There is some fascinating information to be found about Dundrum in a book entitled: Parishes of County Down 1 - 1834 to 1836. It was written by academics from the Institute of Irish Studies in Queens University, Belfast. Ive attached some photos from it and the following are some interesting points: - During this time Dundrum was part of the Kilmegan parish which took in Castlewellan, Annsborough, Ballywillwill, Clonvaraghan and Aughlisnafin. - Dundrum broke away from this parish to join with Ballykinlar during the episcopate of Bishop Dorrian who reigned from 1865-1885. * During the period 1834-1836 there was only one row of houses (27 in total) in the village which were all sea facing. Some of them were still being constructed as Dundrum was a relatively new village at this stage. A hotel and baths were also in the locality. The Marquis of Downshire held the area in his estate and at the time he was constructing a new school house in the village. There was no postal service in Dundrum either. * There was quite a large old building in Moneylane that was once said to be a chapel. It could hold 500 people. * There were four policemen stationed in the village and three coastguard. When boats entered the quay they were boarded and searched by the coastguard. It was remarked that Dundrum was a peaceful crime free area with no illicit distilling or smuggling. * There was no dispensary (pharmacy) in Dundrum. The nearest was in Castlewellan. From 1817 Typhus was very common but by the 1830s it had generally been wiped out. * There was a school at Moneylane that was established in 1819. It catered for those of both Catholic and Protestant faiths. A sizeable part of its intake came from the Four Roads area which is presumably the area where the Wateresk, Kilmegan and Moneylane Roads meet. Students paid 1d a week to subscribe to the school. * The pier in Dundrum was created by the Marquis of Downshire at a cost of £1600. At the time it was 35 feet long by 30 feet long. It was designed by the hotel keeper - Mr Harrison. Most of the boats coming in were from Larne and coal boats from England. The maximum tonnage of boat that could navigate through the inner bay was 80 tonnes. * There was a corn mill in the townland of Cloughram. * There was also a school in Cloughram that had an enrolment of 65 males and 57 females, total of 122. A Major Renous had built the school but it was now supported by a Mr Allen of Mountpanther. It cost £500 to build while the head master was paid £8 and the mistress paid £6. This was covered by the National Board. * The head master and the mistress were man and wife. The head took the boys class while his wife took the girls class. They both lived at the school that was erected in 1822.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 21:12:15 +0000
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