Donaghadee Lighthouse
Donaghadee
Walking Guide
visitstrangfordlough.co.uk
Please note that this map is not
to scale and is for reference only
12
13
11
Shore St
Presbyterian
Church
10
War
Memorial
9
14
8
6
Lemons
Wharf
Copeland
Islands
7
North
Pier
2
5
4
3
South
Pier
1
ic
Picnea
Ar
Donaghadee
2
The Copeland
Islands
1 The Lighthouse and Harbour
2 The Copeland Islands
3 The Lifeboat
4 Pier 36 and the old railway
5 The Old Quarter
6 Admiral Leslie Hall
7 Rosebank House
8 The Manor House
9 Grace Neill’s
10 The Methodist Church
11 Donaghadee Parish Church
12 Moat Street and the Motte
13 Coastguard Cottages
14 Old Market House
Donaghadee
Map
Donaghadee Walking Guide
Historical
Walking Trail of
Donaghadee, Co Down
The main route consists of flat
concrete footpaths with pedestrian
crossing opportunities. There is a
steep climb up to the Moat. Please
be aware when crossing the road
and keep an eye out for traffic
at all times. The tour will last
approximately one hour. For your
convenience, there are also public
toilets and a wide range of cafes
and restaurants in Donaghadee.
We hope you enjoy learning more about the area. Be sure to look out
for the other walking guides in the series. These can be downloaded
from www.visitstrangfordlough.co.uk along with ideas on what
to see and do in the area. We appreciate your comments and
suggestions so please contact us via the website.
Just to set the scene,
let’s start with a little
history about Donaghadee
“On a clear day you can see the
west coast of Scotland!”
We can almost sense the
excitement of the first pioneers as
they look across the sea to that
other rugged coastline. Never
has it seemed so close! On these
grassy shores, the first sods are
cut and a community is born.
From the mists of early times a
definite history begins to emerge
about Donaghadee. Centuries go
by and welcome to the time of the
Gaelic Lords in Ireland. The British
Empire is expanding. Con O’Neill
rebels against the Crown and,
fearing for his safety, abandons
the land he owns around the
young town of Donaghadee.
This territory passes to Hugh
Montgomery, a Scottish Planter
who has brought large numbers
of compatriots to occupy County
Down. They are farmers and
craftsmen, and as they gradually
improve the harbour, more and
more settlers arrive, whilst others
move on to populate towns such
as Bangor and Newtownards.
Pages 2 – 3
Trade with the mainland thrives,
technology improves, confidence
grows and Donaghadee steadily
becomes the premier ferry port
of Ireland. Ships carry people,
livestock and the mail on a daily
basis across the stormy North
Channel. Back on shore, fine
houses and businesses spring
up to serve the influx of settlers
and visitors. For two centuries,
Donaghadee enjoys continuous
prosperity and establishes itself
as the envy of the other towns.
However, in the 1800’s the famed
engineers Sir John Rennie and
son, take the controversial step
of converting the port into a safe
harbour for sailing ships. With this,
trade inevitably dies off. Larne
with its extended harbour is now
the new focal point for seaborne
traffic along the eastern coast.
By the turn of the 19th century,
Donaghadee becomes a quiet
seaside resort, much favoured by
visitors from Belfast, Scotland and
England. For the brief summer
periods, the town regains some of
its former glory.
Donaghadee Walking Guide
Let’s begin the walking trail
1
The Lighthouse & Harbour
Rennie, a Scottish engineer, was
appointed to build the harbour and on
31 July 1821 the Marquis of Downshire
laid the foundation stone. He was one of
the most influential men in Ireland and
chaired the board of the Donaghadee
Packet Company. The stone covered a
silver plate, assorted testimonials and
glass bottles among others.
Two months into the project, Rennie
died and his son took over the project
at the age of 27. Rennie wanted to add
a four storied arch along the lines of the
Arc de Triomphe at the harbour but this
ultimately didn’t happen due to a lack of
funds. He was awarded a knighthood in
recognition of his work.
The lighthouse is visible at the Harbour,
and can be reached via the one way
system, along the Pier. The character of
Donaghadee is intimately joined to its
most well known landmark. Since its
construction in 1836, the lighthouse has
been a beacon of safety to mariners and a
symbol of pride to the town’s inhabitants.
