| Castlewellan Heritage |
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Perched on a hillside nestled between the northern foothills of the Mourne Mountains, Castlewellan is a market town on the main Downpatrick to Dublin road. It is uniquely laid out with two main Squares and a broad main street designed by a French architect in the style of a French market town. |
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The
Corncrane
This large two storey building was primarily used for
storing, selling and the weighing of grain at the turn
of the centuryt. It acted as an 'epicentre' of the trade
for the Castlewellan and surrounding area, with some products
being exchanged in the immediate locality, whilst others
followed the international route via Dundrum Harbour.
The building has since varied its use from Parachial and
Governmental functions to the modern community commercial
enterprise activities which it now offers. However this
local landmark still has an underlying premise of serving
its local community through |
offering
educational training, providing information on health
and social welfare, energy efficiency advice, youth activities
and other environmental, and social facets that the town
area may possess.
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Greer
House
This house was pccupied by David Greer, a police sergeant
and later land stewart to the Annesleys. His granddaughter
was Gree Garson a famous film actress during the 1940's.
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Hillyard House
This two storey complex was named after the well known Dr. Hillyard who had a surgery and dispensary located in the area from 1910-1930. This private dwelling was converted into a shop in 1984 – illustrating ‘an evolution of the status quo of an era’ as any such activity in Castle Avenue had prior to this been prohibited by the Annesleys. This address also hosted a reading room and an Old Coaching Inn. The reading room was for the convenience of the public, and free of charge to anyone. The building now |
serves a conglomerate of tourist, catering, conference and accommodation activities, which is welcomed and enjoyed by tourists and residents of local, regional, national and international status.
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Stewarts Drapery
When John and Bertie Stewart retired in 1928, Henry McCracken moved to the ‘Oak Hall’ and continued in the drapery trade. When Henry died in 1934, his brother James ‘took over’, operating one of the largest outfitting shops in the area. On his death, the entire building was sold to Davy Prentice from Portadown, who built a large showroom for the sale of cars. This type of business was not successful in Castlewellan, so in 1983 a Downpatrick man Mr Lavery opened a Meat Freezer Centre under the name of MKL Meats. The ‘Oak Hall’ now flourishes as a ‘Fresh Food Centre’ under the guidance of Marty O’Higgins.
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Savages
Hugh Savage, in partnership with Mr. Beades, bought Kings Mineral Water Manufacturers in Castlewellan about 1910. Hugh soon operated one of the towns leading grocery shops as well as the pub. Hugh Savage died in 1953, the grocery was closed and the pub extended, taking in the shop area for a lounge. Savages remains a family business to this day.
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Maginns
From 1910 to 1940, if anyone wanted a house then John Maginn was the man to contact. John also owned the pub beside what is known as the ‘Town Dam’. At the rear he had his stables as well as a bottling plant for making all flavours of minerals. He was also a spirit dealer and delivery vans were seen on most roads. When John retired in 1940, the business was bought by his nephew – Jimmy Maginn, who extended the business in 1974 opening a large lounge, and in 1984, a restaurant.
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Methodist Chapel
This building, located below the Market House, on the right and almost at the end of the Town, was a small place of worship. The descriptive stone above the entrance is carved with the words “Primitive Wesleyan Methodist Chapel built in 1869”. It is now the Castlewellan Gospel Hall. It was once the property of the Annesleys and is one of the Town’s historical buildings.
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Greenans Furniture
Pat ‘Soady’ O’Hare started his own business towards the end of the 1800’s at premises in the low end of the Town facing John Maginns. He sold groceries, delph, newspapers and spirits and also had a large showroom for the furniture he manufactured at the rear. This business was later sold to Peter Greenan in 1957. Peter concentrated his efforts on drapery and the pub. He also closed a petrol station he had operated during the 1960-70 period. Peter named the pub the ‘Four Arches’.
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Mooney Brothers
Located at the corner of Upper Square, this was one of the largest wholesale and retail grocers, wine and spirit merchants in the province, if not in Ireland. It was operated by Mooney Murray and later the Connolly family. They blended whiskey called Donard Dew “Not a headache in a hogs head”. The premises have recently been refurbished by the Magorrian family. |
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Old Public Elementary School
Prior to being a public school, this property was employed in part, as the old Castlewellan Army Barracks. This site served as an ideal meeting point for locals as the gable was well sheltered and most of the town could be viewed from the area. The building was later acquired by James Wilson who opened a furniture and factory shop which existed until approximately 1950.
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Smiley’s Chemist
In the 1900’s this address hosted one of Castlewellan’s Chemist Shops. It was owned by Samuel Smiley who would also test eyesight for glasses and relieve a person of an aching tooth. This property was purchased by Robert Armstrong, the Draper in 1940.this building entertained many uses until 1962 when it was bought by Sammy Brown from Backaderry, whose wife Yvonne carried on her ladies hairdresser business.
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Magorrian’s Boot and Shoe Shop
This shop opened about 1900 employing a couple of men to help repair shoes. To a customer looking for a new pair of boots or shoes, George produced the right foot only from the box. If the customer didn’t like it, he slung it into a heap of new footwear in the corner. When George died about 1956, there was a sale of his goods and everyone there searched for right footed boots, as there was nothing on the shelves but boxes of lefts. This property was then bought by Hugo King, the Draper, who divided it providing two shops. The left side became a Post Office, and the right side a Confectionery run by Gerry Mullen. The Post Office remained there until 1983 after which Joe Steele took over the entire property. His supermarket business thrived in the Town until 2006.
