View of Scrabo

Newtownards Walking Guide

visitstrangfordlough.co.uk Map 2 6 1 Old Regent House 1 2 St Mark’s Parish Church 14 3 The Hospital (The Old Workhouse) 3 5 4 A view of 5 Regency Gift House, Library (The Queen’s Hall) and Open and Direct Building 4 12 13 11 Strean Presbyterian Church 6 Conway 7 The Market Cross Square 8 (Extended Tour Route) 9 The War Memorial and Rose Garden 10 Newtownards Priory 8 11 The Blair Mayne Statue 12 The Ards TT (Tourist Trophy) 7 To Movilla Abbey 13 Town Hall /Arts Centre 14 The Old Brewery/ Visitor Information Centre and Ards Crafts

9 10

Please note that this map is not to scale and is for reference only Newtownards Walking Guide Historical Walking Trail of Newtownards, Co

This tour will include the along footpaths with an uneven following places and begins at surface over grass to the Movilla the Visitor Information Centre on Abbey site. Please be aware when Regent Street located beside the crossing the road and keep an bus station (point 14). eye out for traffic at all times. The tour will last approximately one The main route consists of hour. For your convenience, there flat concrete footpaths with are also public toilets and a wide pedestrian crossing opportunities. range of cafes and restaurants in If you extend your walk please Newtownards. be aware of a gradual incline

We hope you enjoy learning more about the area. Be sure to look out for the other walking guides in the series. These can be downloaded from www.visitstrangfordlough.co.uk along with ideas on what to see and do in the area. We appreciate your comments and suggestions so please contact us via the website.

Just to set the scene, let’s start with a little history about Newtownards

Location Early Settlements Situated 10 miles from , The first settlers in the area came the Ards has from either North West Lough at its heart. Newtownards, or the Isle of Man. They used the nestling at the foot of the lough and its resources such as Craigantlet Hills, overlooks the fish, seals and berries as their northern shores of the peninsula. source of food. Finnian, a pupil of Saint Mochai who was converted by St Patrick, founded his own monastery at Movilla, to the east of Newtownards in 540AD.

Pages 2 – 3 Newtownards: Royal Charter Hugh Montgomery (1560 – In 1613, King James I granted 1636) was the Scot ‘Royal Charters’ to 40 towns who along with fellow Scottish across (14 now in lowlander, James Hamilton and 26 in the (1559- 1644), made the crossing ). The town of from Portpatrick to Newtownards was among them. in 1606, bringing with them the While the original Charter has first wave of Scots whose number long been lost, an early Latin would reach 10,000 in the course copy of the document does exist of the next few years. and an English translation reveals They began the Royal-approved King James declared that, from 25 settlement of lands in the East March 1613: of . The granting of the “the aforesaid town of Newtowne Royal Charter was a reward for in the Ardes aforesaid and all and the extent and speed of the singular castles, messuages, tofts, settlement, and Montgomery was mills, houses, edifices, structures, made First Viscount of the Great curtilages, gardens, orchard Ardes on 3rd May 1622. gardens, waste grounds, lands, While Montgomery was named tenements and hereditaments as the first Provost, the “first and whatsoever lying or being in or modern twelve free burgesses within the said town of Newtowne of the aforesaid borough” were aforesaid or in or within the declared by King James to be precincts of the same town in “George Conigham, Patrick Showe, the County of Down aforesaid Patrick Mountgomerie, David henceforth be and for future Kenidie, Thomas Mountgomerie, times in perpetuity shall be an William Mountgomerie, Robert entire and free borough of itself Conigham, Robert Mountgomerie, by the name of the borough of Alexander Gordovne, James Newtowne”. Doncan, William Callender and For the first time, the town of George Gibson”. Newtowne held Borough status. The provost and burgesses had With it came the establishment “the full power and authority of “a body corporate and politic” to elect, send and return two consisting of a provost and twelve discreet and fit men to serve burgesses – the equivalent of our and attend in every parliament current and Councillors. in our said Kingdom of Ireland hereafter to be held”. As well as The Charter goes on to name this right to return two members the first Provost of Newtowne as to parliament, the new corporate “Huge Mountgomerie, Knight”. body could also “hold a Court in Newtownards Walking Guide

