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Antrim Town Heritage Audit

Antrim Town Heritage Audit

Antrim Town

Heritage

Audit

September 2020

Contents Page

List of Tables

List of Figures

1.0 Introduction 3

1.1 What is built heritage and why is it important? 4

1.2 The management of built heritage in Northern 7

1.3 Audit area 9

2.0 Historical setting 10

3.0 Landscape and Designations 13

3.1 Geological setting 13

3.2 Landscape Character 15

3.2.1 LCA 61- North Shores 15

3.2.2 LCA 114- Valley 16

4.0 Historical Maps 18

4.1 Cartographic Background 18

4.1.1 16th Century maps 18

4.1.2 17th Century maps 19

4.1.3 18th Century maps 21

4.1.4 19th Century maps 21

5.0 Parishes, and Placenames 24

6.0 Archaeological sites and monuments 33

7.0 Scheduled Monuments 42

8.0 Listed Buildings 43

9.0 Industrial Heritage 48

10.0 Historic Gardens and Parks 52

11.0 Opportunities for heritage development 61

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List of Tables

Table 1: Visitor numbers for built heritage sites in the Town area

Table 2: Summary of heritage designations

Table 3: List of archaeological monuments and sites recorded in the audit area

Table 4: List of Listed Buildings recorded in the audit area

Table 5: List of Industrial Heritage features recorded in the audit area

Table 6: Indicative projects and associated costs

List of Figures

Figure 1: Location of audit area

Figure 2: Geology of the area around Antrim Town

Figure 3: Drift geology of the area around Antrim Town

Figure 4: LCA 61 – North Lough Neagh Shores

Figure 5: LCA 114- Six Mile Water Valley

Figure 6: Extract from unknown map dating to 1587 and showing ‘Mafsaryn’

Figure 7: Map by Jobson dating to 1598 and showing ‘Antrem’

Figure 8: Bartlett map dating to 1601 and showing various features in the vicinity of Antrim

Figure 9: Unknown map dating to c.1602 and showing ‘Mafsarin forte’

Figure 10: 1st Edition OS Map of Antrim

Figure 11: 1st Edition OS Map showing the walled garden

Figure 12: 1845 Demesne Map

Figure 13: Extract from 1857 Ordnance Survey map showing Antrim Castle

Figure 14: Archaeological sites and monuments

Figure 15: Map showing location of Scheduled Monuments in the audit area

Figure 16: Map showing location of Listed Buildings in the audit area

Figure 17: Map showing location of Industrial Heritage features in the audit area

Figure 18: Map showing location of Historic Gardens and Parks in the audit area.

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1.0 Introduction

The historic environment plays an important role in providing a sense of place and identity, supporting well-being, and promoting economic growth and community cohesion. As such, it is crucial that it is understood, valued, protected and made accessible to current and future generations. Collectively referred to as ‘heritage assets’, these significant archaeological sites and monuments, historic buildings, industrial sites, artefacts, historic gardens and other elements of our historic environment are tangible connections to our past and should be considered a finite resource. To effectively protect and manage these assets, it is important to collate information to understand what heritage assets we have and what organisational assets are available to help them reach their potential.

This audit has evolved from a series of meetings with senior Officers from Antrim and Borough Council who, in consultation with elected Members, have identified the extensive heritage assets located in and around Antrim Town as a valuable resource that if appropriately utilised could be developed for the benefit of both residents and visitors. The purpose of the audit is to examine the heritage assets of Antrim Town, alongside the capacity and activities of relevant heritage organisations with the aim of building a picture of the sector and identifying opportunities for development that can further support the historic environment while strengthening community cohesion, opportunities and economic growth.

The process of undertaking the audit has comprised three key stages:

1. Desktop survey 2. Fieldwork and Consultation 3. Site Visits

The completed audit process will contribute to an informed framework for the development and implementation of built heritage related projects. This baseline data will allow Council (and potential partners) to undertake a programme of heritage works that are strategically relevant to the Community Plan and that deliver on sustainable development goals that align with economic objectives while all the time contributing to the conservation and protection of the heritage assets. The audit will also provide a series of recommendations that will help Council allocate future departmental resources (for possible tourism, local economic development, conservation, access, health & wellbeing etc projects related to the heritage assets) and will assist with securing future external funding and grant aid. Subject to future discussion, Lough Neagh Partnership would be willing to develop and manage a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Council that would deliver a comprehensive built heritage “Great Place” scheme for Antrim Town.

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1.1 What is built heritage and why is it important? Built heritage features are the physical remains that have been left by the past inhabitants of Antrim and its surrounding environs. The historic landscapes, monuments, buildings, structures and below ground remains have shaped the modern landscape and the resulting physical remains are layered throughout Antrim town and the villages and countryside surrounding it, and are testament to the rich and vibrant history of the area. Apparent today, for example, are the megalithic tombs, stone circles, raths, churches, castles, grand estates, town houses, mills and bridges, all left by the people living in the Antrim and Lough Neagh landscape. Historic town parks, gardens and demesnes, defence infrastructure as well as the archaeological, architectural and industrial remains are also evident and are an important part of the landscape. Many of the built heritage features in the Antrim area have been recognised as important and valuable having regional and national significance. These built heritage remains are valuable not only in helping us to explore our past, but also in the intrinsic role they can play in developing communities. Built heritage can add value to the cultural and economic experience of the area adding character and local distinctiveness to the countryside, towns and villages and is important for generating revenue through tourism and recreation, as well as having an impact on personal and societal wellbeing.

As the importance of personal and societal wellbeing has become recognised, concern with influencing people’s happiness and sense of wellbeing has increased in priority for local and national government departments (Sayer 2015). Wellbeing now often features high on the agenda in central and local government and indeed, one of the key outcomes listed within the ‘Love Living Here’ Community Plan 2030, is to ensure ‘Our citizens enjoy good health and wellbeing’.

Built heritage is increasingly being seen as playing an important role in the wider context of strategic policy and agenda, helping to achieve desired impact and improve outcomes. For example, its role is recognised in the Tourism Strategy for to 2020 where Lough Neagh is identified as one of nine key tourism destinations in Northern Ireland (DETI Draft Tourism Strategy for Northern Ireland 2020). The Borough is located between two of Northern Ireland's most significant key tourism destination areas, namely and the Causeway Coast and Glens and has a strong hotel and conference facility provision. The region is also home to the Belfast International Airport (BIA) which is defined as a Gateway in the Regional Development Strategy (RDS) 2035 and provides excellent access to the ports of Belfast and . In recognition of the value of built heritage to the economy, the Council in partnership with Tourism NI published the ‘Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Tourism Strategy 2017-2022’ which details the range of visitor servicing provision and activities offered throughout the Borough, and identifies potential opportunities for investment and growth including developments under culture and heritage themes.

The importance of built heritage was also the subject of a local symposium on “Future Places: Using Heritage to Build Resilient Communities” where the then Communities Minister Paul Givan and Environment Minister Michelle McIlveen gave a joint address. The session considered how our built heritage would contribute to the Programme for Government and the Local Development Plans being drawn up by the local councils. These plans shape the places where we all work and live up until 2030.

The three main areas of built heritage impact have been identified by English Heritage as follows:

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• Individual impacts such as pleasure and fulfilment, meaning and identity, challenge and learning and the relationships between heritage participation and health and wellbeing. • Community impacts including social capital, community cohesion and citizenship. • Economic impacts such as job creation and tourism.’ (English Heritage 2014, 4).

Individual Impact A recent study has demonstrated that visiting or participating in heritage has a significant positive relationship with life satisfaction (Fujiwara 2014, 5). Further it was found that the relationship with heritage was slightly higher than the impacts of participating in sports and the arts (ibid.). Of the eight different types of heritage site, visits to historic towns such as Antrim and historic buildings were found to have the greatest impact on wellbeing (ibid.). The role of participating in archaeological projects in enhancing wellbeing has also recently been assessed. English Heritage have highlighted the ability of archaeology to create ‘pride’, ‘a sense of place’ and ‘a sense of community’ by providing a joint community activity and linking the present with the past (English Heritage 2014). A recent study used quantitative data to determine the impact of participating in archaeological excavation on personal happiness and the results highlighted the ability of archaeology to enable people to connect, be active, take notice, learn and give, all of which are believed to be the foundation of greater wellbeing and personal happiness (Sayer 2015). The study highlighted that ‘personal, practical and voluntary involvement in archaeological excavations has the potential to positively influence wellbeing and personal happiness’ (ibid.). People also experience built heritage without having to visit a heritage site or participate in heritage activities, but rather every day through the buildings and streetscapes they encounter. The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) in England carried out research exploring how people relate to the places in which they live. The research found that people see beauty as a ‘universal good’, a positive experience that can bring about happiness and wellbeing in individual lives and consistently found that people placed value on old in opposition to new buildings (Ipsos MORI 2010). It is clear that visiting heritage sites and participating in heritage activities has a significant impact on wellbeing and life satisfaction, further, heritage volunteering has been found to have a positive effect on mental health. Heritage volunteers reported levels of mental health and wellbeing that are higher than for the general population, or amongst all those who undertook some form of volunteering activity (BOP Consulting 2011).

Community impact Built heritage is important for how local communities perceive themselves and can contribute to community concepts such as community cohesion, social inclusion and civic pride. The effects of taking part in heritage activities recorded for individuals are likely to have wider community benefits also, for example through areas of learning, identity and belonging. This is likely to be particularly significant in post-conflict societies such as Northern Ireland, where communities can together explore shared heritage, contributing to increased respect and community cohesion bringing communities together into the future. Participating in heritage projects also enables people to connect with each other and form new friendships and networks, with positive effects on local communities.

Economic impact A study on the economic value of Northern Ireland’s Historic Environment was carried out in 2012 by consultants Eftec and RSM for the NIEA. It found that the total estimated GVA (Gross value added: the measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area, industry or sector of an economy)

5 per annum in relation to NI’s Historic Environment was £249.5m. GVA outputs in Northern Ireland, however, were significantly lower than equivalents for Scotland, Wales or the rest of Ireland, indicating that there is significant potential to further develop the historic environment sector in Northern Ireland (Eftec and RSM 2012). This is also reflected in the visitor numbers for the main built heritage attractions within the Antrim area which show that Antrim Castle Gardens and Clotworthy House draws considerably higher visitor numbers than any other amenity in the area (Table 1). Noteworthy in the context of the historic towns in the LELP area is the economic impact of the everyday buildings and streetscapes people experience and encounter. Surveys have demonstrated that, when asked about where they would most prefer to spend a day out, people regularly list towns and cities known for their heritage, and a strong correlation exists between people’s ratings and the number of listed buildings in a visited settlement (ibid). This is particularly significant given the number of listed buildings in Antrim.

The positive impact of built heritage on the economy, individuals and community can be demonstrated. It is clear that focusing on built heritage through a possible suite of ‘Great Place’ focused projects will help to deliver the key outcome of community development, enabling local communities to reconnect with their built heritage, encouraging pride and forging new connections and will be vital in delivering the aim of achieving a vibrant and sustainable economy in and around Antrim Town.

Table 1: Visitor numbers for built heritage sites in the Antrim Town area (Source: NISRA https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/ODS-Visitor-Attraction-Survey-2018- Additional-Tables.ods) Number of Visitors (Thousands) Attraction 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Antrim Castle Gardens & Clotworthy House 168 221 343 451 444 438 Antrim Loughshore Park n/a n/a n/a n/a 156 169 Shanes Castle 35 40 40 40 40 45

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1.2 The management of built heritage in Northern Ireland In Northern Ireland, the Historic Environment Division (HED) of the Department for Communities (DfC) is responsible for the protection of the historic environment, with the aim of ‘supporting and sustaining vibrant communities and a strong economy through realising the significant, ongoing value of our historic environment’. The HED works in collaboration with individuals and organisations in the public and private sectors to record, protect, conserve and promote heritage. HED collate and maintain several registers relating to built heritage, including; Historic Monuments, Historic Buildings, Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesne, Maritime Heritage, Industrial Heritage, Defence Heritage and there are a number of related designations, detailed below.

The planning system also has a considerable role in the management of built heritage in Northern Ireland. Following local government reform, in April 2015 many planning powers were devolved to the local district councils. The audit area falls within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council boundary. Therefore, since April 2015, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council have been responsible for most planning decisions as well as preparing and publishing a Local Development Plan (LDP) for their area. As a plan which sets out how the council area should look in the future, the LDP sets out what type and scale of development should be encouraged and where it should be located. As such the LDP is key in the management of the built heritage of the survey area going forward. Historic buildings will have some protection because of their location in a Conservation Area, Area of Townscape or Village Character, for example. Buildings of local importance may also be designated within a Local Landscape Policy Area (LLPA) through the LDP. LLPAs consist of those features and areas within and adjoining settlements considered to be of greatest amenity value, landscape quality or local significance and therefore worthy of protection from undesirable or damaging development. This will be significant for the management of built heritage as the LLPAs may include archaeological sites and monuments and their surroundings, listed buildings and – crucially - other locally important buildings and their surroundings (Historic Environment Division 2016, 11).

Buildings of local importance are defined by the Department of the Environment in the Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland (SPPS) as ‘a building, structure or feature, whilst not statutorily listed, [that] has been identified by the council as an important part of their heritage, due to its local architectural or heritage significance’ (DOENI 2015a, 41, footnote 11) and may also be identified through a Local List (HED Guidance, Historic Buildings of Local Importance – a guide to their identification and protection, publication forthcoming). This is in line with the Granada Convention of the Protection of the Architectural Heritage of Europe.

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Table 2: Summary of heritage designations (Source: Historic Environment Division https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/communities/our-planning- services-and-standards-framework.pdf )

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1.3 Audit area The audit area stretches from the Dunore River to the south northwards to the M2 Motorway, and then east following the line of the Rathmore Burn. The boundary then follows the north eastern shoreline of Lough Neagh to the River before travelling east back along the M2. The site is dissected by the Six Mile Water river which flows westwards through Antrim into Lough Neagh (Figure 1). The town has developed at the junction of a number of important highways including those from Belfast to Londonderry and from Larne to the west of the Province about the beginning of the 17th century and for more than 350 years it has functioned as a service centre for the surrounding district. The survey area hosts a range of natural heritage sites designated for their international and regional significance, including a Special Area of Conservation and an Area of Special Scientific Interest at Rea’s Wood and Farr’s Bay, which recognises the importance of wet woodland and Lough Neagh which is a Criterion 1 Ramsar site because it is a large and relatively intact example of a wetland, and one of the best examples of this habitat in the . Lough Neagh is also designated as a Special Protection Area as the site supports numbers of rare, vulnerable or endangered species. Built heritage forms an important part of the character and appearance of the area and includes archaeological sites and monuments; historic and vernacular buildings; industrial and military remains; historic parks, gardens and demesnes; conservation areas and areas of townscape character.

Figure 1: Location of audit area

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2.0 Historical setting

12 The current town of Antrim has grown from a settlement first established at a ford in the Six Mile Water by the Anglo-Normans. This, however, was not the first ‘Antrim’ within the area. For the most part the evidence for the early history and development of the town of Antrim comes from documentary sources. The first recorded settlement, an early ecclesiastical foundation, is located approximately one mile north of the present town in Steeple . This foundation is first mentioned in the Annals of under the year 613 (Mac Airt and Mac Niocaill, 1983), recording the death of Fintan of Antrim, Abbot of Bangor, with periodic entries down to 1147, when the Annals of the Four Masters record that Roscrea and Antrim were burned (0’Donovan, 1856). Little remains of this ecclesiastical site today. Just the round tower, one of only two complete examples in the province (the other example is at Devenish Island, Co Fermanagh), and a large bullaun stone, known locally as the Steeple and the Witch's Stone respectively, survive in what are now grounds belonging to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. However, wall foundations, a substantial quantity of building stones and human remains which had been uncovered and removed in the early 19th century from the immediate vicinity of the round tower suggest the former existence of quite an extensive foundation (Reeves 1847:63-4). The date of abandonment of this ecclesiastical centre is not known but it seems likely that it survived the Anglo-Norman invasion of 1177 as the later recorded townlands of Ballyantrim and Ballygallantrim appear to denote the area of the original ecclesiastical foundation and the Anglo-Norman settlement respectively. Antrim became an important Anglo-Norman garrison as part of John de Courcy's invasion of Ulster with the construction of a motte which is located in what are now the gardens of Antrim Castle. Although no date is recorded for the construction of the motte it seems reasonable to suggest that it was erected by John de Courcy before his banishment in 1205. By 1226 Antrim had become the centre of an Anglo-Norman bailiwick but seems never to have had a stone castle (McNeill 1980:7,88). The garrison of this motte castle equalled that of Dundrum in 1211- 12 when it consisted of two knights, twelve armed archers and six foot-soldiers (Davies and Quinn 1941). The limited space available on top of the motte is unlikely to have accommodated housing for twenty men and McNeill has postulated the existence of a bailey there (McNeill, 1980:7). The raised area to the east of the motte may represent the remains of this bailey. The Anglo-Norman motte, known locally as ‘The Mount’, can still be seen today within the grounds of Antrim Castle Gardens. It has been heavily landscaped and due to the relatively small size of the motte, it is presumed that a bailey had once been attached to it, providing enough space for accommodation for the garrison. No trace of this bailey exists but it may have been located to the east of the motte where the landscaped terrace gardens associated with the later 17th-Century Antrim Castle now lie. There are no records to suggest that the motte was ever replaced by a stone castle (McNeill, 1980:88). A stone castle would be both expensive to build and also could have become a barrier to re-conquest in the event that the occupant became hostile towards the Earl of Ulster or it was ever lost to the local Irish population. By

1 Etching of Antrim Round Tower from The Penny Journal, Number 55, Saturday July 20th 1833 2 Etching of Antrim Town from The Irish Penny Journal, Number 12, Saturday, September 19th 1840

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1226, the newly settled lands within the Anglo- Norman earldom of Ulster were arranged into five bailiwicks, one of which included Antrim (McNeill, 1980:12), with the town forming at Antrim which becoming a major ‘caput of the earldom’ (Lawlor, 1939:50).

The 14th Century was to see major changes for the area culminating in the eventual loss of control for the Anglo-Norman settlers. The invasion of Edward Bruce, brother of Robert, in 1315, was the first major incident to affect the area. At Rathmore, Bruce and the Irish O’Neill’s fought the Savages, the leading English family within the bailiwick of Antrim. Despite killing 3000 of the Irish, the Savages were defeated and forced to flee to the peninsula (Smyth, 1984:15). However, this loss did not lead to the total collapse of Anglo- Norman control, and Bruce was eventually defeated, and killed, at the battle of Faughart, Co. Louth in October 1318. In 1333 the Earl of Ulster was murdered, an event that lead to the weakening of the earldom, a situation worsened by the Black Death that swept across Europe. One of the main driving forces for the conquest of Ulster was to obtain new lands due to population pressure in England. The resulting deaths caused by the plague were to see a decrease in this pressure and therefore less desire to settle in Ireland led to a greater unwillingness to save the earldom. Despite the turmoil generated by Edward, the murder of the earl, and the Black Death, Antrim continued to prosper and retain its status as an important frontier garrison town for several decades.

