Susan,
Excellent!
Glad I didn't mess up your thread.
[I'd just made a breakthrough yesterday, connecting all the elements of a record in my research diary dating from 1991, and just had to let off steam somehow!]
The VERE surname comes from the powerful Earls of Oxford.
[Traceable back to Hastings.]
The ESSEX name derives from Thomas CROMWELL, 1st Earl of Essex, who was Henry VIII's Chief Minister.
[He did OK guiding Henry along his path of the split from Rome, but then made the mistake of hastily arranging the marriage with the "Flanders Mare". His head was chopped off, then boiled and displayed ... ugh!]
The PRICE family were big cheeses, High Sheriffs of Down, originally at Farranfad before taking over Hollymount (apparently from the SAVAGEs).
[The SAVAGEs were even bigger cheeses, Norman knights who came over with De COURCY in the 12thC.]
Major-General Nicholas PRICE bought Saintfield in 1709 and developed its industry.
His son, also NP, was MP for Lisburn, as was his son Francis PRICE (issue of Mary SEYMOUR-CONWAY). NP's daughter Anne married James STEVENSON, MP for Killyleagh.
etc.
I notice that the water flowing from the hills through Downpatrick is called The Quoile River in its lower reaches ....
John