A History Of Newtownards
A HISTORY OF NEWTOWNARDS
Source 19
When Sir Hugh Montgomery came in May 1606 all that remained of the town founded by the Normans were the ruined walls of the old priory and the stump of an old castle from the O'Neill era.
A town was a good investment for its owner and he received money from various sources such as ...
The rents of houses and lands in town parts.
A toll was paid on every item sold in the markets and fairs held every year fines paid at the various courts were given to the magistrate (the landowner) money came from licences which were needed by the craftsmen in the area tenants were forced to use the manor mill to grind their grain, a proportion of this went to the miller who in turn paid a rent to the landlord
Montgomery benefited from all these.
He built his defended house and bawn in the grounds of the old priory and he added a tower and steeple to form the official church of the community.
The market place was at the meeting place of the main roads, Greenwell Street, from Portaferry and the Ards, Chapelbrae Street (Movilla Street). From Donaghadee to Bangor. The place was confirmed by the building of the market cross in 1637.
The merchant and traders houses spread up High Street to Pound Street in a continuous line broken by archways giving access to vehicles and animals. These access archways are still numerous. A house at number ten Mill Street bore the date 1693.
The great school of Newtown was established around 1620 where golf, archery and football were introduced. This is the first reference to golf in Ireland. The little town which originated in 1606 grew steadily until it had about five hundred houses.
Source 20
In the springtime of 1606 (between Greyabbey, Newtown and Donaghadee) no more than thirty cabins, ruined churches and a stump of an old castle in Newtown could be found. Sir Hugh Montgomery had brought with him several...
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