The growing prosperity of the settlement can be seen in the tolls ‘tout court’ from the 1350s which indicate that Antrim generated tolls from a market and that it had become a town of reasonable size by this stage of its development, with a further suggestion that a pottery industry may have existed nearby, despite the fact that its inland location isolated the town from major external trade (McNeill, 1980:90-92).

The continued importance of Antrim as a frontier town can be seen in the payments record in the account rolls of Elizabeth de Burgh (McNeill, 1980:136-147). In 1353 payment was made to Walter de Say to travel from to Antrim and back with 40 horsemen, while John de Camlyn was paid for guarding Antrim in 1353-54. These payments can also be seen as a reflection of the growing and continued pressure the mid Antrim area was coming under from the Clann Aodh Buidhe () O’Neill’s, who by 1370 eventually gained control. Under the patronage of Sir Phelim O’Neill, a Franciscan friary was built on the southern shores of the Six Mile Water at Massereene sometime around 1500. Excavations by Chris Lynn in the 1970’s uncovered a small rectangular church along with a curving V-shaped ditch, measuring some 2-3m wide and 2m deep. A hoard of coins, dating to 1500- 1505 were found within the ditch (Lynn 1973:4 and 1974:9).

It was not until the later in the 16th Century that the English began to recover the lands around Antrim. Two unsuccessful attempts were undertaken during the latter half of the 16th Century, firstly by Sir Thomas Smith and then by Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex. Smith failed completely in his enterprise and Devereux did not fare much better. He was to receive a grant from Queen for most of and proceeded with an attempt to colonise the country (Hayes-McCoy 1976:96). In a letter to the Queen dated July 1575, Devereux writes how he “marched through woods to Massareen, where I was by my espials advertised that the Scot had left the Glennes, and carried all his cattle to a strong fastness, near the Bann, to which I removed presently‟ (Devereux 1853:109). Aside from futile incursions into Antrim, Devereux was to ultimately fail in his attempts to regain control and re-

11 colonise. Control of the area was only regained from the O’Neill’s when, during the Nine Years War, Sir Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, rebelled against the English Government. Sir Hugh Clotworthy, who had served with Chichester in , built a fort, no trace of which survives today although a contemporary account given by Smyth notes: “At masarine there is a little forte built in the midst of the river with fair timber houses built by Captain Hugh Clotworthy, covered with good shingle together with necessary houses for stores and munition. The forte is fenced with rampier of earth and strong palisade round about it, with a deep broad ditch and drawbridge over it” (ibid. 1984:17).

Along with Arthur Chichester, Sir Hugh Clotworthy was to establish a fleet on Lough Neagh which was to conduct several raids on the O’Neill’s of the opposite shores of the Lough (Hayes-McCoy 1964:30). Following the defeat of the Irish, Clotworthy was granted Antrim for life. Records indicate that this happened after Sir James Hamilton had been granted land, only for it to be acquired by Sir Arthur Chichester who then gave Clotworthy land including Antrim (Roebuck, 1979). Permission was granted in 1605 to Sir James Hamilton to hold a market at Antrim on Thursdays (Lewis 1837:12) prior to Clotworthy gaining the land. By 1606 it was recorded that Clotworthy was in residence at the site of the present castle ‘within a moated courtyard, flanked with towers’ and in 1610 that Clotworthy had ‘erected the bawn many years before and proceeded to build the castle’ (O’Neill 1860:4-5). No trace of this moated courtyard or bawn exists today.

Clotworthy surrendered the lands in 1618 and had promptly re-granted them for both himself and his son, John, in perpetuity, who was later to become the first Viscount of Massereene. The current castle was built around 1613 with later changes and alterations occurring throughout the 17th Century.

During the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798 Antrim was the scene of a brief but violent battle which saw the town held by the forces of the Crown and the United Irishmen repulsed. The 1798 battle was the last major historical event to unfold at Antrim. In the 19th and 20th Century the town was to prosper and grow. The castle was enlarged and restored by Henry Chichester Skeffington in the early part of the 19th Century (1811-1813), with further alterations by John Foster in 1887 (Conway and Reeves-Smyth 1994:159). The castle was destroyed by a fire in 1922 that claimed the life of a maid. It was left as a burnt-out ruin before being demolished on health and safety grounds in 1970. During the 1970’s the Dublin Road was built, slicing through the walled gardens and isolating the bastion wall and rampart from Antrim Castle gardens.

Antrim town however, despite being the County Town of Antrim, remained small, and in 1961 had a population of only 3,000 persons. In 1966, Antrim was designated a New Town and its population increased from approximately 7,500 persons to approximately 24,000 by 1977. Since then, however, there has been relatively little growth and the present population is estimated to be in the region of 25,500 persons.

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3.0 Landscape and Designations

3.1 Geological setting

Antrim town is located on the north-eastern shore of Lough Neagh in the area of the Cainozoic- Palaeogene Antrim Lava group, comprising mostly of basaltic rock, formed by the eruption of olivine tholeiite lavas of the Upper Basalt Formation (UBF) (Figure 2). These rocks cover much of County Antrim, as well as parts of Counties Londonderry and Tyrone, and may have originally extended as far south as (Cooper, 2004:167-178). Historically, Basalt has been used for much of the building construction in the audit area having been sourced at several quarries right across the County. Of particular significance in the audit catchment are the presence of Andesite quarries just south of the town and at Shane’s Castle. These quarries produced an attractive, very fine-grained blue-grey rock that was easily worked.

Figure 2: Geology of the area around Antrim Town

Overlying the natural bedrock geology, the ‘drift’ geology is complex. Much of Antrim lies over glacial till or boulder clay, changing to alluvium and/or recent lacustrine deposits, lain down by both the Six Mile Water and Lough Neagh (Figure 3). Glacial sands and gravels are also located within the general area. The Midlandian was the last major Irish glaciation. It commenced around 75,000 years ago and, with a couple of brief warm intervals, lasted until around 10,000 years ago. In the second half of this period, the ice that dominated the eastern half of Northern Ireland was centred on the Lough Neagh Basin, confined to the east by Scottish ice occupying the North Channel and to the west by an ice mass centred somewhere near . This meant that the Lough Neagh ice could only escape to the north and south. The axis separating these flow directions crossed the basin roughly along a line east north east/west south west across what is now Lough Neagh. The Six Mile Water valley was to the north of

13 this axis in the northerly flow. The deposits in the valley reflect late events in the final stages of the melting and retreat of this ice mass. They occupy a discontinuous belt on the northern flank of the valley up to a kilometre wide and 18 km long extending from just south of Antrim to the area immediately west of . At the Old Mill just south of Antrim there is a group of low hummocks up to 2 m high, a shallow kettle hole and a remnant of a ridge, all within an area of about 1 km2. 3 km to the north between and is an area of streamlined ridges and mounds up to 15 m high, eroded in places, associated with dissected fragments of north east/south west orientated ridges over half a kilometre long and 8 m high. A further 2 km to the north east at Parkgate there is an area of around a square kilometre of hummocks and linking ridges with south east/northwest orientation, up to 6 m high. An old sand pit exposing these deposits reveals boulders, many of the local vesicular basalt bedrock. A further 2 km to the north east immediately west of Doagh there is a 6 m high ridge extending across the valley for 200 m associated with four segments of ridges at lower levels aligned with the valley axis. The only outcrop is at Parkgate where the deposits appear to represent three different sets of conditions, all associated with the late stages of melting of the Lough Neagh ice. The deposits in the middle of the belt from Dunadry to Parkgate appear to be survivals of deposits formed within the ice while the cross-valley ridge west of Doagh appears to have formed along the ice margin. The hummocks and kettle hole south of Antrim town formed in the open. Towards the end of the Midlandian, fast flowing ice occupied the valley of the Six Mile Water and smoothed the valley bottom, walls and the debris accumulated between the glacier’s base and bedrock. Following this episode, a tongue of largely static ice occupied the valley and all the features described are a consequence of this final phase of melting.

Figure 3: Drift geology of the area around Antrim Town

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3.2 Landscape Character

The character of the Northern Ireland landscape has been identified and classified in the Northern Ireland Landscape Character Assessment 2000 (NILCA, 2000), which was published by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). This document subdivided the landscape of Northern Ireland into 130 different LCAs, each with a distinctive character; based upon local patterns of geology, landform, land use and cultural and ecological features. Each LCA has a detailed description of these features, and of where they can be located. The LCA report indicates for each area, the principal forces for change and the key issues influencing landscape sensitivity. It also suggests specific landscape guidelines for each area based either around landscape management or establishing principles for accommodating development. In the audit area there are two LCAs - the ‘Six Mile Water Valley’ and ‘North Lough Neagh Shores’. The LCAs form and follow complex landforms and features that have naturally evolved, and their area boundaries do not follow or accord with local authority or other administrative boundaries. The details for the LCAs are outlined below.

The area of Antrim is on the northeast fringes of the Lough Neagh Basin at a point where three major rivers flow into Lough Neagh. The rivers (Lower Bann, the Maine and Six Mile Water) have a distinctive character and each has eroded part of the Antrim Basalt Plateau to form a diverse range of wetland, valley and lowland landscapes on the fringes of upland moors. The Six-Mile Water follows the alignment of a major fault-line in the underlying basalts. The fault has formed a long, straight valley, which extends into the Metropolitan Newtownabbey area and creates a corridor for an extensive network of infrastructure, including the M2 Motorway. The basalt uplands create a backdrop to valley views throughout the area. The area includes an extensive and scenic length of the Lough Neagh Shoreline, from to Ram’s Island. Lough Neagh can seem a vast and rather bleak sheet of water, but the indented coastline of bays, inlets and headlands forms a tranquil and scenic water’s edge.

3.2.1 LCA 61- North Lough Neagh Shores

The LCA comprises a rolling agricultural landscape with relatively small fields and overgrown hedges on the fringes of Lough Neagh. It comprises a 2km to 3km wide belt of flat land that fringes the northern shores between and Antrim (Figure 4).

Figure 4: LCA 61 – North Lough Neagh Shores

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The landscape is characterised by flat, exposed and open areas within the fringes of Lough Neagh with mixed grassland agricultural and important historic, cultural and societal features for the region. The area provides a wide array of environmental and natural heritage importance with Northern Ireland priority species and habitats. Shane’s Castle with ruined castle, stately home, historic courtyard, and parkland, is relatively undisturbed and is commercially managed for sustainable farming and forestry. There are magnificent views across Lough Neagh to the and value in the distant vistas in and out of LCA. This landscape has a high sensitivity and adds to the overall characters the lough. The LCA hosts unscheduled, Scheduled Monument and Scheduled Zones are designated areas by Department for Communities. These include sites and monuments (Raths, Enclosures, Fortification, Mass sites, Ecclesiastical site, Well, Cross, AP (archaeological potential) site and Souterrain), historic buildings/listed buildings and industrial heritage (Mill pond, Mill sites, Boat House and railway heritage). Additionally, defence heritage with WW2 era bombing target, Magazines and torpedo loading jetty. This LCA is steeped in history with numerous sites of archaeological interest with Shane’s Castle Historic Park, Gardens and Demesne, and Cranfield Ecclesiastical site.

There is a wealth of mythology and folklore associated with this LCA and Lough Neagh. One of the best known is the story of the creation of the Lough by Finn McCool, scooping up earth and throwing it at a rival during a fight, the area left filled with water became the Lough and the earth thrown is said to have formed the . An alternative legend to the creation of Lough Neagh is derived from a well that stood in the centre of the land covered by Lough Neagh. An old woman that tended the well forgot to close the gate, as a result the water overflowed from the well onto the land as far as Toome. Due to the disastrous flooding, the local people threw her into the water for being so forgetful and she drowned. The floodwater that remained became known as Lough Neagh. A third legend indicates that a long time ago, Ireland had many kingdoms of fine houses, strong castles and tall towers. Deep within one of these kingdoms was a magical spring of bright . The local people became greedy and began to rob and cheat their neighbours. At first, the spring watched and did nothing, but then it rose up in anger and drowned the entire kingdom. Even now on certain days, it is said that the towers of the lost land can be seen shimmering far beneath the waves of what became known as Lough Neagh. Shane’s Castle is said to have its own Banshee, when evil threatened the family, her banshee shriek could be heard along the Loughshore and from the walls of the ruined castle. Legend even blames the Banshee for the fire which destroyed Shane’s Castle in 1816. As well, on the eastern walls there is a curious female figurehead carved in stone, called the Black Stone Face. Folklore says that the O’Neill family will come to an end if ever the face should fall.

3.2.2 LCA 114- Six Mile Water Valley

This LCA covers an area of gently rolling ridges within the broad lowland valley of the Six Mile Water and acts as a corridor for the dense infrastructure linking Antrim and (Figure 5). It comprises a mixture of agricultural grasslands and urban areas with large open pastures divided by hedgerows and numerous trees. The LCA is densely populated with distinctive urban areas and large farms in the countryside and is heavily influenced by modern development from infrastructure and transport. The region hosts Unscheduled and Scheduled Monuments designated areas by the Department for Communities. Archaeological remains include Raths, Standing stone along Six-Mile River, Mottos, Cairns, Battle Site, AP Sites, Barrow, megalithic tombs, Souterrains, enclosures. There is a wide array of industrial and farming heritage through historical mill sites, traditional farmsteads and industrial heritage. Antrim Town Centre is a Conservation Area, with listed buildings. Additionally, there are the ruins of Antrim Castle with associated Castle Gardens, Clotworthy House War memorial and Round Tower. This LCA is steeped in cultural qualities and influences; an accepted story of the etymology of the Six Mile Water name originates from a name given by Norman soldiers who forded the river after

16 travelling six miles from Carrickfergus Castle. The Round Tower in Antrim is all that remains of a great Monastic Settlement in Antrim. Local legend tells of a witch who was so unhappy over the building of the Round Tower that she jumped off the top to express her annoyance. She landed on a large boulder, leaving the impressions of her knee and elbow on it. To this day, it is known as the witch’s stone.

Figure 5: LCA 114- Six Mile Water Valley

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4.0 Historical Maps

Several cartographic sources held by the Public Records Office for Northern Ireland (PRONI) along with Ordnance Survey maps and other relevant sources were examined in order to investigate the development of the town at Antrim. The earliest maps date to c.1580 and extend into the 1800’s, recording the castle and fort at Antrim in varying degrees of detail and at conflicting locations. Unfortunately, there is a large chronological gap in the cartographic evidence, between the first years of the 17th Century and the 1780’s, with the most important period in the foundation of Antrim Castle lying within this gap.

4.1 Cartographic Background

4.1.1 16th Century maps

The earliest map dates from c.1580 and shows the province of Ulster with annotations by Burgley. No structures are recorded at Antrim, although ‘Massreyne’ is shown as a heavily wooded area. A second map dated to 1587 records Lough Neagh as ‘Lough Eaugh’ and has ‘Mafsaryn’ labelled but shows no structures within the area (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Extract from unknown map dating to 1587 and showing ‘Mafsaryn’

A series of maps dated to 1590 and drawn by Francis Jobson show the area of Lough Neagh, including Antrim, in generally similar details. On all these maps a castle is depicted on the northern bank of the Six Mile Water, between it and the River Main. It is labelled variously as ‘Edendoaghcarrick’ ‘Edendufcarick’ and ‘Edendufcarigge’ and while its location is comparable to that for the late 16th- Century fort and Antrim Castle, it is actually Shane’s Castle. The location of the friary at Massereene is recorded on two of the maps, although buildings are only shown on one map. On this map the friary is sited on the northern bank of the Six Mile Water, to the east of ‘Edendufcarigge’. It is simply labelled as ‘8’ with the key to the side of the map denoting this as ‘Mafarina’. On the other map buildings are recorded at Massereene on the southern bank of the Six Mile Water, while on the northern shore, west of ‘Edendoaghcarrick’ the remains of Steeple are also shown. At Massereene, also on this map, two unroofed buildings are shown, one of them labelled as ‘Mafarina’, the second, further to the west may also have the same label but it is unclear. The remains of the Early Christian monastic foundation at Steeple is shown as a single, unroofed structure labelled as ‘Antrym’. A further map by Jobson from 1598 (Figure 7), a map of Ulster, shows Lough Neagh with various fortifications around its shoreline.

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Close to Antrim, there is a structure recorded to the north of a river, presumably the Six Mile Water. Although indistinct it appears to be labelled as ‘Enifhgarden’, and in common with the previous maps most likely represents Shane’s Castle. No further structures are recorded with the vicinity.

Figure 7: Map by Jobson dating to 1598 and showing ‘Antrem’

4.1.2 17th Century maps

The first map to show a clear fortification at Antrim is a map of Lough Neagh dated to c.1600 (PRONI T1493/48). On this there is an earthwork fort enclosing a large building at Antrim, recorded as being on the southern bank of the ‘Mafserna River’ (Six Mile Water). It has a trapezoidal plan with a large, roofless building at the north. The fort has two corner bastions, one at the south-west, the other at the south-east, with a demi-bastion between these on the southern side of the fort. No similar features are recorded on the northern edge of the fort, but this may be due to the presence of the building. Also recorded on the map is a single boat on Lough Neagh, located close to Antrim.

A map of southeast Ulster from 1601 by Bartlett (Figure 8) records structures at Antrim but not the fort, one on either side of the Six Mile Water. To the south of the river, labelled as ‘Maserina’ (Massereene Friary?) is a structure shown as a single large building with a tower at the southern end surmounted by a cross, surrounded by a possible enclosure. To the north of the river is Antrim (?) (Temple Antrim/Steeple) shown as a towered structure also with a cross. To the west of this is a small circular feature that may be the Anglo-Norman motte but is unclear. Further north is Shane’s Castle, labelled as ‘Edenduffcarrcik’.

