, about a mile from the town; it is, however, projected to deepen the Quoil river, and make a harbour close to the town. The linen manufacture is carried on to a small extent, as well as brewing, tanning, and soap-making. Market-days Tuesday and Saturday. Adjoining the town are the ruins of Inch Abbey, a large rath in good preservation, and a race-course. Pop. (1851) 4098. Downpatrick returns a member to parliament; constituency (1853) 222. Previously to the Reform act it was the most open borough in Ireland; as all the persons who paid scot and lot, or boiled a pot, in the town, were electors.