View from Scrabo Hill in Newtownards

some convenient and James Albert Edward, Duke of open place within the Abercorn, Newtownards was aforesaid borough”. granted its Borough status by royal prerogative during the In the 19th century the reign of George VI. Municipal Corporations Act (Ireland) 1840 was passed by The status came into being Parliament, and the new law formally from noon on the 23rd dissolved all but 10 of the day of May 1938 when the first existing 68 in Ireland. meeting of the new Borough The Borough of Newtownards Council was held and the first was among them. Mayor, Councillor W H Simms, was elected. In March 1937, the then Newtownards Urban District When 1973 brought local Council took advantage of a government reform in Northern change in the law brought Ireland, a district council whose about by the Municipal area included an existing Corporations Act (Northern municipal borough could Ireland) 1926 and petitioned resolve to adopt the Charter of the Governor of Northern the old municipality and thus Ireland for the grant of a continue to enjoy Borough Charter of Incorporation which status. The new authority would see the town once representing the Ards, therefore, again designated as a Borough. became Ards Borough Council. Following a recommendation The population now stands by the Privy Council of Northern around 78078. Ireland to the Governor,

Pages 4 – 5 Let’s begin the walking trail

At the Visitor Information Centre, turn to your right and continue passing by the bus station.

Old Regent House 1 On your right, set back from the road, is Located on land given to Lord a large building constructed in 1820 as a Montgomery by the King during the home for the owner of the town brewery, early 1600’s, the old Regent House Peter Johnston. The building later became building is one of the few examples of the first site of Regent House School. It Greek Revival architecture in County takes its name from the “Prince Regent” Down. It boasts many spectacular who visited Newtownards to open Regent cornice ceilings along with a Street which is the main thoroughfare breathtaking ornate dome situated through the town. above a traditional split staircase.

Now continue along your route as far as the traffic lights and cross the road on William Street.

Saint Mark’s Church 2 Saint Mark’s Parish Church “the prettiest The Londonderry family contributed to building in the town” as classed in the the cost of St Mark’s and their family notes to the first Ordnance Survey maps crest is carved above the west door. in 1832, was constructed of Scrabo The weavers of Newtownards donated a stone in 1817. The building is a good rose window in 1868. The east window example of Planter’s Gothic architecture. commemorates the fallen in the First It cost some £5446 to build. Scottish World War and the baptistery was colonists worshipped in the Priory church donated in 1966 as a memorial to Dame on Court Street, then moved to Saint Edith Helen, Dowager Marchioness of Mark’s in the eighteenth century when Londonderry. the building was completed. To retain continuity, one of the windows of the Priory was re-constructed in the south transept of the new church.

Now cross Church Street at the traffic lights and walk the short distance as far as the gateposts and large entrance. Newtownards Walking Guide

Ards Hospital 3 [The Old Workhouse] keep looking for gainful employment outside the walls of the workhouse. The dark grey building visible from the main entrance to the hospital constitutes However, despite efforts to reduce the remains of the workhouse. It has now occupancy, the numbers swelled greatly been renovated to become part of the during the Irish famine. Designed by hospital unit. Access to the workhouse is George Wilkinson to hold over 600 people, by permission only. the workhouse at one point held over 1000 residents. Opened in 1842 as part of the Poor Law Act in 1838, the site was built to During the 20th century, the infirmary accommodate 600 people. Called the poor wing and fever block were put to use to man’s jail, the workhouse was one of 43 treat any poor, sick person in the area and such establishments constructed in Ulster. not just in-mates who were ill. In 1932 an It was a much regimented environment Edinburgh doctor, Alexander Calder, took with males, females and children separated over the hospital expanding its facilities from each other on entry. Life was made as and capabilities and it gained a good difficult as possible so that residents would reputation for treatment and care.

Retrace your steps to the traffic lights and cross Frederick Street, Follow the footpath as far as the roundabout.

St Mark’s Parish Church, Newtownards Pages 6 – 7 Scrabo Tower

A view of Scrabo Tower 4a From this roundabout, joining Frederick late Marquis, copies of the national and Mill Street, you can enjoy a view of and local newspapers of the day, an Scrabo Tower, the most famous landmark Ordnance Survey map of , in the area. a list of those who subscribed to the building of the monument (one of A competition was held in 1855 to select whom was Emperor Napoleon III of a design for a fitting monument on France) and coins of the realm. Scrabo Hill with a budget of £2000. This monument was to be built in honour of The care of the tower remained in the the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry. The actual hands of one family for more than 100 designer of the tower, Charles Lanyon years. The last residents, the Millin came fourth in the competition but was sisters, Elizabeth, Jan and Agnes, ran selected because his design came within a very popular tea room in it. The budget. The tower was then built in 1857 sisters were born in the Tower and on the site of an iron-age fort and the were grandchildren of the first tenant, architectural style is that of the Scottish William McKay. Today the Tower is watch towers once built along the border an exhibition centre managed by with England. the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and is open during the On March 6, 1857, the foundation stone summer season. was laid along with a time capsule containing an inscribed scroll to the

Scrabo Hill 4b Scrabo Hill was formed as a geological apt reference to the thin soil covering. accident. The earliest reference to the The hill once boasted a Neolithic cairn hill was as early as 1275 and named and dolmen type burial chamber which Scraboc from the Irish “Screabach” appears to have been destroyed in the meaning rough or scraggy which is an 1850’s and no trace remains. Newtownards Walking Guide

Turn the corner and walk along Mill Street until you reach Gibsons Lane. Walking past the bus shelter, continue back onto Regent Street by crossing at the lights.