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Figure 8: Bartlett map dating to 1601 and showing various features in the vicinity of Antrim

On Griffin’s map of 1602 a castle is recorded at ‘mafferin’ (Massereene), on the north bank of the Six Mile water within the vicinity of the current castle (Figure 9). The castle is recorded as a single, large, two-storey structure with a pitched roof. A central doorway and two upper windows are also shown. It is apparently un-enclosed as the map does not record any form of outer earthworks like those recorded on the Bartlett map. Traces of a second structure, located to the south, on the opposite side of the river are probably the remains of Massereene friary. A second map of c.1602 also records a fort at Antrim. On this map it is labelled ‘Mafsarin forte’ and is located on the southern bank of the Six Mile water which is shown as ‘Mafsarin flu’. It is similar, though not identical in form to that shown on the 1600 map of Lough Neagh. It is shown as a large structure (details unclear), surrounded by a large earthwork enclosure. The enclosure is shown as rectangular in plan, with large bastions located at each corner. On Lough Neagh, close to Antrim, three large boats are also recorded.

Figure 9: Unknown map dating to c.1602 and showing ‘Mafsarin forte’

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One further map, a ‘generalle description of Ulster’, dating to 1602-1603, also records a fort at Antrim. As on the previous map, this fort is again recorded to the south of the Six Mile water. On this map the fort is square in shape with apparent projecting bastions on each corner. No internal features or buildings are shown. The area in which the fort is located is recorded as ‘Monfseren’. Depicted to the north of the river is a roofless building, labelled ‘tempel Antrim’, presumably the site of the Early Irish monastic foundation at Steeple (Swift 1999:49). On the final early 17th-Century map, John Norden’s 1610 map of Ireland a building is shown at ‘Temple Antrym’ (Steeple) although the small scale of the map makes it difficult to decipher. No fort or castle is recorded at Antrim on this map.

4.1.3 18th Century maps

The next available map was drawn by John Lendrick and dates to 1780. This map records the castle building at Antrim, located on the northern bank of the Six Mile water. It is shown with a larger central structure, two storeys high with a pitched roof and chimneys at either end. At either side are two small wings, both single storey, also with pitched roofs and chimneys. The castle is also shown as free standing with no enclosure recorded. To the south of the Six Mile Water the remains of the friary are also recorded. A second Lendrick map also from 1780 shows the castle with the same form. However, on this map indications of buildings along Bow Lane and High Street are shown as thick black lines, although details of the individual structures are not recorded. There also appears to be a route way running from the southwest corner of Market Square and crossing the Six Mile Water, possibly via a bridge, to the east of the castle, and not to the west where a bridge exists today. It may be that this map shows proposed works that never transpired, and the bridge was never constructed. Another map, also reportedly drawn by John Lendrick, and dating to 1785, records Lough Neagh and was dedicated to the right honourable John O’Neill. As this map was prepared only five years after the previous map there are clear similarities between both maps with almost identical features at Antrim. The structure of the castle remains the same, again with no trace of any earthworks. However, just visible to the east of the castle appears to be Market Square with roads leading to the north (Bow Lane) and east (High street). None of the buildings within the town are recorded.

In 1798 the occurred as part of the United Irishmen rebellion. Details of the battle were recorded on a contemporary map that shows the deposition of the opposing forces and the location of the main skirmishes during the fighting. The map shows that the yeomanry where firing over the bastion wall, with the dragoons and two canons directly in front. The bastion wall is shown with two projecting bastions, one at the north-east, and the other at south-west. The southern bastion is a quarter-circle in plan, projecting out from the bastion wall towards the east where it then returns to the west. Running along the eastern edge there is a laneway that runs towards the Six Mile water where there is a small opening that allows access into the castle grounds. The northern bastion is recorded differently; horn-like in plan, projecting out from the bastion wall, overlooking and protecting what appears to be an access into the castle from Bow Lane, which runs approximately northwards from Market Square toward . Also visible on the map are the walled gardens of the castle which are separated from the bastion wall by an enclosing perimeter wall.

4.1.4 19th Century maps

In the 1st edition OS map (1833) Antrim town is also shown with the main focus of the settlement spreading from eastwards from Market Square, and along High Street, with properties fronting onto both sides of High Street (Figure 10). There are also properties shown spreading northwards along the either side of Bow Lane. The map also provides information on the construction of the Barbican gate in 1818 with the bastion wall recorded although the rampart is not. A row of buildings fronting onto Bow Lane are also shown as butting onto the northern edge of the bastion. Behind the bastion wall

21 there are no details recorded and the area is blank, with the walled gardens shown further to the west (Figure 11).

Figure 10: 1st Edition OS Map of Antrim

Figure 11: 1st Edition OS Map showing the walled garden

A demesne map from 1845, reproduced by Conway and Reeves-Smyth (1997) (Figure 12) shows very little difference between this map and the 1st OS map, which appears to have been used a base for the later map, with alterations made to reflect any changes. The row of buildings fronting onto Bow Lane is no longer there, and the northern bastion is recorded with an open area to the immediate north of it. Again, the barbican is shown as being regular, without the angled flanks. No other changes are noticeable although the area between the wall and the walled gardens is shaded with nothing to suggest what, if anything, this denotes. Antrim Castle Gardens show little notable change from the 1st Edition OS map, while the town remains virtually unchanged.

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Figure 12: 1845 Demesne Map

The 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map of 1857 (Figure 13) is similar to the 1845 demesne map. The bastion wall, the northern bastion and the barbican gate are all shown without change. In front of the bastion wall, within Market Square trees are shown, growing directly beside the wall in an area of possible landscaping distinct from the main portion of Market Square. Immediately behind the wall, in the area between it and the walled garden, several trees have also been planted. The wall is shown but it is unclear on the map, although there are hints of the rampart, indicated by a series of closely- set lines running parallel with the wall. The formalised portion of Antrim Castle Gardens is shown to have expanded slightly to the west, and with the exception of the new railway line to to the north-east there are virtually no recorded changes to the town.

Figure 13: Extract from 1857 Ordnance Survey map showing Antrim Castle

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5.0 Parishes, Townlands and Placenames

Essentially the study area covers the two civil parishes of Antrim and the Grange Muckamore (with Shane’s Castle Park in the civil parish of Drummal added due to its proximity to Antrim town). In these two names one gets vital clues as to the heritage of the area

Antrim

The original name of Antrim was Ir. Aontreibh [ain trev] ‘single house/habitation’, referring to an early monastery, the site of which is a little to the north of the modern town and is marked by a round tower locally known as The Steeple. The name was later reinterpreted as Aontroim [aintrim] ‘single ridge’ and this is now the accepted Ir. form of the name. Antrim has given name to the county in which it is situated. The town of Antrim is mainly in the of ANTRIM UPPER which is bounded on the south by the barony of ANTRIM LOWER [(Fiontan) Oentreibh 612AD].

Grange of Muckamore

Magh Comair ‘the plain of the confluence’ Antrim is clearly a place of confluences – a meeting point, a transport hub beside the great expanse of Lough Neagh. Near here the River Main, Plaskets Burn, Holywell Burn, Ferguson’s Water, Rathmore Burn and the Six Mile Water all head to Lough Neagh. It is not surprising that mill ponds, mill races, mill and weirs dominate the landscape. It is a place of confluences. In the past transport being chiefly by water, developing into rail, road and air transport. While Magh Comair is the original Irish form of Muckamore. The element comar ‘confluence’ appears to refer to the point where the Six Mile Water flows into Lough Neagh roughly two miles to the west. On the south bank of the river, close to the Antrim end of the Seven Mile Straight and in the townland of Muckamore, is the site of a medieval Augustinian priory, originally a sixth-century monastery founded by St Colman Ela. In 1639 the abbey and its lands were granted to Sir Roger Langford from whom is named Langford Lodge which stands roughly six miles to the south, on the shore of Lough Neagh [Magh-Comair]. Grange is a Norman-French word and signifies ‘barn / granary’ and in placenames denotes a monastic farm.

Holy well

The name of the townland of Holy Well is recorded as Holywell in 1780. The townland is named from a holy well which is shown just inside the southern boundary of the townland on the OS 1:10,000 map (sh. 96) but has now been covered over. Writing c.1884 O’Laverty (iii 255) remarks: ‘there is in the townland of Holywell, at a distance of five and a half furlongs north of the [round] Tower, an ancient Holy Well. It is situated on the acclivity of a hill, and about the end of the last century it was neatly faced with stone. According to tradition, Stations were formerly made at, and penitential exercises were preformed from it, to the Witch’s Stone’. The ‘Witch’s Stone’ is a stone containing two round hollows which originally stood 120 yards north of the famous round tower which marks the site of the early Christian monastery of Antrim (see townland of Steeple). According to the Ordnance Survey Memoir (OSM xxix 35)‘the stone is said to derive its name from the circumstances of a witch jumping from the summit of the round tower when it was completed and, lighting on this stone on her knees, she left the impression it still retains’. The townland of Holy Well contains a well-known psychiatric hospital named Holywell.

Balloo

The forename Aodh, which literally means ‘fire’ and is regularly anglicised as Hugh, was one of the most common personal names in . The townland of Balloo includes the portion of Antrim town which is south of the Six Mile Water. It contains the site of Massereene Abbey, a

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Franciscan abbey founded by the Clandeboye O’Neill’s in the fifteenth century, no trace of which now remains (according to O’Laverty, the site is directly opposite Massereene Castle, on the southern bank of the Six Mile Water). There was formerly a village named Massereene here, all trace of which has been removed. In all there are five Irish townlands named Balloo, including one in the Co. Antrim parish of as well as townlands named Balloo and Balloo Lower in the Ards Peninsula in Co. Down.

Town Parks

The large townland of Town Parks (1154 acres) includes the centre of the modern town of Antrim. It roughly corresponds with the townland which is referred to as Balligallantim in English documents of the early 17th century. Balligallantrim represents Irish Gall-Aontroim, i.e. ‘foreigners’ Antrim’ and refers to the modern town rather than to the original settlement at Antrim, the site of which was at the round tower in the townland of Steeple, a short distance to the north. Town Parks has no doubt absorbed several smaller townlands, the names of which have now been lost.

Steeple

The townland of Steeple takes its name from the famous round tower at Antrim which marks the site of an early Christian monastery which is dedicated to St Comhghall (commonly known as ‘Comgall’) who founded the famous monastery of Bangor in Co. Down in 559 AD (EA 152). The dedication of the Antrim monastery to St Comgall may have its origin in the tradition that the bones of the saint were brought to Antrim after Bangor was plundered by the Vikings in the year 822AD (O’Laverty 253). The name Antrim is first recorded in the year 612AD when the Annals of the Four Masters inform us that Fiontain Oentreibh, abb Bendchair, décc, i.e. ‘Fintan of Antrim, abbot of Bangor died’ (AFM i 236) and the name is well documented in early Irish-language sources which leave no doubt that it derives from Irish Aontreibh ‘single house or habitation’, no doubt referring to the monastic settlement. In the medieval period the name was reinterpreted as Aontroim ‘single ridge’ and this is now the official Irish-language version of the name. The name of the townland is recorded as Balliantrim in 1605 and as Steeple Towne in 1669. The name Steeple Towne appears to have been bestowed on the townland by English-speaking settlers in the early 17th century who perceived it as resembling the steeple of a church.

Kilbegs

The name of the townland of Kilbegs is recorded as Ballenegallbegge in 1619 which suggests that it goes back to Irish Baile na gCeall Beag ‘townland of the little churches. However, the modern version of the place-name, as well as the vast majority of the historical spellings, lacks the prefix Bally- and for that reason Na Cealla Beaga ‘the little churches’ is the preferred Irish form. The place-name refers to a monastic settlement containing a number of little ‘churches’ or monastic cells, no trace of which remains but the site of which was close to the boundary of Kilbegs with the neighbouring townland of Dunsilly. According to O’Laverty (iii, 269) the graveyard of the church contained two ‘fairy thorns’ which were cut down in the 19thcentury. The site of the church is marked Church –site of on the OS 6- inch map of 1933, near the border of this townland with the townland of Dunsilly.

Muckamore

Under the date 3530 years since the beginning of the world the Annals of the Four Masters refers to Magh-Comair i.e. ‘the plain of the confluence’ as one of the plains of Ireland which were cleared at that time. While the place referred to as Magh Comair cannot be definitely identified with Muckamore there is no doubt that Magh Comair is the original Irish form of Muckamore. The

25 element comar ‘confluence’ appears to refer to the point where the Six Mile Water flows into Lough Neagh roughly two miles to the west. On the south bank of the river, close to the Antrim end of the Seven Mile Straight and in the townland of Muckamore, is the site of a medieval Augustinian priory, originally a sixth-century monastery founded by St Colman Ela. In 1639 the abbey and its lands were granted to Sir Roger Langford from whom is named Langford Lodge which stands roughly six miles to the south, on the shore of Lough Neagh [Magh-Comair 3529AM].

Spring Farm

The little townland of Spring Farm (98 acres) is shown as a townland of only 76 acres on a map dating from 1745 (Smith1984, 20). The modern name of the townland also appears on Lendrick’s Map of Co. Antrim in 1780. The element spring in the place-name may refer to the well-known holy well in the neighbouring townland of Holy Well. Spring Farm appears to have originally formed part of the adjacent townland of Steeple, the name of which is recorded as Balliantrim in 1605 (CPR Jas I 77a, see Steeple).

Niblock

The townland of Niblock seems to correspond with Hustens Towne which appears in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1669 (HMR Ant. 115). A Captain Robert Houston is named as an officer in the Earl of Massereene regiment in the 1641 Rebellion (O’Laverty iii 257) while Houston’s Farm is marked in the same position as Niblock on a map of 1745 (Smyth 1984, 21). The modern name of the townland of Niblock does not appear to be recorded prior to 1830 (Niblock in OSNS) and its origin is obscure. It is possible that it is has its origin in the surname Niblock which according to de Bhulbh (1997, 316) is probably an English nickname which is recorded in Co. Antrim in the 17th century and is now fairly numerous in Down, Antrim and .

Stiles

The name of the townland of Stiles is recorded as Stiles in 1780. Na Stialla ‘the stripes of land’ is also the basis of the name of the townland of Steales in Co. and Stiall ‘stripe of land’ is the basis of the name of the townland of Harding Grove in the same county (L. Log. Luimnigh 54). There is also a townland named Stiloga (Ir. Na Stiallóga ‘the little stripes of land’) in the parish of Clonfeacle in Co. Tyrone.

Rathmore

The name of the townland of Rathmore is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters under the year 680AD (recte 684AD) when we are informed that Cath Ratha moiré Maighe Line, i.e. ‘the battle of Rathmore of Moylinny’ was gained over the Britons, ‘wherein was slain Cathasach, son of Maelduin, chief of the Cruithni, and Ultan, son of Dicolla’ (AFM i 288). Moylinny is now a mere townland which lies a short distance to the south-west, in the civil parish of Antrim but it was originally also a native Irish kingdom extending as far east as Ballyclare and beyond and having its headquarters in the townland of Rathmore (see Moylinny, Rathbeg). The remains of the fort after which the townland is named still stand in the west of the townland. It is referred to as ‘Rathmore Trench’ in the Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record (sh. 50). Writing c.1884 O’Laverty (iii 216) comments that ‘the Great Rath (for such is the translation of Rathmore) which gives name to the townland, was the royal residence of the kings of Dalaradia…there is, however, nothing remarkable in its fortifications or size to distinguish it from many similar raths throughout the country or to indicate its former importance’. Dalaradia is a Latinised spelling of Dál Araidhe, the name of a native Irish kingdom which in 684AD would have included the southern half of modern Co. Antrim along with a large portion of

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Co. Down. In the Taxation of Pope Nicholas which dates from c.1306 there is a reference to Ecclesia de Rathmore (Eccles. Tax. 68). O’Laverty (iii 225) informs us that the field which is a few yards west of the fort was known as ‘Castle Field’ (from a castle which was burned by Edward Bruce in 1315) and that ‘tradition states that a castle and a church stood in that field; and, within memory, foundation of walls of exceeding strength and thickness stood on it, and quantities of human bones and some silver coins were dug up about them…The church must have disappeared at an early date, as no record of it occurs in the Terrier’ (i.e. the Terrier of Down and Connor of 1615). A small portion of the townland of Rathmore is in the neighbouring parish of .

Hurtletoot

The name of the townland of Hurtletoot is recorded as Harkletoot in 1780 and as Hurkletoot in 1830. Its origin is obscure but the root of the first element may be the Scots word hurkle which is found in the phrase ‘hurkle doun’, i.e. ‘crouch, sit huddled in a crouched position….’ and also in the expression hurkle-backit ‘hunchbacked, misshapen’ (Concise Scots. Dict.). Hurkle is also found in Ulster Scots in the sense of ‘a stoop’ (Concise Ulst. Dict.). The final element of Hurtletoot may represent Scots toot ‘a projection; a jutting out’ (Chambers Scots Dict.) and a tentative interpretation of the place-name is therefore ‘hunched or misshapen projection or ridge’. There is a small settlement named Rockmount on a low hill in the north-east of the townland. Hurtletoot seems to correspond with a townland whose name is recorded as Tobbernevaran in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1669 which, in turn, seems to represent Balliborran, the name of one of the ‘sixteen towns of Antrim’, recorded in 1604 (CPR Jas I 39a). The final element suggested by Tobbernevaran/Balliborran may be boireann ‘rock, rocky place’. The presence of the element Tobber- in Tobbernevaran (suggesting Irish tobar ‘well’) may be the result of confusion with the name of the nearby townland of Tobernaveen in the neighbouring parish of Grange of Shilvodan.

Islandbane

The earliest form of this name appears as Leighballi Islan bane (1605). The element that appears only in this early form, leighballi probably derives from leathbhaile 'half-town' which is also the origin of the townlands Levally in Mayo, Laois and Galway (logainm.ie), and of the townland named Lebally in Co. Fermanagh. The final two elements Islan bane in this early form are clearly related to the modern form of the name, and the derivation is outlined below. The modern form of the name clearly derives from Oileán Bán 'white island'. The first element oileán has been directly translated to the English ‘island’ whereas the second Irish element has been anglicised as -bane in the same way as it appears in (An Srath Bán), Co. Tyrone (logainm.ie). The element oilean in place-names does not necessarily need to refer to an island surrounded by water. Oiléan in Irish place-names can refer to an area of raised land in boggy terrain (Ó Mainnín 1989-90, 200) and in the case of this inland townland this more likely the intended interpretation. There are also two townlands named Islandbane in Co. Down. There is also a townland named Illanbane in Co. Donegal, also deriving from Oileán Bán but where the first element has been anglicised to Illan- rather than translated to island as is seen here in Co. Antrim (logainm.ie).

Islandreagh

The name of the townland of Islandreagh is recorded as Islanereagh in 1669 and as Island Reagh in 1780 and the derivation of the place-name is clearly An tOileán Riabhach ‘the grey or streaked island’. As well as referring to an island in the sea or a lake, the element oiléan in Irish place-names can refer to an area of raised land in boggy terrain (Ó Mainnín 1989-90, 200) and in the case of this inland townland the latter is obviously the correct interpretation. The townland of Islandreagh is bordered

27 on the west by the townland of Islandbane, the name of which is derived from Irish An tOileán Bán ‘the white island’.

