Strangford

Strangford
Strangford shown within County Down
Population 474 (2001 Census)
Irish grid reference H8396
District
County
Country Northern Ireland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Postcode district BT30
Dialling code 028
EU Parliament Northern Ireland
UK Parliament
NI Assembly

Strangford (from Old Norse Strangr-fjǫrðr, meaning 'strong fjord') is a small village at the mouth of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. It has a population of 475 according to the 2001 Census.

On the other side of the lough is Portaferry. Transport NI, an executive agency of the Department for Infrastructure, operates the Portaferry - Strangford Ferry service across Strangford Lough between the villages of Strangford and Portaferry. To travel the distance between Strangford and Portaferry by road is approximately 75 kilometres and takes about an hour and a half by car. By contrast, the ferry route is approximately 0.6 nautical miles (1.1 km) with a typical crossing time of about 8 minutes.[3] The village has a small harbour, which is overlooked by rows of 19th-century cottages and a fine Georgian terrace.

History

In 1637 the Surveyor General of Customs issued a report compiled from accounts of customs due from each port and their "subsidiary creeks". Of the Ulster ports on the list, Carrickfergus was first, followed by Bangor, Donaghadee and Strangford.[4]

Strangford (strong-fjord) was the designated home of King Magnus (bare legs) Olafson. Upon his attempted siege of Uladh (ulster) he set up his fort in the (strong fjord) of Strangford. This was an ideal place for him to base himself and his army as he had good fortified grounds and quick access to an inland lough that leads directly out to the east onto the Irish Sea. The only known celebration of King Magnus' time in Ulster is demonstrated (bi-annually) at Delamont Country Park (situated at Strangford Lough). by the Downpatrick-based living history group, the Magnus Viking Association.

Despite having the same name, the village (and the wider ward of Strangford) is not in the Strangford parliamentary constituency or Assembly constituency, instead being in the South Down parliamentary constituency and Assembly constituency.

Sports

Strangford has two men's football teams who compete in the Newcastle & District Football League.

The Troubles

Places of interest

  • Strangford Castle, near the harbour in Strangford, is a 16th-century tower house with a drop hole at roof level to defend the door.
  • Castle Ward is an intriguing mansion built in 1760 in two distinct architectural styles, Classical and Gothic, overlooking Strangford Lough. The property is owned by the National Trust. Castleward is seven miles from Downpatrick and one-and-one-half miles from Strangford.
  • Audley's Castle is a 15th-century castle one mile (1.6 km) northeast of Strangford, on a rocky height overlooking Strangford Lough, grid ref: J5781 5058.[5]
  • Audleystown Court Cairn is a dual court grave near the south shore of Strangford Lough, north-west of Castle Ward, 1.75 miles from Strangford, at grid ref: 562 504).[6]

References

  1. ↑ Jordan's Castle – Department of the Environment
  2. ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
  3. ↑ "About the Ferry". Northern Ireland Roads Department. Archived from the original on 7 December 2009. Retrieved 13 September 2009.
  4. ↑ O'Sullivan, Aidan & Breen, Colin (2007). Maritime Ireland — An Archaeology of Coastal Communities. Stroud: Tempus. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-7524-2509-2.
  5. ↑ Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (1983). Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland. Belfast: HMSO. pp. 97&ndash, 98.
  6. ↑ Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (1983). Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland. Belfast: HMSO. p. 88.
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