Regency Gift House, Library (The Queen’s Hall) and Open & Direct Building 5 Walk along this stretch of Regent Street Queen’s Hall and observe buildings of historical interest. The late Queen Mother placed the foundation stone of the Queen’s Hall on Georgian Regency Gift House 8th May 1958. The building is now also Regent Street became a prosperous area in home to Newtownards library. which to reside during the Regency period of 1811-1820. Due to his father, King Open & Direct Building George III’s, illness the Prince of On the corner with Mary Street, this was appointed as Regent, hence the name. building, originally the Belfast Bank, Developments during this time began to became the Northern Bank in 1854 and shape the town that we now recognise and still boasts a Belfast coat of arms high on much of this work was a result of activities the front façade. The Italianate architecture undertaken by the Marquis of Londonderry was designed by Charles Lanyon and bears who had control of municipal affairs. It is close similarity to the edifices along the thought that the gift house was built at canals of Venice. this time.

Now go around the corner into Mary Street and walk until you reach the junction with West Street.

Strean Presbyterian Church 6 The congregation of Stream can be found in the town centre of Presbyterian Church was formed Newtownards. Its spire can be seen in 1865. The beautiful Gothic-style from miles around. building made from Scrabo stone

Retrace your steps back to Regent road at the Ulster Bank, and follow Street. Staying on the same side of the Frances Street, past the offices of road as before, continue on and you the Chronicle Newspaper, and down will pass the Post Office. Cross the the hill to your right.

Pages 8 – 9 The Market Cross 7 Newtownards has the only surviving 17th However this golden age of progress century market cross in Northern Ireland. was to be the calm before the storm. Standing at the east end of High Street, it Newtownards was shaken first by a is an octagonal monument, originally built rebellion of local native Irish in 1641. in 1636. It had resembled a similar cross in Then the market cross was destroyed by Edinburgh by having a flat roof, on which Cromwell’s Commonwealth troops 17 there was a carved lion. years later because of the Montgomery family’s allegiance to the royalist cause. It Plantation villages of this time tended to was rebuilt in 1666 with a conical roofed flourish or die. Newtownards grew rapidly structure but never regained the esteem into a market town. The market was of it once enjoyed. One major reason for crucial importance to the towns this was that the commercial centre of prosperity and this was symbolised by Newtownards had shifted to Conway the construction of a market cross. Square with its impressive Market It represented, in stone, what the town House. It was considered a more elegant stood for – trade, market economy, representation of the town’s progress. progress and civilisation.

The Market Cross Newtownards Walking Guide

If you want to extend your tour at this Garden. To get there, cross at the lights point you can continue to Movilla at the bottom of the hill, follow Castle Abbey, located 1 mile east of the town Street round to the left, past the Old centre. If not please move to stop Cross pub and cross the road – take number 9, the War Memorial and Rose extra care on this busy road.

Movilla Abbey 8 [extended tour route] the 15th century and survived until the suppression of religious houses in the Follow along Movilla Street, crossing 1540’s. One stone only survives the pre George Street at the lights. Walk along Norman period: a slab with a sharply cut Upper Movilla Street, which eventually ringed cross and an inscription in Irish becomes Old Movilla Road, as far as the asking for a prayer for Dertrend, “or do gates of Movilla cemetery. Dertrend.” This hilltop was occupied by one of All that remains of the monastery today Ulster’s most important early churches, is an undivided chancel and nave, 107 associated with the 6th century St feet long and 20 feet wide, dating from Finnian. Plundered by the Vikings in the 13th and 15th centuries respectively. 842AD it was refounded in the 12th After the dissolution of the monasteries century as an abbey and it adopted the in 1541, James McGuilmere, the last Augustine rule, dedicated to St Malachy. abbot, surrendered the lands and tithes This reflected a decision made by Celtic to the crown. They became part of the monasteries to seek closer integration territory claimed by the with Europe. It served as a parish church O’Neills. The stone buildings were of the area. Indeed seven 13th century burned in 1572 to prevent a fledgling coffin lids, with foliate crosses, have English settlement developing. been found around the building, built The sacred history of the site has been into the inside of the north wall. Shears recognised in its continual use, for many indicate a woman’s burial, and a sword centuries, as a cemetery. for a man. The church was extended in