Ballycraigy

The name of the townland of is recorded as Ballinecreggie etc. in early 17th-century sources and the derivation of the place-name is clearly Baile na Creige ‘townland of the rock’. There is a rocky quarry in the north-east of the townland, adjacent to a house named Craigadair. There is also an area in the townland which was formerly known as ‘The Crags’. There are two other townlands named Ballycraigy, both in Co. Antrim. There is also a townland named Ballynacraigy (Baile na Creige ‘townland of the rock’) on the north shore of Lough Neagh, in the civil parish of (PNI iv 32).

Half Umry

The name of the townland of Half Umry is first recorded in 1637 when it is referred to as the half towne of Umery (Lodge RR Chas I i 407). The term half towne was used to refer to a townland which contained significantly less arable land than average and in the case of Half Umry the entire north and west of the townland formerly consisted of boggy land (formerly known as the Meadows). In the east of the townland there is an area of raised land which would have been suitable for agriculture and it is likely that this is the ‘ridge’ which has given rise to the place-name. Locally, the townland is known simply as ‘Umry’.

Park Hall

The name of the townland of Park Hall is recorded as Porkhall in 1669 and as Porkihaw in 1780. The English place-name element hall normally refers to a large house or mansion but in the case of Hungry Hall it seems to have the significance of its Scots variant form haw or ha, i.e. ‘farmhouse’ (Concise Scots Dict.). In the spellings Porkhall/Porkihaw the –o- in the first syllable is obviously an error for –a- . A short distance to the north-east there is a townland named Hungry Hall which is adjoined by a townland named Craigy Hall

Bleerick

Bleerick is a small townland which adjoins the townland of Town Parks on the east. The name does not appear to be documented prior to 1830 (OSNB) and its origin is uncertain. It may represent a variant form of the Irish word bloghra(idh) which means ‘broken pieces’ and which might be understood as referring to land that was fragmented or divided into portions

New Park

The name of the townland of New Park is recorded as Goosedub on Lendrick’s Map of Co. Antrim of 1780 and as Goosedub al. New Park in the Ordnance Survey Name Sheet of 1830 (OSNS). The origin of the name Goosedub is obscure. The modern name of the townland clearly has its origin in a landlord’s park or demesne, but no further information is available. New Park may have been originally part of the neighbouring townland of Ballycraigy.

Birch Hill

The name of the townland of Birch Hill is recorded as Birchill on Lendrick’s Map of Co. Antrim (1780) and on Duff’s Lough Neagh (1785). The name appears to be a translation of Ard na Beithe ‘height or hill of the birch’, a minor name within the townland which has been anglicised as Ardnaveigh. A

28 mansion named Birch Hill House was erected by the Montgomery family c.1785 but destroyed by fire in November 1941 (Smyth 1984, 74).

Irishtown

The name of the townland of Irishtown is recorded as Irish Towne in 1669 and as Irishtown in 1780. It lies only a short distance east of the townland of Steeple which marks the site of the original early monastic settlement at Antrim and its name indicates that in the mid-17th century it was inhabited by the native Irish, as distinct from the English or Scots settlers. There are twenty-two other townlands named Irishtown, all-but-one being in Leinster, including the townland and town of Irishtown which now forms a suburb on the south side of Dublin.

Farranshane

The name of the townland of Farranshane is recorded as fferanshane in 1669 and as Farinshane in 1780 and the most satisfactory interpretation of the name of the townland is Fearann Sheáin ‘Shane’s or John’s district’. A variant form of the personal name Seán, i.e. Seon, forms the final element of the name of the townland of Farranshone in Co. Limerick which derives from Fearann Seoin ‘the land of Seon’ (Ó Maolfabhail 1990, 175). The identity of the Shane who is commemorated in the name of the townland of Farranshane is not known.

Hungry Hall

The small townland of Hungry Hall (69 acres) is bordered on the north-east by the townland of Craigy Hall and a short distance to the south-west there is a townland named Park Hall. The English place- name element hall normally refers to a large house or mansion but in the case of Hungry Hall it seems to have the significance of its Scots variant form haw or ha, i.e. ‘farmhouse’ (Concise Scots Dict.). The element hungry in the place-name seems to be used figuratively to refer to the quality of the land on the accompanying farm, perhaps ‘poor’, ‘unproductive’. The name of the townland is not documented prior to 1780 (Hungry Hall on Lendrick’s Map of Co. Antrim).

Bush

The name of the townland of Bush is recorded as BushTownin 1669 and as Bushfarm in 1780. It appears to have its origin in the English language, perhaps having the significance of ‘place of bushes’. The townland contains a large house named Bush House which according to the Ordnance Survey Memoir of 1838 was built in 1835 and was at that time the residence of a gentleman named James Arthur Esquire (OSM xix 21). There are two other townlands named Bush, both in Co. Wexford.

Brettens Walls

In place-names the English element walls often refers to a large house or mansion. Other examples of its use in this area are Potterswalls, the name of a townland in the parish of Antrim and Maxwells Walls, a townland in the neighbouring parish of Connor. The little townland of Brettens Walls (45 acres) is obviously named from an individual named Bretten who was proprietor of the house. Bretten is clearly a variant of Bretton, an English surname which can be: 1. a variant of Brett which originated as an ethnic name for a Breton 2. a habitation name, from Monk and West Brettonin W. Yorkshire, or from Bretton in Derbyshire. These are so called either from Old English brec ‘broken land’ + tun ‘enclosure, settlement’, or from Brettatūn ‘settlement of Britons’ (Hanks & Hodges 1988, 74).An individual named John Brattone is recorded as residing in the neighbouring townland of Bush in 1669 (HMR Ant. 116).

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Gally Hill

The name of the townland of Gally Hill is recorded as Gallowhill in 1780 and the modern form of the place-name is a corruption of ‘Gallows Hill’. There is no local information to explain the origin of the name, but it was obviously formerly a place of execution.

Moylinny

Moylinny is now a mere townland which is situated on the north side of the Six Mile Water, one mile south-east of Antrim town. However, it was originally a native Irish tuath or petty kingdom, stretching as far east as Ballyclare and beyond, and having its headquarters at Ráth Mór Maighe Line ‘Rathmore of Moylinny’, i.e. the townland of Rathmore which lies three miles to the north-east, in the parishes of Donegore/Grange of Nilteen. In early 17thcentury documents the tough or tuath of Moylinny is recorded as co-extensive with the barony of Antrim Upper (Ant. Inq. 44). However according to O’Laverty (iii 221) it probably originally also included the civil parishes of , Ballylinny and Ballymartin. The name of Moylinny is recorded as early as 106AD in the Annals of the Four Masters where we are informed that Tuathal Techtmar, who had reigned as monarch of Ireland for thirty years, was killed hi Moigh Line (i.e. in Moylinny) by Mal, son of Rochraidhe, king of Ulster (AFM i 98-99). The first element of Moylinny is Magh ‘plain’ and the final element (from Ir. Line) appears to refer to the Ballylinny Burn which flows into the Six Mile Water south of Ballyclare. The Ballylinny Burn has given name to the townland and parish of Ballylinny through which it flows.

Tirgracey

'Tír Gréasaí' Irish for ‘land of the shoemaker' was originally written Tirgreosaiche. The meaning of the word is not only ‘the land of the maker of shoes’ but ‘of tradesmen’ generally [Terrogracie 1605].

Oldstone

Oldstone may be named from the remnants of the old ‘castle’ on the summit of the hill cf. the village of Clogh in Co. Antrim where Oldstone is found as an alias name for the castle which was also known as Clogh--donaghie (EA 332). Or Oldstone may be named from a megalith which formerly stood in the townland but no trace of which now remains [Oldstone c.1672].

Shaneoguestown

This is a hybrid name and clearly derives from the personal name Seán. The form appearing in the modern form of the name Shane is a phonetic rendering of Seán (Ó Corráin & Maguire 1981, 163). The personal name is modified by the adjective óg 'young. This is then qualified by the English word town as was often the practice of settlers (sometimes using -tun). When the Irish revival took place in the 14th century many English-language names were translated into Irish and ‘town’ was generally replaced by baile. Earliest forms (1603, 1605, 1672c) of this name appear with anglicised forms of the Irish word for townland, baile (bally-, balli-), however we have no record of the element - town existing before the baile forms. The form with the English ending-town first emerges in 1780.

Ballyharvey

This is a hybrid name with elements from both English and Irish. The first element in this place-name is the common element baile 'townland'. The second element refers to the surname Harvey. Harvey is a relationship name of English origin, derived from the Old French personal name Hervé (Hanks, Coates & McClure 2016, s.v. Harvey) and in Ireland is mainly found among Ulster settlers. Occasionally the name is an anglicization of the small south Galway sept of O-hAirmheadhaigh (MacLysaght 1957, 149). However, it is more likely that this place-name in Ulster derives from the English name. Further

30 to this, there is no record of the Irish name among the historical forms. This and another Ballyharvey are distinguished with the addition of the elements upper and lower indicating that these townlands once consisted one larger townland which was then split.

Ballyarnot

The surname scholar Edward MacLysaght (Surnames of Ireland 7) cites this place-name as evidence for the presence in Ireland of the Scottish surname Arnott which according to Black (31b) is a toponymic, ‘from the lands of Arnot in the parish of Portmoak, Kinross-shire’. Arnott is also an Anglo- Norman surname and it would not be surprising to find such a surname in this area, in view of the presence of Norman motte-and-baileys in the nearby townlands of Deer Park and Ballyharvey Lower. However, Ballyarnot appears to be referred to in the Antrim Inquisition of 1605 (p.49) as Ballyerrinan which suggests that it is more likely to derive from Irish Baile Earnáin ‘Earnán’s townland’. The male personal name Earnán was fairly common in Gaelic Ireland and a number of saints were so named. A saint bearing a variant form of the name Earnán, i.e. Eirnín, is associated with the church of Cranfield on the north shore of Lough Neagh. The development of final –n to –t is also found in the place-name Tullycarnet which goes back to Irish Tulaigh Carnáin ‘hillock of the little cairn’.

Drummaul

Shane’s Castle Park

The exceptionally large townland of Shane’s Castel Park – Edan Ducharraige ‘brow of black rock’ covers some 2073 acres and stretches all the way from Randalstown to Lough Neagh, straddling the final course of the river Main. It has been suggested that the Irish name coming from ‘brow of black rock’ originally referred to the prominent Norman motte now known as Dunmore. It’s quite possible that the Clandeboye O’ Neill’s made this their stronghold after they spread into this are from Tyrone in the early 14th century and that the name Eadan Ducharraige was transferred thence to Castle at a lter date. The ruins of Shane’s Castle stand on the shore of Lough Neagh. The placename is first recorded in 1470 when Henry O Neill of Tyrone led a ‘great hosting’ of O’ Donnells, Maguires, O’ Kanes and McQuillans to Edenduffcarrick – the stronghold of Conn, son of yellow-haired Hugh and established peace there. The name Edenduffcarrick survives to the present day in the shortened form Edenduff, the name of the row of house just outside the estate boundary wall. The English name Shane’s Castle is first recorded in 1591. It derives from Shane mac Brian mac Feilim O’Neill who was in residence in the castle when the area was surveyed by the English in 1617.

Other names of note - not townlands.

Massereene

Mas na Rionna – Hill of the Queen has its origin in a local tradition that marks the spot where the daughter of an Irish king was drowned. The ruins of Massereene Castle (commonly called Antrim Castle) stand on the nth bank of the Six Mile Water. The earliest portion of the castle was built in 1613 by Sir Hugh Clotworthy from Somerset whose son John took the title Lord Massereene. This was originally the name of a Franciscan Friary, referred to as an old religious house called the Friary of Massarine in the Antrim Inquisition of 1605. It was founded by the O’Neill’s of Clandeboye in the 15th century and stood opposite the castle on the other side of the river. Here there was a village which has been absorbed into the town of Antrim though the dual carriageway does much to nullify this.

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Six Mile Water

The Six Mile Water rises at Shane’s Hill five miles south west of Larne. It is said to have been named by soldiers who regularly marched between Carrickfergus and Antrim and crossed the river near Doagh, at a point which is six miles from Carrickfergus. !7th century documents refer to it as the Qwen ne view a name which derives from the Irish, Abhainn nab h Fiodh, ‘river of the woods’. Earlier documents refer to it as Ollarba, which appears in the origin myth – Death of Eochu.

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6.0 Archaeological sites and monuments

Over 16,000 historic sites and monuments have been identified in Northern Ireland and are recorded on the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR), managed by HED. Included are a range of site types from megalithic tombs to castles, crannogs, raths and monasteries. The sites can be found in all landscapes, uplands, shorelines, as well as the countryside and urban locations. Some are well preserved, with the majority of their remains surviving, whilst others have been largely removed, perhaps due to field clearance or development. These sites and monuments are not formally protected but are subject to planning policies (Planning Policy Statement 6) to ensure that their interest is taken into account when change to them or their setting is proposed. There are 142 archaeological sites in the audit area recorded on the Sites and Monuments Record (Figure 14 and Table 3).

Figure 14: Archaeological sites and monuments

Table 3: List of archaeological monuments and sites recorded in the audit area

SMR: - ANT049:078 SMR: - ANT049:021 Site Type: STANDING STONE Site Type: RATH Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: STANDING STONE: THE BANSHEE STONE Details: RATH: LISNAMOOSY RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Grid Reference: J0866089360 Grid Reference: J0944089150 SMR: - ANT049:033 SMR: - ANT049:032 Site Type: DESIGNED LANDSCAPE FEATURE Site Type: RATH Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: TREE RING Details: RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Grid Reference: J0995087980 Grid Reference: J1000087650 SMR: - ANT049:031 SMR: - ANT049:031 Site Type: RATH & SOUTERRAIN Site Type: RATH & SOUTERRAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST. Details: RATH & SOUTERRAIN Details: RATH & SOUTERRAIN Protection: Protection:

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Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Grid Reference: J1039087810 Grid Reference: J1039087810 SMR: - ANT049:030 SMR: - ANT049:055 Site Type: DESIGNED LANDSCAPE FEATURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN; MODERN Details: TREE RING Details: NATURAL FEATURE & ICEHOUSE Protection: Protection: Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Grid Reference: J1074088320 Grid Reference: J1098088200 SMR: - ANT049:054 Scheduled Zone: ANT 049:029 Site Type: GRAVEYARD FORTIFICATION - 'SHANE'S CASTLE' Period: C17TH; C18TH; POST-MED SMR: - ANT049:029 Details: PRIVATE GRAVEYARD & VAULT Site Type: FORTIFICATION Protection: Period: MEDIEVAL; LATE-MED; POST-MED Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Protection: Scheduled Grid Reference: J1161088120 Townland: SHANES CASTLE PARK Grid Reference: J1162487978 SMR: - ANT049:028 SMR: - ANT049:023 Site Type: RATH Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST. Details: RATH Details: RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: SHANES CASTLE Townland: MAGHEREAGH Grid Reference: J1182088660 Grid Reference: J1185089210 SMR: - ANT049:027 SMR: - ANT049:024 Site Type: RATH Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: E.CHRIST.; NEOLITHIC; PREHISTORIC Period: UNCERTAIN Details: RATH overlying NEOLITHIC OCCUPATION SITE Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: SHANES CASTLE Townland: MAGHEREAGH Grid Reference: J1214088740 Grid Reference: J1203089410

SMR: - ANT049:025 SMR: - ANT049:027 Site Type: RATH Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST.; NEOLITHIC; PREHISTORIC Details: RAISED RATH Details: RATH overlying NEOLITHIC OCCUPATION SITE Protection: Protection: Townland: KILBEGS Townland: SHANES CASTLE Grid Reference: J1227089190 Grid Reference: J1214088740 SMR: - ANT049:026 SMR: - ANT050:001 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURE - RATH? Details: CHURCH SITE Protection: Protection: Townland: CARNGRANNY Townland: KILBEGS Grid Reference: J1277089720 Grid Reference: J1313088830 SMR: - ANT050:002 SMR: - ANT050:004 Site Type: RATH Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST. Details: RATH Details: RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: DUNSILLY Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Grid Reference: J1356089120 Grid Reference: J1386088630 SMR: - ANT050:186 SMR: - ANT050:129 Site Type: SETTLEMENT Site Type: A.P. SITE Period: PREHISTORIC; BRONZE AGE Period: UNCERTAIN Details: 2 BRONZE AGE ROUND HOUSES Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure Protection: Protection: Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Grid Reference: J13928830 Grid Reference: J1426087970 SMR: - ANT050:166 SMR: - ANT050:164 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: A.P. SITE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN

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Details: A.P. SITE - circular cropmark Details: A.P. SITE - large circular cropmark Protection: Protection: Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Townland: BALLOO Grid Reference: J1445087710 Grid Reference: J136908694 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:111 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/001 Mound Address: Remains of Antrim Castle Antrim Castle Gardens Randalstown Road Antrim, Co Antrim Date of construction: 1880 - 1899 Former use: Country House Extent of listing: Tower, adjoining walls, and stone garden steps Current Grade: B1 SMR: - ANT050:174 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:109 Site Type: FORTIFICATION Motte Period: POST-MED; C17TH Details: C17th CASTLE: ANTRIM CASTLE Protection: Scheduled Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Grid Reference: J1450086730 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:174 SMR: - ANT050:109 MASSARENE HOUSE Site Type: MOTTE Period: MEDIEVAL Details: MOTTE Protection: Scheduled Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Grid Reference: J1453086760 SMR: - ANT050:110 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:109 Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Motte Period: LATE-MED Details: FRIARY: MASSEREENE FRIARY, MASSERINE ABBEY Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:183 Protection: Bastion - part of 17th-century artillery fort Townland: BALLOO Grid Reference: J1462086590 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:174 MASSARENE HOUSE

Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:183 Bastion & Remains of Rampart: Antrim Bastion SMR: - ANT050:183 SMR: - ANT050:180 Site Type: FORTIFICATION Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Period: POST-MED; C17TH Period: POST-MED; C17TH Details: BASTION Details: C17th CHURCH (site of) & GRAVEYARD: ALL Protection: Scheduled SAINT'S Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Protection: Grid Reference: J1466086740 Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Grid Reference: J1495086550 SMR: - ANT050:173 SMR: - ANT050:115 Site Type: CUP MARKED STONE Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: BRONZE AGE; UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: CUP-MARKED STONE Details: SOUTERRAIN (unlocated) Protection: Protection: Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Townland: STEEPLE Grid Reference: J1515086600 Grid Reference: J1500087000 SMR: - ANT050:190 SMR: - ANT050:191 Site Type: WORKHOUSE Site Type: BURIAL GROUND Period: C19TH Period: C19TH Details: Workhouse Details: Workhouse Burial Ground Protection: Protection: Townland: TOWNS PARKS Townland: TOWNS PARKS Grid Reference: J1511586831 Grid Reference: J1527986769 SMR: - ANT050:141 SMR: - ANT050:104 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: FAIR Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure Details: FAIR SITE: FAIRY HILL