It was regularly painted white and one
of its painters in the 1950’s was Brendan
The Lighthouse & Harbour
Behan, Irish poet, storywriter,
novelist and playwright. His father
was a house painter!
From its lofty parapet, there’s a
seagull’s eye view of the harbour and
town. However, access to the interior
of the monument is strictly prohibited
to the public.
The cut limestone blocks of the
lighthouse came from Anglesey,
North Wales. Although built with
sailing ships in mind, the harbour was
still being used to import coal from
Cumbria long after ferries had gone.
Look around and you will notice that
the tracks of the railway line carrying
the coal wagons are still there.
(Be careful of the uneven surface under
foot as the harbour is cobbled and
there are no barriers along the harbour).
Watch out for the warping rings,
the large hoops on the ground at
the harbour to show that it was built
for sailing ships. Boats “warped”
out of their moorings using rings
and winches.
Pages 4 – 5
From the Harbour, you will see the Copeland
Islands, approximately 20 minutes away
by boat. There are three islands in the
Copeland group. The largest, and the one
which can be seen from Donaghadee,
is known as Big Isle or Great Copeland,
and covers more than 300 acres.
2
The Copeland Islands
It was once extensively farmed by
families who lived year-round on the
island, but in the 1930’s most decided
to move to the mainland, tired of being
cut off by winter storms. These days, the
deserted island is home to colonies of
sea birds and seals. Recently pheasant
and partridges have been introduced,
where they flourish because there
are few predators. At times sheep are
brought over to graze on lush pastures.
Further out is Mew Island, a flat area
on which there is a powerful lighthouse
guiding ships using the North Channel.
There have been between 50 and 100
shipwrecks off the coast and many more
close shaves. Mew Island lighthouse
has saved countless lives over the years.
It started as a brazier in 1715 before
moving to an actual light in 1884. The
light is now fully automated and is one
of the most powerful in the world.
Big Isle is privately owned, but there
are no restrictions on visitors and it’s
a favourite spot for yachtsmen. During
the summer months, there is a regular
boat service from Donaghadee harbour
for tourists. For more details on times,
contact Ards Tourist Information Centre
on 028 9182 6846.
In addition to the lighthouse, there are
several lighthouse keepers’ cottages and
other buildings. The third island is known
by several names including Cross Island,
John’s Island and Lighthouse Island!
The Copelands
Donaghadee Walking Guide
The Lifeboat
3
The Lifeboat
Turning back towards the town, the lifeboat
station is visible on the left hand side
before Pier 36. It has been based here
since 1910. One of the most famous
lifeboats stationed in Donaghadee was the
Sir Samuel Kelly, which hit the headlines
when it rescued survivors from the car
ferry MV Princess Victoria when it sank in
the North Channel on 31 January 1953
during fierce storms. The ferry was making
its crossing from Stranraer in Scotland
to Larne, a journey of some twenty miles.
Heavy seas forced open the ship’s car
doors and the vehicles inside broke loose
which resulted in the boat tipping on its
side. The RAF and RNLI were involved in
the search which proved very challenging
due to the exceptionally bad weather.
The 43 survivors were brought back to
the Imperial Hotel, located on the Pier in
Donaghadee, and the lifeboat crew were
highly commended and awarded for
their efforts.
To explore more about the history and work
of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
(RNLI) please visit www.rnli.org.uk
Pages 6 – 7
4
Pier 36 and the Old Railway
Moving along the pier towards the town
centre, we pass the lifeboat house and also
the social club which was previously home
to the town’s railway station. Hotels such
as the Railway, Eagle, Commercial and
Arthur’s lined this street in close proximity
to the harbour and railway. In spring
1861 a new rail track was built for the
Belfast and Co.Down Railway Company by
Edwards of Dublin for £50000. Before the
5
railway line the journey to Belfast took
5 or 6 hours but after June 1861 this
was reduced to 40 minutes. Next stop
is Pier 36 which was once a coaching
hotel and is now a guesthouse,
restaurant, bar and local information
point, providing a wide range of visitor
guides and information which can be
accessed in the entrance hall.