The War Memorial and Rose Garden 9 This quiet corner of Newtownards was This green area, known as the “bowling originally the town centre until 1636. green” belonged to the Marquis of Note the date of 1613 on the memorial, Londonderry who gave the land as a a reminder of the date of the granting of free gift to the town. The war memorial the town charter. As part of the charter, was built in 1934 and commemorates permission was granted to hold 3 fairs residents of the town who were either every year and to this day, a harvest fair killed or went missing during the First is still held in September as designated and Second World Wars. by King James I.

Walk through the garden and exit on Court Street. Take care when crossing the road. Pages 10 – 11 The Newtownards Priory 10 The Priory constitutes the ruins of a The Priory was destroyed by the Dominican Friary, founded in 1244 by O’Neills in 1572 to prevent Queen the Savage family. They were followers Elizabeth I from planting an English of John de Courcy, who brought the settlement in the area. The structure lay Dominicans from and Drogheda. dormant until the Scottish plantation The priory was originally 96ft in length of 1606-1609 when Hugh Montgomery and 24ft wide and 1 storey high with restored, extended and lived in the various additions over the years. building for a time. When Saint Mark’s opened in 1817, the Priory lost its Known as the Black Priory, owing to the status as parish church in the town. black mantle worn over the white habit, the Dominicans were a mendicant order Access to the interior is restricted and whose sole responsibility was to take opening is by special arrangement the message of the gospel to the people. only through the Northern Ireland National conferences of the entire order Environment Agency. Crossing back were held on the site in both 1298 over Court Street at the island, the and 1312. Interestingly, Juventus and route now takes you back towards the Newcastle United soccer teams who both main shopping street in Newtownards wear black and white strips were formed which is a myriad of long established by the Dominican orders! independent traders including department stores and boutiques.

At the Danske Bank cross over High Mayne statue, look to the right of the Street and head towards Conway Town Hall building and see it beside Square. For the next stop, the Blair a flower bed.

The Blair Mayne Statue 11 Blair “Paddy” Mayne was a pupil at territory, raiding airfields and blowing Regent House School in the 1920’s and up planes. It is said of Blair himself that 1930’s. A powerful athlete, he played in one lightning attack, he personally rugby for Queens University and was destroyed 47 enemy planes. Sadly, after later capped in six international games. the wartime years, Lt Col Blair Mayne He also won the amateur heavyweight met his death in tragic circumstances boxing championship of Northern in a car crash in Newtownards. The Ireland as a student. During the Second bronze statue reflects the breadth of World War, this famous son of the his character, not only a man of action Ards thrilled the world with his daring but of reflection, carrying his favourite exploits behind enemy lines in Europe poetry book. and the Middle East. Blair Mayne was a highly decorated As one of six co-founders of the newly soldier and held four distinguished formed Special Air Service (SAS) services orders, Legion d’Honneur and he was responsible for some of the Croix de Guerre. One of these orders was most intrepid forages in the Allied awarded when he was a junior officer campaigns. They operated in hostile which was considered highly impressive. Newtownards Walking Guide

Now look to the left of the Town Hall building, just across from the Blair Mayne Statue and you will see the TT monument.

