Limavady Heritage Trail Largy Ritter’s Largy Generator ‘Largy – Leargaidh – the side or the slope of a hill’ Now predominantly a farming community, Largy was a thriving centre for linen production. There was a large bleaching mill at Largy Green, which operated until the 1830s, when the building was converted into a spinning mill. A weaving mill was also established, which now houses Green Lane Museum. Community life has long been focused around the Orange Lodge and Presbyterian Church. Largy Presbyterian Church was built This is the only surviving example in between 1831 and 1836. The local Northern Ireland of a hydro-electric power station. landlord, Alexander Alexander, provided the land and the building The station was built in 1896 by John was paid for by public subscription. Ritter, who installed three water turbines here to generate an alternate Largy Orange Lodge No. 988 was first current to light his house at Roe Park. granted its warrant in 1911 and The venture was so successful that he later formed the PERIOD originally met in a local barn. Largy Limavady Electric Company, which supplied electricity C19th/20th Orange Hall was built in 1954 and to Limavady and Ballykelly. GRID REFERENCE has also been used as a dance hall and C6795 2030 as a cinema. In 1946 the Dogleap Station was acquired by the Electricity Board for Northern Ireland. It was closed in 1967, when TOWNLAND electricity could be generated more cheaply and efficiently Largy with fossil fuels. As we have become aware of the ACCESS environmental impact of using fossil fuels the possibility Roe Valley of re-opening the hydro-electric power station has been Country Park investigated, but has not yet been developed. It remains a memorial to Ritter’s foresight and pioneering spirit. OPEN 9am - 5pm 1st Oct to 30th Mar 9am - 6pm 1st Apr to 30th Sep Largy The Largy Bridge Ploughman Poet A bridge was first erected here around 1624 by PERIOD Samuel Connor, known as the Largy Ploughman Poet, PERIOD Sir Thomas Phillips, during the Plantation of the area C17th/19th was born in this small cottage in 1883 to a large farming C19th under the direction of The Honourable the Irish Society. GRID REFERENCE family. He wrote ‘Sweet Largy Braes’, a well-known song GRID REFERENCE praising the beauty of the local countryside. The original bridge collapsed in 1680 and was replaced C6794 2033 C6810 1820 by a wooden bridge after 1782, and then the present TOWNLAND Samuel attended Largy School until he was 12 years old, TOWNLAND stone bridge in 1828. During the 1840s, the bridge was Largy but he was an enthusiastic reader and soon began to Largy widened by famine relief workers to become a toll write poetry. His work was very popular, and was regularly ACCESS ACCESS bridge. It has altered little since then and still provides published in the Northern Constitution and the Coleraine Roe Valley Viewed from the a dramatic focal point for the surrounding buildings Chronicle, even after he and his family emigrated to Country Park Roe Valley Country and landscape. Canada in 1925. He died in Brampton, Ontario Park river walk OPEN on 2nd October 1958, aged 76, but his work is still 9am - 5pm remembered and often recited. OPEN 1st Oct to 30th Mar 9am - 5pm Ah! When I am doomed among strangers to toil, 9am - 6pm 1st Oct to 30th Mar The land of my boyhood I cannot revile, 1st Apr to 30th Sept 9am - 6pm No, oft in my rapture still let me return 1st Apr to 30th Sept To view the dear cottage in which I was born, There let me roam where sweet friendship delays; There’s no spot in this world like the sweet Largy Braes. From ‘Sweet Largy Braes’ written 23rd June 1923 PERIOD Largy Carrick C19th GRID REFERENCE Primary School Mills C6859 1907 TOWNLAND Terrydremont South and This large complex of mill buildings housed a wide North