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Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLOO Townland: BALLOO Grid Reference: J1536086300 Grid Reference: J1446086210 SMR: - ANT050:101 SMR: - ANT050:100 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURE Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLOO Townland: BALLOO Grid Reference: J1442085930 Grid Reference: J1436085800 SMR: - ANT050:102 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - large circular cropmark Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLOO Townland: BALLOO Grid Reference: J1478085750 Grid Reference: J1461085870 SMR: - ANT050:148 SMR: - ANT050:098 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: E.CHRIST.; UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - circular cropmark - Bivallate Rath? Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLOO Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1448084720 Grid Reference: J1424084450 SMR: - ANT050:147 SMR: - ANT050:097 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - circular enclosure Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1422084430 Grid Reference: J1423084300 SMR: - ANT050:125 SMR: - ANT050:096 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - 2 conjoined enclosures Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1407084250 Grid Reference: J1412084190 SMR: - ANT050:096 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:095 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Motte and bailey and later enclosure: Bull Mount Period: UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1412084190 SMR: - ANT050:125 SMR: - ANT050:095 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: RATH & MOTTE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST.; MEDIEVAL; UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - 2 conjoined enclosures Details: COUNTERSCARP RATH reused as MOTTE & BAILEY Protection: with LATER ENCLOSURE: BULL MOUNT Townland: DEER PARK Protection: Scheduled Grid Reference: J1407084250 Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J141808409 SMR: - ANT050:094 SMR: - ANT050:093 Site Type: RATH Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST.; UNCERTAIN Details: TWO RATHS Details: PLATFORM RATH & RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1433083890 Grid Reference: J1384083730 SMR: - ANT055:002 SMR: - ANT055:001 Site Type: RATH Site Type: A.P. SITE Period: E.CHRIST. Period: UNCERTAIN

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Details: RATH Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure? Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1337083600 Grid Reference: J1323083610 Scheduled Zone: ANT 055:003 SMR: - ANT055:003 Bivallate Rath Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Details: BIVALLATE RATH Protection: Scheduled Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1372083430 SMR: - ANT055:002 SMR: - ANT055:013 Site Type: RATH Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: E.CHRIST. Period: UNCERTAIN Details: RATH Details: RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1337083600 Grid Reference: J1424083350 SMR: - ANT055:014 SMR: - ANT055:015 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: RATH Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: ENCLOSURE Details: RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1432083410 Grid Reference: J1444083320 SMR: - ANT054:003 Scheduled Zone: ANT 054:004 Site Type: RATH Platform Rath Period: E.CHRIST. Details: PLATFORM RATH: DUNORE FORT, FORT OF GOLD, BADGER FORT Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1273083360 SMR: - ANT054:004 SMR: - ANT054:001 Site Type: RATH Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST. Details: COUNTERSCARP PLATFORM RATH Details: RATH - ONE OF A PAIR WITH ANT 054:002 Protection: Scheduled Protection: Townland: CORBALLY Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1278083200 Grid Reference: J1302083360 SMR: - ANT054:002 SMR: - ANT054:002 Site Type: RATH Site Type: RATH Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST. Details: COUNTERSCARP RATH - ONE OF A PAIR WITH ANT Details: COUNTERSCARP RATH - ONE OF A PAIR WITH ANT 054:001 054:001 Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1302083300 Grid Reference: J1302083300 SMR: - ANT054:002 SMR: - ANT055:006 Site Type: RATH Site Type: MOUND Period: E.CHRIST. Period: UNCERTAIN Details: COUNTERSCARP RATH - ONE OF A PAIR WITH ANT Details: MOUND 054:001 Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1332083180 Grid Reference: J1302083300 SMR: - ANT055:004 SMR: - ANT055:102 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: LANDSCAPE FEATURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: C18TH/C19TH Details: ENCLOSURE Details: LANDSCAPE FEATURE Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1344083230 Grid Reference: J1340083180

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SMR: - ANT055:013 SMR: - ANT055:014 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: RECTANGULAR ENCLOSURE Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: DEER PARK Grid Reference: J1424083350 Grid Reference: J1432083410 SMR: - ANT055:008 SMR: - ANT055:009 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURE Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: CORBALLY Townland: CORBALLY Grid Reference: J1333082970 Grid Reference: J1343082660 SMR: - ANT055:010 SMR: - ANT050:011 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: ENCLOSURE Details: SOUTERRAIN Protection: Protection: Townland: DEER PARK Townland: GALLY HILL Grid Reference: J1374082810 Grid Reference: J1584088800 SMR: - ANT050:188 SMR: - ANT050:010 Site Type: SETTLEMENT SITE Site Type: WELL Period: PREHISTORIC; NEOLITHIC Period: UNCERTAIN Details: NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT Details: HOLY WELL Protection: Protection: Townland: BUSH Townland: HOLY WELL Grid Reference: J16248860 Grid Reference: J1570088420 SMR: - ANT050:188 SMR: - ANT050:187 Site Type: SETTLEMENT SITE Site Type: MUTLI-PERIOD SETTLEMENT SITE Period: PREHISTORIC; NEOLITHIC Period: NEOLITHIC; BRONZE AGE; PREHISTORIC; E.CHRIST. Details: NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT Details: MULTI-PERIOD EXCAVATION - Ring barrows, Protection: Christian Settlement, Neolithic Settlement Townland: BUSH Protection: Grid Reference: J16248860 Townland: STEEPLE Grid Reference: J162708838 SMR: - ANT050:168 SMR: - ANT050:018 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: RATH Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: A.P. SITE - elliptical cropmark Details: RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: HUNGRY HALL Townland: RATHBEG Grid Reference: J1787088290 Grid Reference: J1828088050 SMR: - ANT050:017 SMR: - ANT050:015 Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Period: E.CHRIST. Period: MED/L.MED Details: SOUTERRAIN Details: Site of CHURCH, GRAVEYARD & CASTLE: Protection: RATHMORE, CASTLE FIELD Townland: HURTLETOOT Protection: Grid Reference: J1814087530 Townland: RATHMORE Grid Reference: J1819087320 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:016 SMR: - ANT050:016 Rath: Rathmore trench Site Type: RATH & SOUTERRAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: RAISED or PLATFORM RATH & SOUTERRAIN: RATHMORE TRENCH Protection: Scheduled Townland: RATHMORE Grid Reference: J1830087250 SMR: - ANT050:126 SMR: - ANT050:013 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: MOTTE & BAILEY Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST.; MEDIEVAL Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure Details: PLATFORM RATH reused as MOTTE AND BAILEY

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Protection: Protection: Scheduled Townland: RATHENRAW Townland: RATHENRAW Grid Reference: J1725087110 Grid Reference: J170908739 Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:013 SMR: - ANT050:112 Platform Rath reused as Motte and Bailey Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: SOUTERRAIN Protection: Townland: STILES Grid Reference: J167108694 SMR: - ANT050:107 SMR: - ANT050:108 Site Type: RATH Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: E.CHRIST.; MODERN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: PLATFORM RATH reused as TREE RING: THE FOLLY Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: BLEERICK Townland: TOWN PARKS (ANTRIM) Grid Reference: J1639086940 Grid Reference: J1609087060 SMR: - ANT050:124 SMR: - ANT050:123 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: A.P. SITE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure Protection: Protection: Townland: PARK HALL Townland: PARK HALL Grid Reference: J1594087250 Grid Reference: J1559087370 SMR: - ANT050:008 SMR: - ANT050:009 Site Type: BULLAUN Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Period: E.CHRIST. Period: E.CHRIST.; MEDIEVAL Details: BULLAUN: THE WITCH'S STONE Details: EARLY CHRISTIAN MONASTIC SITE, ROUND Protection: State Care and Scheduled TOWER & possible MEDIEVAL PARISH CHURCH: ANTRIM Townland: STEEPLE ROUND TOWER Grid Reference: J1546087690 Protection: State Care and Scheduled Townland: STEEPLE Grid Reference: J1544087700

Scheduled Zone: ANT 050:008/050:009 SMR: - ANT050:103 Round Tower and Bullaun Site Type: STANDING STONE Period: PREHISTORIC; UNCERTAIN Details: STANDING STONE? Protection: Townland: BALLOO Grid Reference: J1500085710 SMR: - ANT050:007 SMR: - ANT050:062 Site Type: SETTLEMENT SITE Site Type: MOUND Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN; MED/L.MED Details: SETTLEMENT SITE? Details: MOUND - MOATED SITE? Protection: Protection: Townland: STEEPLE Townland: DUNADRY Grid Reference: J1540087700 Grid Reference: J1972086040 SMR: - ANT050:062 SMR: - ANT050:075 Site Type: MOUND Site Type: MOUND Period: UNCERTAIN; MED/L.MED Period: MEDIEVAL; UNCERTAIN Details: MOUND - MOATED SITE? Details: MOUND - MOTTE?: ICE HOUSE Protection: Protection: Scheduled Townland: DUNADRY Townland: BALLYCRAIGY Grid Reference: J197208604 Grid Reference: J1710085520 SMR: - ANT050:076 SMR: - ANT050:077 Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Site Type: MOUND Period: E.CHRIST.; MEDIEVAL Period: UNCERTAIN Details: AUGUSTINIAN PRIORY SITE Details: MOUND - BURIAL VAULT Protection: State Care Protection: Townland: MUCKAMORE Townland: MUCKAMORE Grid Reference: J166908544 Grid Reference: J1667085320 SMR: - ANT050:078 SMR: - ANT050:153

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Site Type: ECCLESIASTICAL SITE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: POST-MED; UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: CHURCH (site of) & GRAVEYARD Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: MUCKAMORE Townland: MUCKAMORE Grid Reference: J1678085280 Grid Reference: J1677085100 SMR: - ANT050:149 SMR: - ANT050:073 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: A.P. SITE - circular cropmark Details: ENCLOSURE - tree ring? Protection: Protection: Townland: TIRGRACEY Townland: MUCKAMORE Grid Reference: J1523085090 Grid Reference: J1700084790 SMR: - ANT050:074 SMR: - ANT050:080 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: RATH Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: ENCLOSURE? Details: UNIVALLATE RATH Protection: Protection: Townland: MUCKAMORE Townland: OLDSTONE Grid Reference: J1688084780 Grid Reference: J1664084530 SMR: - ANT050:089 SMR: - ANT050:089 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: C18TH/C19TH; UNCERTAIN Period: C18TH/C19TH; UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURES Details: ENCLOSURES Protection: Protection: Townland: TIRGRACEY Townland: TIRGRACEY Grid Reference: J1510084650 Grid Reference: J1510084650 SMR: - ANT050:127 SMR: - ANT050:091 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: A.P. SITE - enclosure Details: SOUTERRAIN (unlocated) Protection: Protection: Townland: TIRGRACEY Townland: TIRGRACEY Grid Reference: J1502084030 Grid Reference: J1500084000 SMR: - ANT050:092 SMR: - ANT050:090 Site Type: STANDING STONE Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: PREHISTORIC; UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: STANDING STONE (unlocated) Details: SOUTERRAIN (unlocated) Protection: Protection: Townland: TIRGRACEY Townland: TIRGRACEY Grid Reference: J1500084000 Grid Reference: J1500084000 SMR: - ANT050:086 SMR: - ANT050:085 Site Type: MEGALITHIC TOMB Site Type: FORTIFICATION Period: PREHISTORIC Period: C18TH/C19TH Details: MEGALITHIC TOMB: OLDSTONE HILL (unlocated) Details: CASTLE?: OLDSTONE HILL (unlocated) Protection: Protection: Townland: OLDSTONE Townland: OLDSTONE Grid Reference: J1620084100 Grid Reference: J1628 SMR: - ANT050:085 SMR: - ANT050:171 Site Type: FORTIFICATION Site Type: A.P. SITE Period: C18TH/C19TH Period: UNCERTAIN Details: CASTLE?: OLDSTONE HILL (unlocated) Details: A.P. SITE - circular enclosure - possibly forming Protection: Rath Pair with Ant 050:152 Townland: OLDSTONE Protection: Grid Reference: J1628 Townland: OLDSTONE Grid Reference: J1683084070 SMR: - ANT050:152 SMR: - ANT050:113 Site Type: A.P. SITE Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: E.CHRIST.; UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: A.P. SITE - circular cropmarks - Rath Pair with Ant Details: SOUTERRAIN (unlocated) 050:171? Protection: Protection: Townland: MUCKAMORE Grid Reference: J1700084000

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Townland: OLDSTONE Grid Reference: J1683084070 SMR: - ANT050:114 SMR: - ANT050:154 Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Site Type: A.P. SITE Period: E.CHRIST. Period: UNCERTAIN Details: SOUTERRAIN (unlocated) Details: A.P. SITE - circular cropmark Protection: Protection: Townland: MUCKAMORE Townland: SHANEOGUESTOWN Grid Reference: J1700084000 Grid Reference: J1817084340

SMR: - ANT050:070 Scheduled Zone: ANT 055:019 Site Type: RATH Rath and Motte Period: E.CHRIST. Details: RATH? Protection: Townland: SHANEOGUESTOWN Grid Reference: J1837084250 SMR: - ANT055:019 SMR: - ANT055:100 Site Type: RATH & MOTTE Site Type: GRAVEYARD Period: E.CHRIST.; MEDIEVAL Period: UNCERTAIN Details: RATH AND MOTTE Details: GRAVEYARD Protection: Scheduled Protection: Townland: BALLYHARVEY LOWER Townland: BALLYHARVEY LOWER Grid Reference: J1745083720 Grid Reference: J1754083660 SMR: - ANT055:016 SMR: - ANT055:201 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURE Details: ENCLOSURE (CHART) Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLYHARVEY UPPER Townland: BALLYARNOT Grid Reference: J1610083600 Grid Reference: J15560835 SMR: - ANT055:204 SMR: - ANT055:117 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: SOUTERRAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: ENCLOSURE (CHART) Details: SOUTERRAIN Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLYHARVEY UPPER Townland: KILLEALY Grid Reference: J1641083210 Grid Reference: J1654082950 SMR: - ANT055:017 SMR: - ANT055:018 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: RATH Period: UNCERTAIN Period: E.CHRIST. Details: ENCLOSURE Details: ENCLOSURE Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLYHARVEY UPPER Townland: KILLEALY Grid Reference: J1631082900 Grid Reference: J1645082760 SMR: - ANT055:202 SMR: - ANT055:203 Site Type: ENCLOSURE Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: UNCERTAIN Period: UNCERTAIN Details: ENCLOSURE (CHART) Details: ENCLOSURE (CHART) Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLYARNOT Townland: BALLYARNOT Grid Reference: J1485082850 Grid Reference: J1491082810 SMR: - ANT055:023 SMR: - ANT055:172 Site Type: RATH Site Type: ENCLOSURE Period: E.CHRIST. Period: UNCERTAIN Details: PLATFORM RATH Details: ENCLOSURE (CHART) Protection: Protection: Townland: BALLYROBIN Townland: BALLYROBIN Grid Reference: J1860083350 Grid Reference: J1828083040

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7.0 Scheduled Monuments

A number of the features recorded on the Sites and Monuments Record are further protected by legislation. Over 1,900 historic monuments are Scheduled under Article 3 of The Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, meaning that it is an offence to carry out changes to these sites and monuments without consent. This consent is required for any changes to a Scheduled Historic Monument. HED is the decision-making authority for Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC) applications. Under Article 4 of the HMAO (NI) Order (1995) these changes are defined as:

• Any works resulting in the demolition, destruction, or disturbance of, or any damage to a Scheduled monument, • Any works for the purpose of removing or repairing a Scheduled monument or any part of it or of making any alterations or additions thereto, • Any flooding or tipping operations on land in, or under which, there is a Scheduled monument.

Archaeological excavation works, and the use of detecting devices are also subject to Scheduled Monument Consent. It is an offence to be in possession of a detecting device on a Scheduled monument without the prior written consent of HED. When a monument is Scheduled, the owner or occupier is responsible for its good maintenance. They will be visited every four years by a Field Monument Warden, who will check the condition of the monument and provide advice. There are 8 Scheduled monuments in the audit area (Figure 15).

Figure 15: Map showing location of Scheduled Monuments in the audit area

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8.0 Listed Buildings

Antrim developed in the shadow of Antrim Castle which was erected on the site of a 'motte and bailey' castle of the Anglo-Norman period. The latter is frequently mentioned in the records of the time and it was captured by King John in 1210. The Anglo-Normans were not the first to build at Antrim, however; centuries earlier a monastery had been built to the north of the place where the town was later constructed. Of this ancient monastery, only the round tower remains (at the Steeple) - the tower is of rubble masonry and is ninety-three feet high, with a circumference of fifty-two feet at the base. It is one of only two perfect specimens of this type of structure in Northern Ireland.

The town developed at the junction of a number of important highways and waterways including those from Belfast to Londonderry and from Larne to the west of the Province about the beginning of the 17th century and for more than 350 years it has functioned as a service centre for the surrounding district.

The significance of the Market Square, Courthouse, and nearby Castle Gates remains today with these features still a natural focus for the Town Centre. Patents granting markets and fairs date from 1605. The grounds associated with the Castle were laid out in classic French style in the late seventeenth/early eighteenth century, are quite unique in Ulster, and are of European significance. The exceptionally wide High Street, leading down to All Saints Church and the entrance to the Riverside Mill settlement, further gives an individual character to this historic town.

The street pattern developed to the east of the Castle from the late eighteenth century with the Market Square and the Courthouse as a major focus for the urban development of the town with Bow Lane running north/ south and High Street running east/west. The coming of the railway in the mid eighteen hundreds encouraged continued growth along this primary axis as well as at Massereene across the river bridge, built in 1708, but spawned a new direction of building along Patties Lane (now Station Road).

Antrim town however, despite being the County Town of Antrim, remained small, and in 1961 had a population of only 3,000 persons. In 1966, Antrim was designated a New Town and its population increased from approximately 7,500 persons to approximately 24,000 by 1977. Since then, however, there has been relatively little growth and the present population is estimated to be in the region of 25,500 persons.