The Ards TT 12 From 1928 to 1936, the Tourist Trophy Newtownards. Then the cars left (TT) motor races took place on a road Newtownards and roared along the circuit encompassing Dundonald, straight road to . That section Newtownards and Comber. At the time, it was the fastest part of the course. The was Northern’s Ireland’s premier sporting following section passed around the event, regularly attracting crowds in notorious “Butcher’s Shop” corner in excess of half a million spectators Comber and along the Belfast Road to and was described as one of the most the hairpin in Dundonald. This hairpin exciting road races in the world! was also the end of the tram line from Belfast so it was here that many The Ards TT was the culmination of much city folk made their way to watch the thought and enthusiasm by two people. racing. Then from the hairpin it was One was the legendary Harry Ferguson, back to start the circuit all over again. the other was Wallace McLeod. McLeod was the head of the motor engineering The first driver to complete 30 laps of school at the Belfast Technical College. the circuit was the winner. However, on The men were helped in their dream September 5th 1936, in wet conditions, by the fact that (unlike the rest of the Belfast driver, Jack Chambers lost British Isles) the law in Ulster enabled control of his car and crashed into the roads to be closed off for motor racing. crowd in Newtownards killing eight In 1927, the two men visited a race at spectators. This tragedy brought an end Brooklands and persuaded some of the to nine years of racing over the Ards drivers that, if they could find a suitable road circuit. Ulster road circuit, then they would participate. The venue was found and the six hour race was organised under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club. The circuit was in the form of a triangle 13.7 miles in total. The race started at the pits on the Newtownards Road, Dundonald. In fact, there is still a little commemorative building and plaque at that spot to mark the location. The cars then set off towards Newtownards via Quarry Corner then up and over Bradshaw’s Brae and into Conway Square, The Town Hall 13 The Town Hall (Market House) is steeped imprisoned in the cells below the Market in history. The ground floor of the building House to await judgement and execution acted as a market for local traders. There by hanging. By the end of the 19th was also a “lock – up” cell with grilled century the building was used more as a windows around which were grooves typical Town Hall than a court or market reputed to have been made by the fingers house. The Town Hall was given to the of prisoners! The upper storey contained in the 1900’s as a an assembly room, now called the gift by Lord Londonderry. Londonderry Room. Today the building is home to Ards Arts The Market House was seized by the Centre, where a variety of artwork is United Irishmen, on their way to the Battle regularly exhibited and is open to the of , during the 1798 Rebellion. public. By the end of Sunday 10th June, the whole Conway Square in which the town hall of North Down and the sits was named after Lady Sarah Frances was in the hands of the rebels. When the Seymour – Conway, daughter in law authorities resumed control by the end of Alexander Stewart, who established of the week, a period of savage reprisals . ensued. Rebels were rounded up and

Exit Conway Square to the left of the Town Hall and walk back along Regent Street to the Visitor Information Centre and to the final point on the tour.

The Visitor Information Centre & Ards Crafts 14 This building used to house the town brewery. Originally the brewery sat behind the Dominican Priory in Court Street and was built by the Colville family who became landlords in Newtownards from 1675 until 1744. As part of the development of Regent Street, Robert Stewart moved the brewery in 1819 to its present location. The rear of the building still shows evidence of the original stonework. By 1837, annually more than 7000 barrels of beer were being brewed at this location.

The Visitor Information Centre Newtownards Walking Guide

Borough of Ards Coat of Arms

The fleur-de-lys are from the shield of the Montgomerys, Earls of Mount Alexander. Sir Hugh Montgomery came into the Newtownards Priory property in 1608, and Newton House descended from the family to the Colvilles whose black mill-rind cross occupies the base of the shield. The beasts support crosiers in allusion to the two monastic foundations associated with the town – Movilla Abbey and Above the shield is the closed helm- the Priory. The crosiers are black, the proper to civic arms, decorated with predominant colour of the habit of the the crest wreath and flowing mantling Augustines and Dominicans to which these or cloak in the livery colours of the foundations respectively belonged. arms, blue and white. Upon this is A unicorn supporting one side of the shield the Montgomery Crest, with the hand is an allusion to the Charter of 1613. It coloured red in allusion to the familiar red was introduced by King James and also hand of Ulster. represents the arms of the influential de Courcy family. The eagle is that of the de Courcys who invaded Ulster in century. The grassy bank on which the unicorn John de Courcy built the castle around stands has flax flowers growing from it which Newtownards was developed. in reference to the strength of the linen weaving industry in Ards. The Lion is the sinister supporter of the Marquesses of Londonderry, who have The black mill-rind cross which occupies long been associated with the history and the base of the shield represents the development of Newtownards. The roses Colville family who acquired lands and blossoming from the rich green earth are property such as Newtown House from a reference to the floriculture industry in Hugh Montgomery. Newtownards. The shield is parted diagonally in the shape of St Andrew’s cross and what is popularly known as St Patrick’s cross. This partition alludes to the Scottish origin of the Montgomerys and also to the charter of 1613 granted to the town of Newtownards by King James 1. The motto “Fidelis atque Fortis” (faithful and brave) is adapted from that of the Savages of , one of the most ancient Ulster families.

Ards Craft Pages 14 – 15 For more information contact any of the following Visitor Information Centres: Bangor

Ards Visitor Information Centre Newtownards 31 Regent Street NEWTOWNARDS BT23 4AD Belfast S 028 9182 6846 k [email protected]

(Seasonal office Easter – end August) Portaferry Visitor Information Centre The Stables, Castle Street PORTAFERRY BT22 1NZ S 028 4272 9882 k [email protected]

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Ards Borough Council presents the information as a public service, and while every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, the Council cannot accept responsibility and assumes no liability for any action undertaken by any person using the information contained herein. The content of this guide is copyright of Ards Borough Council and should not be reused without permission.