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American House
The house was an emporium owned by the Stewarts of Castlewellan. About 1924 The American House was cleared away and by 1926 the Town had a new Ulster Bank. The Stewarts moved to the ‘Oak House’ and were hardly settled in when both parents died – Mrs Stewart on the 29th and her husband in the 30th March 1927 of a broken heart. They left two sons Bertie and John who sold the complex to Henry McCracken and moved to Newcastle.
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Skillens
Willie Skillen initiated this family business in 1907 repairing watches, clocks and jewellery. He often etched his name and the date of repairs on any time piece, illustrating the pride he bestowed on his work. As with many other watchmakers, Willie turned his attention to the bicycle trade which in turn evolved into motorcycles and eventually motor repairs. A ‘spin off’ from this trade was Skillens Taxi Service. Willie died in 1947. However, the Jewellery Shop has continued as a family business to this day.
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McKenny’s
James McKenny, Beer, Wine and Spirits, bottled for his wholesale business and made his own minerals with water taken from a wall half a mile out the Rathfriland Road. James was also a horse dealer and stood his horses behind the pub on the Lower Square. The McKenny pub and dwelling was burned down in 1920 and rebuilt into a pub and three dwelling houses for McKenny’s three sons.
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Old Police Barracks
On the main street facing the Catholic Church stand the Old Police Barracks. It was built in 1830 and belonged to the Annesley Estate. These premises were leased to Patsy Mullen, a local man, for 200 years at £85.00 per year, but were bought outright in 1976 for £1,750.00. Patsy built a motor repair garage at the rear with petrol pumps on the square. He continues to be a great historian, craftsman and promoter of Castlewellan and its surrounding area.
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The Catholic Church
This church is carved from one of the hardest known granites hewn from a mountain in Ballymagreehan, two miles outside the Town. This building is located a distance from the Main Street to allow an observer to fully appreciate the fine detail from the ground to the peak of the 175 foot high spire. Built in 1884, and built of a design which will probably never be copied, it stands as a monumental credit to the men who made it.
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Bustards Boots, Shoe and Clog Factory
Tucked in the corner adjacent to the Catholic Church was Bustard’s Boot , Shoe and Clog Factory with dwelling attached. Approximately 40 people were employed by Bustard at the end of the 1800’s and every market day a glass case containing samples of footwear was carried to the Main Street and locked to an iron post surrounding the Corncrane. Customers could also leave the clogs they were wearing and have them re-shod, and a pair of clogs would be loaned to them for the day until they collected their own on the way home. This area has been occupied as a Charity Shop by the Foreign Missions since 1976.
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Posting Establishment
This building was Andy Tufts General Store, Funeral Undertaker and Posting Establishment and later his grandson James Wilson’s Furniture Shop and Auctioneers.
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Shillidays
In 1900, a very old building between tufts and Lintons, belonging to O’Hagan Wards, and was used as a family butchers, was demolished and rebuilt with red and yellow bricks as can be seen in any picture taken since that date. When J. Shilliday first bought Ward’s, there was evidence that a picture house had been in operation at the rear of the building a few years earlier.
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Lintons
This building was once tenanted by Willie Linton, who operated in the business of grocery, confectionery, toys, daily and weekly papers as well as being an agent for shipping lines. Hence, this is where all emigrants made their first ‘port of call’. Willie Linton was always fond of a joke and it didn’t take the Town lads long to discover where the laughs were to be had. Willie Linton used to always preach “Look after the half pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”. By doing this he said he would die a wealthy man. When his time eventually arrived Willie Junior and his wife took over and carried on the business until their retirement in 1961, when the property was sold to Ian Cossett who later sold the business to a Belfast man in 1986.
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Cunningham’s
Cunningham Bros. Hauliers, Taxis, Funerals, Petrol and Car Repairs was situated in the Main Street, occupying property once known as ‘The Star Bakery’. The Cunningham’s offered a ‘pick-up’ service of goods from trains located half a mile outside the Town from 1912. In 1985 Brendan Cunningham closed his Petrol and Motor Accessory Trade and continued with funerals only. In 1986, he ventured into selling potted plants and flowers for the garden.
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The Market House
This large building known as the Court House, (due to its prior use as a Court House and Governmental office), stands in the Upper Square facing the entrance to the Annesley Estate, (who were previous owners of this local landmark). A bench mark at the door details that the building was erected on the same level as the Market House in Rathfriland. 1979 saw the lower floor converted into a Public Library, a facility which is still in existence today.
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The Church of Ireland Parish Church of St. Paul
Consecrated in 1853 as a Chapel-of-Ease serving the western end of Kilmegan Parish, this fine Victorian Gothic Lanyon & Lynn designed church is a prominent architectural feature on the eastern edge of Castlewellan. St. Paul’s became a separate parish in 1977. The classic cruciform interior is greatly enhanced by the beautiful stained glass windows, those in the Nave depicting eight saints, the Four Evangelists and Paul, Patrick, Brigid and Columba.
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Presbyterian Church
Presbyterians have been meeting to worship in Castlewellan since 1796. It is known that some of the early worship sevices were conducted in an upstairs room of the Market House in the centre of Castlewellan. In 1809, however, the first purpose-built Presbyterian Meeting House was constructed. This place of worship was located in the Back Way to the rear of Shilliday’s hardware shop – the building is still there and surprisingly appears to have been the first church of any denomination in the town. In the mid 19th century a site was made available on the Newcastle Road and a Meeting House was built and officially opened in 1854. This is the Presbyterian Meeting House that is in use today.
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