The Conservation Area of Antrim can be broadly sub-divided into 4 distinct but interrelated sectors, these are:

1. The Commercial Core incorporating the Castle Centre, Market Square/ High Street, Lower Church Street areas and the associated Town Centre car parks; 2. The Eastern Sector incorporating the mixed commercial/ residential area to the east of the commercial core, centred along Church Street and Fountain Street; 3. The Riverside Sector incorporating the existing Riverside Conservation Area including the former Flax Mill and the western bank of the Six Mile Water River to the Belmont Road; and 4. The Castle Grounds incorporating the open space areas of the Castle gardens and grounds and the banks of the Six Mile Water River.

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Figure 14: Map showing location of Listed Buildings in the audit area

Table 4: List of Listed Buildings recorded in the audit area

Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 R Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 R Address: Dunmore Bridge Shane's Castle Park Antrim Co Address: Dunmore Bridge Shane's Castle Park Antrim Co Antrim Antrim Date of construction: 1800 – 1819 Date of construction: 1800 - 1819 Former use: Bridge Former use: Bridge Extent of listing: Bridge Extent of listing: Bridge Current Grade: B1 Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 N Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 H Address: Poultry Cottages 20 - 22 Shane's Castle Park Address: Shane's Castle Outbuildings Shane's Castle Park Antrim Co Antrim Antrim Co Antrim Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: House - Terrace Former use: Outbuildings Extent of listing: Houses Extent of listing: Outbuildings Current Grade: B Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 B Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 M Address: Shane's Castle - Nash extension Shane's Castle Address: Kyne's Cottage Shane's Castle Park Antrim Co Park Antrim Co Antrim Antrim BT41 4NE Date of construction: 1800 - 1819 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: Country House Former use: House Extent of listing: Shanes Castle - Nash extension Extent of listing: House; screen walls to front; and front Current Grade: B1 plinth wall, railings, gateway and outbuildings and linking walls. Current Grade: B Listed Buildings: HB20/04/064 Listed Buildings: HB20/04/036 C Address: Milestone opposite 123 Castle Road Antrim Co Address: 3 & 4 Edenduff Terrace Antrim Co Antrim BT41 Antrim 4NF Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Former use: Milestone Former use: House - Terrace Extent of listing: Milestone Extent of listing: House Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/04/036 T Listed Buildings: HB20/04/036 I Address: 20 Edenduff Terrace Antrim Co Antrim BT41 4NF Address: 9 Edenduff Terrace Antrim Co Antrim BT41 4NF Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Date of construction: 1860 - 1879

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Former use: House - Terrace Former use: House - Terrace Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: House Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/04/036 A Listed Buildings: HB20/04/063 Address: 1 & 2 Edenduff Terrace Antrim Co Antrim BT41 Address: Milestone Castle Road Antrim Co Antrim 4NF Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Former use: Milestone Former use: House - Terrace Extent of listing: Milestone Extent of listing: House Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/04/042 J Listed Buildings: HB20/04/067 Address: Antrim Gate Lodge 12 Castle Road Antrim Co Address: Castle Bawn, 17 Maghereagh Road, Antrim BT41 4NA Randalstown, Co Antrim Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: Gates/ Screens/ Lodges Former use: House Extent of listing: Lodge; main entrance gates, railings and Extent of listing: House, boundary wall, gate and gate stone piers screen Current Grade: B1 Current Grade: B+ Listed Buildings: HB20/04/049 Listed Buildings: HB20/09/004 Address: Kilbegs House 51 Milltown Road Antrim Co Address: Holywell Hospital 60 Steeple Road Antrim Co Antrim BT41 4NW Antrim BT41 2RJ Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Date of construction: 1880 - 1899 Former use: House Former use: Hospital Building Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: Main hospital buildings and two Current Grade: B2 churches. Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/09/005 Listed Buildings: HB20/09/002 Address: Bush House Bush Road Antrim Co Antrim BT41 Address: The Steeple Steeple Road Antrim Co Antrim BT41 2QB 1BJ Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Former use: House Former use: House Extent of listing: House, courtyard, walled garden shelter Extent of listing: House and gate screen. Current Grade: B+ Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/12/007 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/050 Address: Islandreagh House 29 Islandreagh Road Dunadry Address: St Comgall's Church, Castle Street, Antrim Co Antrim BT41 2HF Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Date of construction: 1800 - 1819 Former use: Church Former use: House Extent of listing: Church, gates and gate piers Extent of listing: House, gates & pillars Current Grade: B+ Current Grade: B Listed Buildings: HB20/08/054 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/004 Address: Long and Round Pond Antrim Castle Address: Clotworthy House Randalstown Road Antrim Gardens Randalstown Road Antrim Co Antrim BT41 4LH Date of construction: 1650 - 1699 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: Garden Features Former use: Stables Extent of listing: Long canals, including cascade and round Extent of listing: Clotworthy House pond Current Grade: B+ Current Grade: A Listed Buildings: HB20/08/006 A Listed Buildings: HB20/08/008 Address: 22 Market Square Antrim Co Antrim BT41 4AW Address: Court House Market Square Antrim BT41 4AW Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Date of construction: 1720 - 1739 Former use: Police Station Former use: Court House Extent of listing: Former RUC police station, coach house Extent of listing: Court House and walling. Current Grade: A Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/059 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/009 Address: Protestant Hall 19 Railway Street Antrim BT41 Address: Ulster Bank 8 Market Square Antrim BT41 4AW 4AE Date of construction: 1880 - 1899 Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Former use: Bank Former use: Hall Extent of listing: Bank, gate, railings and walls Extent of listing: Hall Current Grade: B1 Current Grade: B2

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Listed Buildings: HB20/08/013 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/020 Address: 49 High Street Antrim BT41 4AY Address: Pogue's Entry Historical Cottage 40-54 Church Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Street Antrim BT41 4BA Former use: Shop - Terrace Date of construction: 1780 - 1799 Extent of listing: Building Former use: House Current Grade: B2 Extent of listing: Single storey cottage Current Grade: B+ Listed Buildings: HB20/08/016 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/015 A Address: Former Presbyterian Church 3 and 5 High Street Address: 16 High Street Antrim BT41 4AN Antrim BT41 4AX Date of construction: 1860 - 1879 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: Bank Former use: Church Extent of listing: Former bank Extent of listing: Former church Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/023 B Listed Buildings: HB20/08/023 A Address: First Presbyterian Church 80 Church Street Address: Gates and screen First Presbyterian Church 80 Antrim BT41 4BA Church Street Antrim BT41 4BA Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Former use: Church Former use: Gates/ Screens/ Lodges Extent of listing: Church and steps Extent of listing: Gates, gate piers and railings. Current Grade: B+ Current Grade: B Listed Buildings: HB20/08/019 Listed Buildings: HB20/08/040 B Address: Former Methodist Church 41 Church Street Address: 34 Station Road Antrim BT41 4AB Antrim BT41 4AY Date of construction: 1900 - 1919 Date of construction: 1880 - 1899 Former use: House Former use: Church Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: Former church Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/09/015 Listed Buildings: HB20/10/001 Address: 2 Steeple Road, Antrim, Co Antrim BT41 1AF Address: Ashville 25 Greystone Road Antrim Co Antrim Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 BT41 1HJ Former use: House Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Extent of listing: House, piers and gate Former use: House Current Grade: B2 Extent of listing: House, outbuildings, yard wall, gates and gate screen. Current Grade: B Listed Buildings: HB20/10/004 Listed Buildings: HB20/12/006 Address: Gateway and walling of Quaker Graveyard Address: Islandreagh 2 Islandreagh Road Dunadry Belfast Road Antrim Co Antrim Antrim Co Antrim BT41 2HF Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Date of construction: 1740 - 1759 Former use: Walling Former use: House Extent of listing: Gateway and walling Extent of listing: House Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B Listed Buildings: HB20/12/004 B Listed Buildings: HB20/12/002 F Address: Stable Gateway 26 New Lodge Address: 173 Belfast Road Muckamore Co Antrim BT41 Road Muckamore Co. Antrim 2ET Date of construction: Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Former use: Gates/ Screens/ Lodges Former use: House Extent of listing: Extent of listing: House Current Grade: B Current Grade: B2 Listed Buildings: HB20/12/002 A Listed Buildings: HB20/12/005 Address: 163 Belfast Road Muckamore Co Antrim BT41 Address: Coaching House 60 Islandreagh Drive Dunadry 2ET Antrim Co Antrim BT41 2HB Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Former use: House Former use: Thatched House Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: House, walls, wing walls and gate pillars Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/12/012 Listed Buildings: HB20/12/004 C Address: Clady Cottage 17 Clady Road Dunadry Address: Outbuildings New Lodge 28 New Lodge Templepatrick Ballyclare Co. Antrim BT41 4QR Road Muckamore Co. Antrim Date of construction: 1780 - 1799 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: Thatched House Former use: Estate Related Structures

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Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: Stable yard Current Grade: B1 Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/12/012 Listed Buildings: HB20/09/007 Address: Clady Cottage 17 Clady Road Dunadry Address: Marymount 20 Birch Hill Road Antrim Co Antrim Templepatrick Ballyclare Co. Antrim BT41 4QR BT41 2QH Date of construction: 1780 - 1799 Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Former use: Thatched House Former use: House Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: House Current Grade: B1 Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/13/009 Listed Buildings: HB20/13/002 Address: 60 Abbeyview Muckamore Antrim Co Antrim Address: The Old Rectory 40 Oldstone Road Muckamore BT41 4QA Antrim BT41 4PY Co Antrim Date of construction: 1760 - 1779 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: House Former use: Rectories/ Manses etc Extent of listing: House Extent of listing: House, outbuildings, walling, gates and Current Grade: B gate screen. Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/13/001 Listed Buildings: HB20/13/003 A Address: St Jude’s Church (C 0f I) Oldstone Road Address: The Manor House, Greenmount College, 22 Muckamore Antrim Co Antrim Greenmount Road, Muckamore, Antrim BT41 4PX Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Date of construction: 1820 - 1839 Former use: Church Former use: House Extent of listing: Church, gate piers and former vault. Extent of listing: Original house and 1920s extension Current Grade: B2 Current Grade: B1 Listed Buildings: HB20/13/003 B Listed Buildings: HB20/04/067 Address: The Lodge Greenmount College 22 Greenmount Address: Castle Bawn, 17 Maghereagh Road, Road Muckamore Antrim Co Antrim BT41 4PX Randalstown, Co Antrim Date of construction: 1920 - 1939 Date of construction: 1840 - 1859 Former use: University/ College Building Former use: House Extent of listing: House, including pair of original stone Extent of listing: House, boundary wall, gate and gate plant tubs at main entrance screen Current Grade: B1 Current Grade: B+

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9.0 Industrial Heritage

Over 16,000 industrial heritage features have been identified in Northern Ireland and are registered in the Industrial Heritage Record, maintained by the HED through the Monuments and Buildings Record. There are 82 sites recorded on the Industrial Heritage Record for the audit area, including bridges, mills and railway infrastructure.

Figure 17: Map showing location of Industrial Heritage features in the audit area

Table 5: List of Industrial Heritage features recorded in the audit area

Mills Townland Ballygrooby Townland Shanes Castle Park IHR No. 07036:002:00 IHR No. 07174:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J08409016 Irish Grid Ref. J09538836 Type Millrace Type Water Race Townland Shanes Castle Park Townland Shanes Castle Park IHR No. 07170:000:00 IHR No. 07170:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J10928811 Irish Grid Ref. J10928811 Type Saw Mill site Type Saw Mill site Townland Shanes Castle Park Townland Kilbegs IHR No. 07170:002:00 IHR No.07172:003:00 Irish Grid Ref. J11058823 Irish Grid Ref.J12218894 Type Millrace Type Millrace Townland Kilbegs Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 07172:004:00 IHR No. 05619:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J12318859 Location Castle St Type Millrace - Mill Stream Irish Grid Ref. J14698694 Type Saw Mill site Townland Townparks (Antrim) Townland Town Parks IHR No. 05621:000:00 IHR No. 05629:000:00 Location Castle St Location Antrim, Riverside Irish Grid Ref. J14788682 Irish Grid Ref. J14918624 Type Saw Mill site Type Paper Mill - Corn Mill & Kiln Townland Town Parks Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 05628:000:00 IHR No.05618:000:00

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Location Antrim, Riverside Location Beside railway station Irish Grid Ref. J14888613 Irish Grid Ref.J15418713 Type Paper Mill - Weaving Mill - Mill site Type Flax Mill - Saw Mill site Townland Donegore Townland Donegore IHR No.07176:003:00 IHR No. 07176:005:00 Irish Grid Ref.J19488745 Irish Grid Ref. J19478719 Type Mill Pond - Mill Dams Type Mill Race Townland Donegore Townland Donegore IHR No. 07176:000:00 IHR No. 07177:003:00 Irish Grid Ref. J19388711 Irish Grid Ref. J19568681 Type Bleach Mills - Beetling Mill site Type Mill Dam Townland Dunadry Townland Dunadry IHR No.07178:003:00 IHR No. 07178:006:00 Irish Grid Ref.J19598602 Irish Grid Ref. J19648595 Type Millrace/Stream Type Mill Dam Townland Moylinny Townland Tirgracey IHR No. 05703:000:00 IHR No. 07195:004:00 Irish Grid Ref. J15948556 Irish Grid Ref. J15418529 Type Former Beetling Mill converted to Dwelling Type Millrace Townland Tirgracey Townland Tirgracey IHR No.07195:001:00 IHR No.07195:000:00 Irish Grid Ref.J15458522 Irish Grid Ref.J15468524 Type Beetling Mill Type Beetling Mills site Townland Tirgracey Townland Tirgracey IHR No. 07195:002:00 IHR No. 07196:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J15548515 Irish Grid Ref. J15758537 Type Millrace Type Paper Mill - Bleach Mill - Beetling Mill - Flax Mill site Townland Moylinny Townland Moylinny IHR No. 05703:000:00 IHR No.07197:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J15948556 Irish Grid Ref.J16038533 Type Former Beetling Mill converted to Dwelling Type

Townland Moylinny Townland Muckamore IHR No. 07194:000:00 IHR No. 07192:001:00 Irish Grid Ref. J16168509 Irish Grid Ref. J17198535 Type Beetling Mill site Type Bleach Works - Dye Works Townland Ballycraigy Townland Muckamore IHR No.07192:006:00 IHR No. 07192:003:00 Irish Grid Ref.J17148546 Irish Grid Ref. J17248533 Type Bleach Green Type Mill Dam Townland Muckamore Townland Muckamore IHR No. 07192:004:00 IHR No. 11046:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J17478527 Irish Grid Ref. J17758476 Type Millrace Type Flax Mill Townland Islandbane Townland Islandbane IHR No. 07186:000:00 IHR No. 07186:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J18158516 Irish Grid Ref. J18248514 Type Beetling Mill site Type Millrace Townland Shaneoguestown Townland Shaneoguestown IHR No. 07185:003:00 IHR No. 07185:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J18408498 Irish Grid Ref. J18458497 Type Mill Pond Type Millrace - Millrace (disused Townland Islandreagh Townland Islandreagh IHR No. 07184:000:00 IHR No. 07184:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J19058474 Irish Grid Ref. J19228469 Type Beetling Mill & Dye Works - Islandreagh Dye Type Millrace Works - Works site Townland Straidballymorris Townland Straidballymorris IHR No. 07183:000:00 IHR No.07183:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J19468466 Irish Grid Ref.J19548452 Type Mill Pond - Mill Dams

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Type Beetling Mill & Dye Works - Clady Dye Works - Waterworks site Townland Straidballymorris Townland Straidballymorris IHR No. 07182:000:00 IHR No. 07182:002:00 Irish Grid Ref. J19758404 Irish Grid Ref. J19828393 Type Beetling Mill site Type Millrace Townland Straidballymorris Townland Dungonnell IHR No.07291:000:00 IHR No.07279:004:00 Irish Grid Ref.J20078367 Irish Grid Ref.J14718261 Type Beetling Mill site Type Millrace - Mill Stream Townland Dungonnell Townland Dungonnell IHR No.07279:002:00 IHR No. 07279:003:00 Irish Grid Ref.J14818243 Irish Grid Ref. J14948233 Type Dam -Mill Dam Type Millrace Bridges, footbridges, mileposts and signal boxes Townland Shanes Castle Park Townland Shanes Castle Park IHR No. 07165:000:00 IHR No. 07169:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J08728911 Irish Grid Ref. J10548772 Type Bridge Type Bridge (in ruins) Townland Kilbegs Townland Islandreagh IHR No. 07173:000:00 IHR No. 01339:190:00 Irish Grid Ref. J12338789 Location BNCR Main Line Type Bridge Irish Grid Ref. J18748507 Type Milepost Townland Moylinny / Muckamore Townland Half Umry / Kilbegs IHR No.07537:000:00 IHR No. 07201:000:00 Location -Six Mile Water Irish Grid Ref. J12978759 Irish Grid Ref.J16538527 Type Bridge Type Footbridge (Shakey Bridge) Townland Dunadry / Islandreagh Townland Half Umry / Townparks IHR No. 07179:000:00 IHR No. 07202:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J19728537 Irish Grid Ref. J13768740 Type Bridge Type Bridge Townland Islandbane Townland Carngranny IHR No. 01339:189:01 IHR No. 01339:175:00 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J17678539 Irish Grid Ref. J12388973 Type Muckamore Siding - Station - Halt Type Bridge Townland Carngranny Townland Carngranny IHR No. 01339:176:00 IHR No. 01339:177:00 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J12688953 Irish Grid Ref. J12968943 Type Milepost Type Milepost Townland Carngranny / Dunsilly Townland Dunsilly IHR No. 07199:000:00 IHR No. 01339:178:00 Irish Grid Ref. J13568957 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Type Bridge Irish Grid Ref. J14138897 Type Bridge & Milepost site Townland Dunsilly / Spring Farm Townland Steeple / Townparks IHR No. 07200:000:00 IHR No. 07198:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J13998878 Location Antrim UD Type Bridge Irish Grid Ref. J15478739 Type Bridge Townland Springfarm Townland Steeple IHR No. 01339:179:00 IHR No. 01339:180:00 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J14358870 Irish Grid Ref. J14768795 Type Milepost Type Signal Box Townland Townparks Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 01339:181:00 IHR No. 01339:182:00 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J14988756 Irish Grid Ref. J15128729

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Type Milepost Type Milepost Townland Townparks (Antrim) Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 7204:001:04 IHR No. 07204:002:00 Location GNR Branch Line, Antrim - Knockmore Junction Location GNR Branch Line, Antrim - Knockmore Junction Irish Grid Ref. J15308694 Irish Grid Ref. J15488651 Type Signal Box Type Bridge Townland Townparks (Antrim) Townland Antrim Urban District IHR No. 07204:003:00 IHR No. 07204:004:00 Location GNR Branch Line, Antrim - Knockmore Junction Location GNR Branch Line, Antrim - Knockmore Junction Irish Grid Ref. J15478643 Irish Grid Ref. J15368621 Type Bridge Type Milepost Townland Balloo / Townparks (Antrim) Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 07204:005:00 IHR No. 01339:185:00 Location GNR Branch Line, Antrim - Knockmore Junction Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J15038583 Irish Grid Ref. J15808614 Type Viaduct Type Milepost Townland Moylinny Townland Moylinny IHR No. 01339:186:00 IHR No. 01339:186:02 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J16158585 Irish Grid Ref. J16198580 Type Level Crossing site Type Signal Box Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 01339:183:07 Location BNCR Main Line, Belfast - L'derry Irish Grid Ref. J15468704 Type Engine Shed Power Houses, Quays and Boat Houses Townland Half Umry Townland Townparks (Antrim) / Balloo IHR No. 07203:000:00 IHR No. 05627:000:00 Location Location E of Limekiln Plantation Irish Grid Ref. J13478684 Irish Grid Ref. J14028703 Type Boat House Type Boat House Townland Balloo Townland Townparks (Antrim) IHR No. 05626:000:00 IHR No. 11154:000:00 Location Beside Lough House on Six Mile Water Irish Grid Ref. J13838729 Irish Grid Ref. J14018688 Type Basin, Navigation 'cul de sac', Quay and Type Quay Weighmaster's House

Townland Shanes Castle Park Townland Shanes Castle Park IHR No. 07174:000:00 IHR No. 07171:000:00 Irish Grid Ref. J09528820 Irish Grid Ref. J09908700 Type Electric Power House site Type Boat House

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10.0 Historic Gardens and Parks

The Register of Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes identifies sites that are considered of exceptional importance within Northern Ireland. Inclusion in the register affords these sites protection through Planning Policy Statement 6 which specifies that historic parks and gardens included within the register should be considered in the determination of planning consent. There are three areas registered as important Historic Parks, Gardens and Demesnes within the audit area boundary (Fig. 18) – Shane’s Castle, The Steeple and Antrim Castle Gardens.