variety of industrial activity during the 19th century, ACCESS and is now being converted into holiday homes. Viewed from Roe Valley There was a linen bleaching mill here in the early Country Park car park 1800s. It was converted into a flax scutching mill in the 1830s and later into a corn mill. The complex also included a corn kiln, a flour mill and a flax retting mill, with associated stores and houses. The mills were powered by water wheels up to 11 feet high and a mill race leading from the River Roe at Carrick Rocks. Largy Primary School opened on 1st January 1859 and PERIOD is the oldest primary school in the Western Education C19th/21st and Library Board. Its imaginative building, almost GRID REFERENCE unchanged since it was built, makes it unique. C6752 1839 It was built by the local landlord, Samuel Maxwell TOWNLAND Alexander, who chose the site after riding throughout Largy his estate planting flags on every hill top to find which one was the highest. There was one classroom heated ACCESS PERIOD by an open fire at each end and connected to an Private, permission C20th adjoining two storey teacher’s residence. must be gained The Largy from landowner GRID REFERENCE In 1962, the school was threatened with closure, but Pillars C6737 1831 was saved through a determined campaign by the local TOWNLAND community and media. However, numbers remained Largy small and in 2008 it closed to merge with Dungiven and The entrance pillars and gates to the school Burnfoot Primary Schools at the new Drumrane Primary are protected with the main building as ACCESS School in Burnfoot. being of special architectural or historical Viewed from interest. The pillars became the main meeting Drumrane Road point for the local community, where news, stories and gossip were exchanged each day. It is also the location of one of the few Victorian post boxes still in use. Through History Path Limavady’s E: MUSEUM SERVICE CAUSEWAY For moreinformationpleasecontact: T: C19th C18th BC (028)7034723 [email protected] LARGY SCHOOL DRUMSURN OLD CHAPEL CARNANBANE TOMB C19th C18th 4500-2500BC BALLYDONEGAN SWEATHOUSE LARGY POET’S HOUSE AUGHLISH STONE CIRCLE C18th C19th 2500BC 4 DRUMCOVITT HOUSE BROIGHTER HOARD FIND SPOT LARGY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH C18th C19th C1stBC TANNYRANNY CHURCH C1st C18th DRUMCEATT ASSEMBLY SITE LIMAVADY JUNCTION E: T: CENTRE INFORMATION TOURIST LIMAVADY C1st (028)77760307 [email protected] C19th THE RHELLICK, KILLEEN C19th C19th BLACK FORT C5th DRUMSURN RAILWAY STATION C5th/C12th C19th LARGY BRIDGE C19th WHITE FORT MAGILLIGAN RAILWAY STATION C5th/C12th C19th LIMAVADY WORKHOUSE C19th KING’S FORT C5th/ C12th BELLARENA RAILWAY STATION PAUPER’S GRAVEYARD C19th C19th Designed by Tandemdesign.co.uk MillenandRachel Cassidy Tim Photography by: Heritage LotteryFund. community outreach programme supported by the Limavady andMoyle.Thisprojectispartofathree year between The CausewayMuseumServicerepresentsapartnership TANDRAGEE FORT C5th/C12th OS MARK MAGILLIGAN BALLYKELLY OS BASE TOWER C19th C19th the four local authorities of Coleraine, Ballymoney, the fourlocalauthoritiesofColeraine,Ballymoney, ROUGH FORT Those featuredinthisguidearehighlighted. sitesintheirhistoricalcontext. Heritage Trail Below isatimelineshowingLimavady MAGILLIGAN MARTELLO TOWER C5th/C12th OS MARK BENBRADAGH C19th C7/8th C19th TAMNIARIN FORT SAMPSON’S TOWER C7th/C8th ST MATTHEW’S GRAVEYARD C20th C19th DRUMSURN C12th BANAGHER OLD CHURCH C20th LOUGHERY’S SCUTCHING MILL C12th C19th LARGY ORANGE HALL BOVEVAGH CHURCH C20th KILHOYLE LIME WORKS C12th C19th LARGY PILLARS DUNGIVEN PRIORY GALVIN SCHOOL C20th C12th C19th C13th AGHANLOO AIRFIELD WW2 RITTER’S GENERATOR ST AIDAN’S CHURCH WW2 C19th C13th BALLYKELLY AIRFIELD CARRICK MILLS DUNGIVEN CASTLE C17th WW2 C19th C17th/C19th.