Figure 18: Map showing location of Historic Gardens and Parks in the audit area.

Antrim Castle Gardens

The gardens at Antrim Castle are distinguished by the rare survival of late 17th century/early 18th century formal garden features that include canals and round pond (Listed HB 20/08/054), formal clipped hedges, terraces, terraced mount and a wilderness wood all within the registered area of 51 acres (20.ha), lying north of the Sixmilewater River and adjacent to the west side of Antrim town. Sadly the 17th century mansion that had been remodelled in the 19th century, is now gone, as has the landscape park that lay facing the house on the south side of the river. The gardens and house formed part of the now sadly diminished 'Massereene Demesne', (400ha) established in the early 17th century by Sir Hugh Clotworthy who acquired lands here from Sir Arthur Chichester and built a strong house beside a Norman motte on the banks of the Sixmilewater. His son John Clotworthy succeeded to the property in 1630; in 1660 he was raised in the peerage as Viscount Massereene. The present gardens and much else besides were created by his son-in-law, Sir John Skeffington who inherited the property in 1665. Skeffington, who had inherited Fisherwick Hall in Staffordshire in 1652, had married Mary, daughter and heir of Sir John Clotworthy, thus succeeded to the Antrim properties and the title, becoming the 2nd Viscount Massereene. A man of considerable wealth, Skeffington was able to heavily invest in the Antrim property, which he did soon afterwards. He started to remodel and enlarge the house into a large H-plan with corner towers. He also installed the impressive sculptured heraldic mannerist 'frontispiece' facade and doorway facing east towards the town; this 'frontispiece' heraldic

52 extravaganza rivals and was probably inspired by that at Huntly Castle in Aberdeenshire (Clan Gordon, Cocks o'the North) erected by the 1st Marquess of Huntly in 1606. Although this house was again enlarged and remodelled in the early 19th century and its many 17th century gables removed, the imposing building remained essentially a 17th century structure; unfortunately it was burnt to a shell in October 1922 and the ruins removed by the local borough council in 1970. Whilst enlarging the house, the 2nd Viscount also laid out in the late 1660s a decoy and the 'Earl of Antrim's Deer Park' (638 acres) to the south, adjacent to the east shore of the lough. Richard Dobbs reported in 1683 that this deer park was enclosed by a wall of lime and stone in places, by wooden palisade and by the lough itself. By 1838 the deer park, which still hosted a herd of deer, was described as 'greatly ornamented by clusters of aged oaks'. To provide access to the deer park from the house and grounds he built a six-arched stone bridge with refuges within parapets, now known as the 'Deer Park Bridge' (Listed HB 20/08/003), spanning the river at a shallow point; it was probably erected in the 1670s. In addition to the mansion the 2nd Viscount focused on designing fashionable formal gardens to match those at Fisherwick Park and in the process created much of the present layout - features include the long narrow with its flanking tall hedges of clipped lime. This canal is in two sections, the upper canal with its hornbeam hedges is a Victorian addition. Adjacent to this is the Wilderness Wood, a term used at this time not for a natural woodland, but for a formal grove of trees - the trees usually planted in quincunxes and the wood itself divided by a series of geometric paths that were originally aligned upon features like statues, now gone; a few features in the wood still survive, notable a large oval pond on the main axis path and the remains of a smaller pond that was enclosed by yew hedges, relic of which survive. The original tree plantings in the Wilderness wood have long gone, but believed to have been originally elms; the trees there now appear to be largely the product of a natural regeneration in the 20th century and the wood lined with ditches made by the military during the second war. Adjacent to the wood and the canal lies a small enclosure lined with lime hedges; transformed into a memorial garden in the , this was an early parterre of flowers, coloured gravels and topiary; it formerly extended further to the south and what were once yew topiary here have been allowed grow into large trees. Not far distant is the Norman motte (SMR7/ANT 50:109), which was transformed by the 2nd Viscount into a garden viewing mount, with a spiral or corkscrew path leading to the summit and flanking by a clipped yew hedge; it was surmounted by a cannon and provide splendid views of the grounds, the town of Antrim and the river. Below the mount on the east side is the walled kitchen garden, which appears also have been made in the later 17th- century, though remodelled in the 1850s. Unfortunately in the 1960s a road construction ran though this garden removing the eastern side; what remains (which was subjected to a restoration in 2009- 12) stands on a terrace adjacent to the motte; prior to 1850 remodelling it occupied a square area subdivided into three portions, 1.26 acres (0.5ha), with an enclosed orchard to its north (0.6 acres/0.25 ha). After 1850 the garden was remodelled as a long rectangular area (1.08 acres/0.44ha), outside of which on the west side was a long terrace, 300ft (92m) long and 50ft (15m) wide, with another similar terrace flanking the garden's east side. The rectangular garden was itself subdivided by high dividing walls into four separate areas, all linked down the centre by an axial path which led to a large glasshouse with central conservatory built again the north-east end wall. Unfortunately, this glasshouse and the eastern part of the garden were completely removed by 1960s road construction, but the 2009-12 restoration works have seen the remaining walls rebuilt and conserved and the long terrace planted with a line of beds along its east flank, each with a stone seat. The work designing the gardens in the 1666-86 era was probably largely supervised by Skeffington himself with the help of his head gardener and perhaps also with advice from his cousin Sir Richard Newdigate (1679-88), who owned an extensive formal garden at Arbury Hall in Warwickshire. From correspondence with his cousin we know that the 2nd Viscount regarded 'planting' as his 'greatest intertainmt [sic]' and asked for (in 1786) seeds of evergreens ' all ye best and most curious kinds' to be sent to Antrim, as well as

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'pines, firs and sorts of trees' and 'your flowers or rarities can be spared and may be sent in seeds'. He also expressed a desire for a Spanish gassimine (Jasminum grandiflorum). Besides Newdigate, he was obtaining seed from the Oxford Botanic Garden (founded 1621) and the large Brompton Park nursery in Kensington. Evidently the 2nd Viscount was building an impressive plant collection and was also known to have a stove for his tender plants, presumably located somewhere with the walled kitchen garden. Unfortunately, with warfare about to flare up again in Ireland in the late 1680s, the 2nd Viscount left Antrim in June 1688, so it is unlikely further new work was undertaken on the gardens until after his death in June 1695. Indeed, the castle was reported sacked in March 1689 by the Jacobites and no doubt the gardens suffered as well. The property passed to the 2nd Viscount's only surviving son, Clotworthy (1660-1714), who succeeded him as the 3rd Viscount in 1695 and no doubt repaired any damage to the gardens and perhaps adding new features, but there is no record of this. He in turn was succeeded by his son Clotworthy Skeffington, 4th Viscount, who died in 1738, to be succeeded in turn by Clotworthy Skeffington, the 5th Viscount (1739-57), and first Earl of Massereene, a noted spendthrift. It seems that neither the 4th or 5th Viscounts Massereene did much to the gardens, for when Mrs Delany came here in 1758 she reported that 'the garden was acknowledged a fine one forty-years ago', implying little had happened since the death of the 3rd Viscount. During the long period from 1757 to 1805 when the property was owned by Clotworthy Skeffington, the 6th Viscount and 2nd Earl of Massereene (1743-1805), few or no improvements were made at Antrim as the Earl was constantly in debt and spent most of the time abroad, famously spending eighteen years in debtor prisons in France, only escaping as Revolution started in 1789. It was this long period of absence and of lack of finance that no doubt contributed most to the unusual survival of the formal gardens at Antrim. By the time the property was inherited by Chichester Skeffington, the fourth Earl of Massereene in 1811, the gardens have become an antique in their own right. Chichester, who the financial resources, embarked on remodelling the house in the years 1811-13 in a Georgian castellated Gothick manner with a 180-feet long river front; it was faced in 1823 with an orange coloured stucco (described in one account at 'Roman cement'), lined to simulate masonry and broken with pilasters with a surmounting embattled parapet, all carried around the corner towers. The architect is unknown, but Richard Morrison may have been involved. The earl died in 1816 leaving no male heir, so the property and title Viscountess Massereene The Parks and Garden Register, August 2020 descended on his daughter and heir, Harriet, who had married in 1810 Col. The Hon. Thomas Henry Foster of Oriel Temple, Collon, Co. Louth. After they inherited the Antrim estate, he changed his name from Foster to Skeffington, and became Viscount Ferrard on the death of his mother in 1824. The couple undertook improvements to the house and gardens. The main gate lodge from the town was built in 1818, the Barbican Gate (Listed HB 20/08/015), in 'Hampton Court' Tudor-style, believed to be by John Bowden and has been separated from the site by the intrusion of the road; an underpass now connects the lodge entrance to the grounds. The area south of the river, much of which formed part of the 17th century deerpark, was transformed into a landscape park, where in 1838 the plantings here were 'judiciously disposed in clumps and belts and consists of almost every variety of forest tree'. The OS Memoirs of 1838 noted also a shooting lodge with a viewing platform in the south end of the park. The formal gardens, now an object of curiously, were restored; the canal was lengthened and the small parterre beside the canal was rejuvenated with a clipped yew in its centre shaped as an obelisk. In 1843 a newspaper reported that it had an aloe in full bloom 'measuring nearly five feet in height and covered with innumerable bells'. Lord Ferrard died in 1843, by which time his son John, the 10th Viscount Massereene, had been running the Antrim estate, having come of age in 1833. Once his father was dead, he was able however to engage on substantial alterations. As there was little room for the then fashionable massed bedding parterres beneath the castle windows, he transformed the east and west side strips of the walled garden into parterres terraces, named 'The French Garden', though there was nothing particularly French about them, except that 'the flower-beds being formed

54 into a variety of patterns, among which…the fleur-de-lis is the most common and conspicuous'. A large conservatory with flanking lean-to ranges was built at the north end of the walled garden for vines, peaches and other tender fruits. A smaller glasshouse stood in a large hedged enclosure west of the canal that was used for growing kitchen produce and may have served that function since the later 17th century. Just south of this enclosure and immediately west of the house lay the old yard and stable blocks west of the house; this was demolished by the 10th Viscount not long after he inherited in 1844 and In its stead he built on a different site north-west of the house a handsome new stable block enclosing a square courtyard, the 'Castle Farm', but now generally known as Clotworthy House (Listed HB 20/08/004). It's picturesque basalt-faced south front with ashlar dressings faces the river and is built in a Tudor-style with curvilinear end-gables and a centrally placed grand entrance surmounted by cupola turrets and the family arms with motto 'per augusta'. The architect is unknown, possibly Charles Lanyon. In place of the former stable/farm yard the 10th Viscount created an unusual pleasure ground for his wife Olivia, who he married in 1835. It is composed of a network of small paths winding their way in a labyrinthine matter up and down small hillocks, through a rustic arch and tunnels with flanking rockeries; in the words of a writer in 1860 it comprised 'rich parterres of verdue, interspersed with beautiful flowers and shrubs, artificial mounds, roots of trees capped with the antlers of deer and flowers and moss growing among them in endless bearing variety of arbours, tunnels and winding paths'. One of the tunnels from the garden leads into the basement of a round tower to the north-east; this may have been built originally as an access into the gardens, but later it housed an elaborate water pump, possibly elected to upgrade the castle's water supply and sanitation in 1887 when William J. Fennell was undertaking work on the mansion; the upstairs of the tower was used as a rehearsal room by the Massereene Brass and Flute Band. The tower was demolished in 1970, but the pump, having been recently discovered has been conserved and is open to public view. The works to the castle in 1887, which involved building a tower at the west end of the castle complex, was the work of Clotworthy John Skeffington, the 11th Viscount Massereene. He succeeded in 1863 after his father had been killed from a fall from his horse in the grounds of the castle; an inscribed stone now marks the spot. It was round this time that the small parterre garden flanking the canal was made into a memorial garden. Ornamental trees were added to the grounds in the last few decades of the 19th century; these include a surviving Tilia tomentosa (Silver Lime), the 2nd tallest of its kind in Ireland and Irish girth champion (3.99 x 26m); Laburnum anagyroides (Laburnum), the tallest of its kind in Ireland with the second greatest girth of its kind in Ireland (1.83m at 1.1 x 9.5m) and Taxodium distichum (Swamp Cypress) measuring 1.53 x 18.5m. Antrim Castle was burnt on 28th October 1922 during a family ball; there was a subsequent proposal in 1930 to rebuild a mansion to a design of Tullock and Fitzsimmons, Belfast architects, on the ruin foundations, but this never happened and the family remained living in Clotworthy House, where they had moved in the early 1940s, having abandoned Skeffington Lodge in the park; they remained there until the death of the 12th Viscount Massereene in 1956. The local borough council then acquired the property and in April 1970 they demolished the castle ruin on the grounds that it was a public danger, leaving only Fennell's 1887 corner tower. The wrought-stone east entrance frontispiece, which incorporated 17th century elements, was dismantled by the Historic Monuments Branch to be preserved and re-erected elsewhere (it spent many years in the Castlewellan depot). At the same time a by-pass road was built running through the gardens, removing the east section of the walled garden and the Wilderness Wood and divorcing the town gate lodge from the grounds. In 1992 the council restored and converted Clotworthy House into an Arts Centre to designs of Caroline Dickson. Subsequently, following excavations, the large enclosure, formerly a kitchen garden and then a hockey pitch, was transformed into a large and elaborate parterre in late 17th/early 18th century style with a raised terrace of stilted hornbeams. The model for the new parterre layout came from plans of a parterre of c.1720 that once existed at Castle Coole in Co Fermanagh. This area is bounded by a fine clipped lime hedge and a

55 venerable yew hedge. In 2009-12 Antrim Castle grounds were subjected to an extensive HLF supported restoration/conservation scheme (£5.8 million); this involved restoring Clotworthy House, creating a flanking courtyard garden, incorporating a glass house on one side, with the long barn on its north side remodelled as an entrance with offices and incorporating the ‘Oriel Gallery’. Restoration work was undertaken on the canals; the Wilderness Wood, ponds, parterre, walled garden, motte and site of the former house beside the river, where visitors can now see now the outline of the building marked in the ground.

The Steeple

The gentleman’s residence of circa 1819 (Listed HB 20/09/002) is set above well maintained grass terracing in flat parkland (registered area 18.5 acres/7.5ha), with clumps of mature trees and shelter belt planting, located 0.8 miles (1.3km) north-east of Antrim Main-street. House was burnt in 2019 and parkland that now survives is only a fraction of its former size when laid out in the Regency period for William Clarke, for his fine new two-storey stuccoed house with oversailing pitched roof, full-height bows and Tuscan portico. It replaced (on a different site) a modest dwelling here owned by the Jackson family, who had owned the property since the 17th century. In the 1830s the OS Memoirs refer to the ‘… pretty shrubberies of evergreens and two very neat and well laid out flower gardens…’ (OSM 1835) which have not survived. The Early Christian monastic round tower in the grounds was photographed by the local. W. A. Green in the early years of the 20th century, showing ornamental planting around it; this tower and the whole south part of the park is scheduled (AN 050:008/050:009). The former walled garden, where the ballaun stone rested, has now been built over. There are two gate lodges which Dean suggests are c.1845, but could be late 1820s; these are the North and South Lodges, both lie on the east side. The Clarke family remained here until 1929 when it was sold to a Mr. Fawcett and acquired by Antrim Rural District Council in 1956 for use as offices. SMR: ANT 50:8 ballaun stone, 50:9 round tower, 50:128 antiquity? The house was for a time the headquarters of ; unfortunately, it was burnt to a shell on the morning of 2 July 2019. Public are admitted to the grounds. SMR 050:008 (ballaun); 050: 007 (settlement site) & 050:009 (Ecclesiastical site)- State Care and Scheduled.

Shane’s Castle

This very extensive and fine walled demesne (2,228 acres/900ha), one of the largest and most important designed landscapes in Ulster, occupies the northern shore of Lough Neagh and southeast of Randalstown. It has medieval origins with a succession of early houses known as Edenduffcarrick on the lough shore. Ownership remained more-or-less continuously with the same family since the mid-14th century, when the Clann Aedha Buidha (Clanaboy or Clandeboye) O’Neills spread eastwards over the Bann into mid-Antrim. The village of Edenduffcarrick is first mentioned in 1470, and two decades later a Caislèn was ‘destroyed’ here. By the 16th-century Edenduffcarrick was the main residence of the Clandeboye O’Neills and as such featured regularly in their internecine conflicts, as well as English attempts to control the region. By 1596, the castle, which included a bawn and small harbour had become a ‘ruinated pile’; it was rebuilt post 1606 by Shane MacBrian O’Neill after whom the castle was subsequently named; indeed, as early as 1613 he was officially being addressed as ‘of Shane’s Castle’. This early 17th-century fortified house was a Scottish 'Z' plan type, part of the fabric of which still survives in the ruins of the later house (Listed HB 20/04/051). Rose O’Neill, Shane’s grand- daughter, married Randal McDonnell Marquess of Antrim in 1653 and sometime afterwards she remodelled the house, making the entrance in the smaller of the tower towers of the 'Z'-plan house. Following her death in 1695 the house (by 1716) passed to a cousin John O’Neill, known as ‘French John’ and then in 1738 to his son Charles, none of whom made any major alterations to Rose O'Neill's house, which is depicted with its bawn and village clustered outside on a mid-18th century painting.

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In 1722 a vault was built in the south-west corner of a private graveyard closed in 1802 of what had been almost certainly the village church (of which there is no record), the vault being built by Shane O'Neill (French John) as 'a burial place to himself and family of Clanneboy' (Listed HB 20/04/042V); within the graveyard (ANT 049/054) are mature conifers, yew and ash trees; gateway to graveyard gates to 1684. There are no contemporary detailed maps showing the landscape at this time, but the area around the house to the north and west would have had formal geometric gardens and landscape, no obvious traces of which survive. In letter patent from Charles II in 1666 Rose was given licence to create a 2,000 acre deer park - this is shown on Lendrick's 1780 map of Antrim; it covered around 1460 acres (590 ha) west of the house and included much of the present demesne, with its north boundary being the old Randalstown road extending to Randalstown itself, while the west boundary ran some distance west of the River Main along roughly similar lines to the present west boundary of the registered demesne; this means that an enormous area of Shane's Castle demesne today has been managed continuously as parkland since the 1660s. Within the old deer park and possibly dating from the early 18th century is a decoy pond, now located in the woods 370m (1,200ft) east of the River Main; shown as a square without its pipes on the OS maps. While the creation of the landscape park at Shane's Castle is largely the work of the great landscape designer John Sutherland, much began in the 1770s before his time and following the death of Charles O'Neill in 1769. Charles had been was succeeded by his eldest son John who represented the county of Antrim for several years in the Irish Parliament, and was created Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, in 1793 and 1st Viscount O'Neill in 1795, before he was killed by insurgents at the Battle of Antrim in 1798. In the 1770s he had started not only to enlarge and remodel the old house, but to create a landscape park and clear away the adjoining village. The driving force behind these changes came from his wife Lady Henrietta Boyle, who had been brought up at Tottenham House near Bath. By the 1780s the place was being much admired; for example, The Post Chaise Companion of 1786 remarked that Shane’s castle had 'most extensive and delightful parks, rich demesnes, and noble plantations’. They added projecting end bays to the house and built a lakeside terrace with a conservatory ‘the castle wall forming one side, and the glass projecting into the lake on the other’. Linking a conservatory to a house was a revolutionary idea at that time and attracted much attention from visitors, including the Rev. The Parks and Garden Register, August 2020 Beauford in 1787, who noted that it had an alcove for meals at one end, leading ‘to hot and cold bathing apartments with painted windows. Sarah Siddons, the foremost actress of the day, visited her friend Henrietta O’Neill at Shane’s Castle in 1784 and likened her reception there to ‘an Arabian Night’s entertainment’, where they 'plucked our dessert from numerous trees of the most exquisite fruits' in the conservatory. Some of the outer walls of this conservatory still survives at basement level beneath John Nash’s much larger replacement built in 1812-16 for Charles O’Neill (1779-1841), who inherited the castle on the untimely death of his father in 1798. While the first Viscount O'Neill had started to remove the old late 17th century formal gardens around the house and make the area into parkland, it was his son, Charles Henry St. O'Neill (1799- 1841), created Earl O’Neill in 1800, aged only twenty-one, who energetically embarked upon completing this work and transforming the demesne into what it is today. It is possible that his father had already engaged John Sutherland (1745-1826), Ireland's premier landscape gardener and the Irish contemporary of Humphry Repton to undertake the landscaping of Shane's Castle. The Earl O’Neill held him in such high esteem that in 1822 he commissioned the painter Martin Cregan to paint him in his working books and open cravat, with Shane’s Castle in the background; this picture which still hangs at Shane's Castle, is the only portrait known of an Irish landscape gardener of the period. Sutherland cleared away the last vestiges of the village of Edenduffcarrick, and under his guidance the old Antrim- Randalstown Road was re-routed north to its present course. Sutherland was an architect as well as a landscape gardener and was probably responsible for the stable yards built 400m (1,300ft) north-west of the house and the adjacent walled garden. Prior to this old stable and outer offices were evidently

57 placed north of the house and close to the grave yard; a subterranean tunnel which still exists and appears to date from the 1780s linked the house and yard offices. The removal of the village and yard offices allowed the present park to be made north and east of the house, which today contains many well distributed venerable trees with substantial shelter belts, which once accommodated walks and rides; along the new Randalstown road Sutherland laid out three screen plantations, the Ross Brae Plantation, The Moss Plantation and the Ballygrooby Plantation, all of which have retained their original outline. Clumps and plantations also grace the meadows. It may be noted that in the 1830s the woods were mainly of beech, elm and oak, which also afforded cover for game such as pheasants and hare and so were not routinely thinned. The main area of this parkland is around the old castle where many mature parkland trees survive and includes some fine champion trees; a Turner’s Oak (Quercus x tureni) is Irish Height and Girth Champion; a Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) and a Red Oak (Quercus rubra) both have the second greatest-girthed of their kind in Ireland. Other champions include a Dombey’s Southern Beech (Nothofagus dombeyi); a Himalayan Fir (Abies spectabilis); a Ginkgo or Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba); a Swamp Spanish Oak or a Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) and a Blue Magnolia or Cucumber tree (Magnolia acuminate). Part of the parkland between the old castle and the present dwelling house was made into a deer park which was constructed in 1979. When the Earl O'Neill was making his new park and demesne, inevitably the old deer park had to be closed, so he made a new walled deer park on the west side of the River Main covering 400 acres (165ha); this excluded the woodland along the Main River and was largely an area of open pasture area dotted with trees and with an oval clump, Magees Clump on its north side, and a large central clump which contained the deer sheds. The old boundary of the 17th-century deer park runs through the centre of this new park, which had a ranger's cottage on its south side, called 'Deerpark Cottage'. This deer park was sold to DAERA (Forest Service) before the last war and is now known as Randalstown Forest. At the same time as Sutherland was remodelling the west side of the, both the Deerpark Bridge (Listed HB20/04/042S) and the Dunmore Bridge were built (Listed HB 20/04.042R) in 1801 and 1803/4 respectively, very probably designed by Sutherland. At the house itself, the Earl O’Neill engaged the famous English Architect, John Nash, possibly on Sutherland's advice as the two had already worked on several projects together. Nash was engaged to remodel the house in a picturesque-castle style with a large 100m long embattled gravelled terrace (Listed HB 20/04/043) The Parks and Garden Register, August 2020 with dramatic vault beneath (Listed HB 20/04/044). There is a conservatory at one end (Listed HB 20/04/042) and a two-tiered ‘telescopic’ tower at the other end. The terrace’s stone parapet has twenty-one embrasures, each one filled with a twelve pounder cast-iron cannon, all dated 1790 and apparently removed from an English vessel that foundered in in the latter years of the Napoleonic War. The only completed building on the terrace is the impressive 32 metre long conservatory (Listed HB 20/04/042), whose crenellated ashlar façade has an arcade of thirteen semi-circular glazed openings, each opening on a central pivot. Internally, it has a fully glazed tripartite roof, supported by two rows of twelve remarkably slender cast-iron columns. It was ‘stocked with some rare exotics besides some remarkably fine orange and lemon trees’ but after the 1870s was filled with camellias and is thus often called the Camellia House; it was restored in 2010 winning a ‘highly commended’ award from the Irish Georgian Society in 2011. After the fire in 15th May 1816 the Earl O’Neill halted all further building and moved to the stable yard, which had been built at this time to serve the new house 400m (1,300ft to the north-west. The yard takes the form of two quadrangular yards (Listed HB 20/04/040A/B; renumbered 042F), probably designed by Sutherland, with a stack yard on the west side and an adjacent walled garden on the south, all designed as a unit with an elegant cupola over the central arch linking the two yards. We do not know much about the house he built within the yard ranges post 1812 he initially remodelled north range of the east yard; later in the 1830s a much larger two-storey mansion out of this north range; the entrance faced south into the yard and the garden front (facing east) comprising a central full height canted bay, flanked by

58 pairs of windows each side on both floors with the castellated polygonal ashlar corners turrets on each corner. As was the fashion at the time, the garden front faced elaborate flower parterres, shown on the 2nd edition OS map. The architect may have been one John Robinson who is recorded as being here in the early 1830s, or the London architect Robert Lugar who proposed designs 'for a house in castle style' for the Earl O'Neill, exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1840. South of the yards lay the walled garden (6.2 acres/2.51ha) - a large rectangular area with north-east south-west axis also built around 1800. It was divided into two equal sections (each 3.1 acres/1.26ha) with a long glasshouse range running down the central spine wall; more buildings lay in the north section. In 1838 the walled garden was described as being well stocked, with a grapery, pine pits (for pineapples) and other hothouse fruit, while earlier in 1817 Anne Plumtre described how ‘one division of the garden was entirely devoted to roses, of which there were above 400 different species'. To the west on alignment with the walled garden, lay a large nursery (6.3 acres/2.56ha) enclosed on all four sides by narrow belts of trees, while to the south of both nursery and walled garden lay the pleasure grounds, with access into the walled garden lying in the centre of the long south wall. These pleasure grounds contained two ‘pretty rustic cottages of wood’, neither of which survives. The Earl O'Neill planned other improvement at Shane's Castle, notably in 1815, the London architect John Papworth was engaged to design a new park entrance which was exhibited at the Royal Academy. The Sandgate Lodge however, which was built at this time (1815) and located opposite the entrance, is now gone. He also added several picturesque cottages and garden shelters to the demesne, but all these are now gone save for Ballealy Cottage [Listed HB 20/04/042P]. The Earl O'Neill died in 1841 and was succeeded by his brother John Bruce Richard O'Neill, 3rd Viscount O'Neill (1780-1855), who completed building the demesne wall in the 1840s. He engaged the architect James Sands from 1841 onwards and Sands may have been responsible for the very grand entrance Complex, The Randalstown Gate Lodge (Listed HB 20/04/042I), built around 1848; this is the grandest of a series of porter's lodges that in the opinion of Dean are 'unsurpassed in Ireland'. Dean believed that Sands also designed the Dunmore Lodge round 1850 (Listed HB 20/04/042L), the most decorative of the Picturesque lodges, adapted from Pugin's Ornamental Gables; in 1855 a bridge was built (juts outside the registered area) to give access to this bridge over the railway cutting (Listed HB 20/04/042T). Dean also credits Sands with the Antrim Lodge (Listed GB 20/04/042J), which is very much as Dunmore Lodge and the Whitegate Lodge c.1848 (Listed HB 30/04/042K). Kynes Cottage [Listed The Parks and Garden Register, August 2020 HB20/04/042M) may also belong this period; it replaced an earlier lodge, which presumably dated before the building of the Castle Road. The yards were extended in the 1840s with a series of new yards replaced the former stack yard (Listed HB 20/04/042/H); around the same time three demesne cottage were constructed to the north-west facing into the parkland (Listed HB 20/04/042N). After the 3rd Viscount died in 1855, childless, the property was inherited by Rev. William Chichester (1813-1883), who adopted the O'Neill name in 1868 was raised as 1st Baron O'Neill of the present creation. He commissioned Charles Lanyon, William Henry Lynn and Charles Lanyon in 1860, the contractor being James Henry of Belfast. This was reported as having been completed 'on the site of the old structure' in October 1861, though the large gabled Music Hall on the north side was not completed until 1863. The new house was a plain gabled High Victorian mansion in 'early Gothic' style with large square tower at one end, all built of ashlar from with Caen stone chimneypieces; Lynn returned to add a billiard room in 1901 and Peddie did further work in 1911. Also, from the 1860s the pleasure gardens south of the walled garden and nursery to the lake (where there is a shelter belt) were expanded and an arboretum included. Within this area an old quarry was transformed around this time into an impressive and extensive rockery with a pond and much rockwork, including a series of arches [Listed HB 20/04/042X]. It was photographed by Welch at the turn of the century, when it was stocked with ferns, monkey puzzles and other exotics. A description of 1887 shows how it contained rocks of the same curious formation as the Giant’s Causeway with 'Forests of rare ferns,

59 lakelets covered with water lilies…masses of gorgeous autumn plants laid out in borders and beds made it a little nook of beauty'. The visitor also noted a tropoeolum [nasturtium], 'the finest I ever saw, climbed in crimson festoons over the black basaltic wall.’ The rockery was subject to a restoration in the 1990s and the pleasure gardens here are still maintained and planted with new varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas added. The 1st baron did other improvements, notably in the yards where new ranges were added including a saw mill [IAR 7170:000:00 and IAR 7170:001:00]. After his death in 1883, the demesne was inherited by his son, Edward Chichester, later O'Neill, the 2nd Baron (1839- 1928). Unfortunately, it was during his time that the mansion was burnt by insurgents 20 May 1922. In the 1930s Shane O'Neill, the 3rd baron (1907-44) commissioned the London architect Oliver Hill to produce drawings for a very substantial Queen Anne Revival house to be located south-west of the old nursery, above the rockery, facing the lough. This was never built; instead, the present Lord O'Neill, Raymond, commissioned Arthur Jury of Blackwood and Jury to build a classical house in 1958-59 opposite the yard from the site of the 19th century mansion (HB20/04/042D]. From the 1960s the old walled gardens were transformed: The Upper Garden, at the south side of the new house had a garden designed in around 1963/4 by Major Daniel which has now been altered. It is square but with a circular effect of lawns and beds and a yew hedge. Plants include hostas, lilies, peonies and roses. The vista to the lough at right-angles to the house, follows a 19th-century path, which is interrupted by a wall with a central opening flanked by pillars and the southern part is grassy and extends to the lough shore. At the southern end there is a bog garden. and south of the wall is the Lower Garden which was laid out in 1967/68; it contains small and medium-sized woody plants such as magnolia, cornus and two camellia borders with old fashioned roses and daffodils. West of this the arc of a former conservatory is planted with climbers. Nearby was a croquet lawn and tennis courts. The Shane's Castle Railway opened with a track laid from the Antrim Gate Lodge to the old castle ruins, and private station buildings at each end, but closed in the 1990s; by 1988, a symbolic figure statue [listed HB20.04.042U], sculpted in the 1920s, was erected in the disused burial ground. The great number of SMR: sites indicate the very considerable importance of the area covered by Shane's Castle Demesne in the past. SMR: ANT 49:20 motte and bailey, 49:21 and 22 raths, 49:29 Shanes Castle (ruins), 49:30 tree ring, 49:31 enclosure/tree ring, 49:32 rath, 49:33 tree ring, 49:34 motte and bailey, 49:35 motte?, 49:36 enclosure, 49:37 and 38 raths, 49:39 and 40 enclosures, 49:54 private graveyard, 49:55 and 63 enclosures, 49:78 standing stone, 49: rath. Private

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11.0 Opportunities for heritage development

Based on the audit findings and initial feedback from potential stakeholders, it has been possible to identify four thematic areas for community focused built and cultural heritage engagement in the Antrim Town area. These are broadly summarised below.

‘Development of our County Town’ - Increasing understanding of Antrim Town’s built and cultural heritage through new research

Objectives:

a. Implementation of a series of community archaeological site investigations including geophysical surveys, field surveys and excavations

b. Compilation of a database of known archaeological artefacts associated with Antrim Town.

c. Dissemination of new research through a series of publications and story maps.

Enhancing public access to Antrim’s built heritage

Objectives:

a. Facilitate provision of new public access trails to Antrim’s built heritage

b. Provide information for new digital interpretation of key archaeological sites.

‘Connecting people to Antrim’s built and cultural heritage’ – Increasing public understanding of past ways of life

Objectives:

a. Production and implementation of a programme of workshops providing specialist tuition on local heritage.

b. Production of a permanent exhibition reflecting Antrim’s historical past.

c. Production and implementation of a school programme exploring ‘Historic Antrim’

d. Delivery of a series of walks & talks for community groups and the public.

e. Production and implementation of a series of events reflecting Antrim’s built and cultural heritage.

Develop heritage skill sets

a. Production and implementation of a series of heritage skills workshops such as basket making and pottery making.

b. Production and implementation of a series of built heritage skills such as building repair.

These objectives could be delivered over a three year timeframe at a total estimated cost of £608,200.00 (see Table 6) with funding being sourced primarily from the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of a wider bid currently being developed by the Lough Neagh Partnership Ltd.

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Table 6: Indicative projects and associated costs

Activity Description Cost The Development of our County Town Geophysical survey The Steeple ANT 050:008/050:009 £ 9,000.00 Platform rath/Motte & Bailey ANT 050:013 £ 9,000.00 Antrim Castle Gardens AN-001 £ 9,000.00 Community excavations The Steeple ANT 050:008/050:009 £ 15,000.00 Platform rath/Motte & Bailey ANT 050:013 £ 15,000.00 Antrim Castle Gardens AN-001 £ 15,000.00 Story Map Historical, cartographic and architectural £ 6,400.00 analysis, compiling elements to facilitate the creation of an online research platform (GIS story map) Creation and editing of GIS Story Map £ 3,000.00 Publications Publications on the 'Industrial heritage of £ 18,000.00 Antrim', 'Antrim's historic buildings' and 'Churches and Townlands of Antrim Town' Artefacts database Record known archaeological artefacts £ 3,000.00 Enhancing Access to Heritage Digital Heritage Antrim Development of new 'apps' and AR £ 120,000.00 Pedestrian access 2Km of new heritage walking trails £ 200,000.00 infrastructure Connecting People to Antrim' Built and Cultural Heritage Historic Antrim Schools Preparation of an education pack for teachers £ 5,000.00 Programme and devising guided trails which will link into key areas of the Key Stage 2 curriculum Producing and printing packs for schools £ 4,300.00 Facilitated school visits £ 5,000.00 Facilitated school field trips to Antrim sites £ 5,000.00 Understanding Antrim's built Site visits, survey training,Oral history £ 16,000.00 heritage training,Folklore study training, etc. Delivery of 20 talks and 12 Town heritage £ 8,000.00 Walks and Talks Programme walks Historic Antrim exhibition Design, manufacture and installation £ 80,000.00 Heritage events programme Experimental archaeology weekend x 3 £ 22,500.00 Developing Heritage Skills Traditional building skills Repairing buildings at risk, thatch, etc £ 20,000.00 workshops Traditional heritage skills Pottery, basket making etc £ 20,000.00 workshops TOTAL PROJECT COSTS £ 608,200.00

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