The Old Quarter
To enter the old quarter of Donaghadee,
take a left turn into Manor Street. The
street names are a nostalgic reminder of
the industries which once thrived here;
Saltworks Street, Gas Works Street and
Railway Street. Here too is Meetinghouse
Street where the first Presbyterian
congregation gathered during the 17th
century Ulster-Scots plantation.
Donaghadee Walking Guide
Pier 36 and the Old Railway
6
The Admiral Leslie Hall
Once at the top of Manor Street, turn
left briefly to admire the Admiral Leslie
Hall, built by Mrs Martin Leslie in 1872,
in memory of her husband, Rear Admiral
Leslie. It was used as a girls’ school
until the 1950’s and a portion of her
bequest was invested so that 30 of the
most deserving girls could receive a free
education. All other pupils had to pay
to learn and on Monday mornings the
children brought their penny contribution
towards the schoolteacher’s wages.
Beside the Admiral Leslie hall stands the
Prospect House, a large two storey gabled
town house, probably dating from around
the 1760’s. It was depicted on the Daniel
Delacherois map of Donaghadee in the
1780’s. Local stories tell that one of the
owners decided that instead of selling the
house, it would be better if it became the
grand prize in a raffle. Tickets were sold at
a shilling each and the lucky winner was
handed the title deeds, hence giving it the
name Shilling House.
Pages 8 – 9
7
Rosebank House
Just a little further on is Rosebank, one
of the oldest houses in Donaghadee.
It is a fine five bay, two storey house,
with wing bays at each end. Admiral
Samuel Leslie of the Royal Navy resided
here from 1843 – 1846 and a Martha
Leslie leased it from Daniel Delacherois
in 1863.
In the 20th century, the tradition
remained as it continued to be rented
out and was then commandeered as
army quarters during World War II.
When the building was acquired by the
present owners in 1969, it was largely
derelict and in a state of disrepair.
Since then much of its original fabric
has been restored.
On the right of the main door a blue
plaque of the Ulster Historical Circle
is mounted to commemorate Sarah
Grande. Sarah Grande was born Frances
Elizabeth Bellenden Clarke in Rosebank
House. Her father was Edward John
Bellenden Clarke (1813-1862) and her
mother was Margaret Bell Sherwood
(1813-1874). When her father died, her
mother took her and her siblings back
to Brighton, England to be near her
family where she was originally from.
Sarah was sent to English boarding
school at fourteen and at sixteen
eloped with thirty-nine year-old naval
surgeon, David Chambers McFall. They
had one son, David Archibald Edward
and lived in the Far East, Norwich and
Warrington before separating after
which Sarah moved to London to pursue
her own career.
Her first book, “Two Dear Little Feet”
was published in 1873. Her novel “The
Heavenly Twins” (the first of what came
to be known as ‘new woman’ novels),
published under the pseudonym Sarah
Grand was rejected by numerous
publishers because of the frank way it
dealt with the effects of the spread of
syphilis from men to their wives and
children. When eventually published
in 1893 it created a sensation and was
reprinted six times in its first year. It
was condemned on moral grounds but
defended by Mark Twain and George
Bernard Shaw. The novel changed
Frances’ life and created the new
persona, Sarah Grand (often called
Madame Grand), the matriarch, the
beautiful female prophet.
Her later works include Our Manifold
Nature (1894), short stories; Adnam’s
Orchard (1912) and The Winged Victory
(1916). Her autobiographical novel,
Beth Book: A Woman of Genius (1897)
sold 20,000 copies in its first week.
She was an active member of the
Suffragette movement, lecturing in
America. Mark Twain and George
Bernard Shaw both held her in high
regard. She moved to Bath in 1920 and
was Lady Mayoress on six occasions
between 1922 and 1929.
In 1942, when a bomb damaged her
home, she moved to Caine, Wiltshire
where she died on 12 May 1943. She is
buried in Lansdown Cemetery, Bath.
Donaghadee Walking Guide
Rosebank House
At this point, you have the option of
extending your tour along Millisle
Road to Donaghadee Commons.
The Commons is a public park and
recreation grounds on the southern
side of the town. Facilities available
at this site during the summer include
an aire de service stop for motor
homes, tennis courts, bowling green
and pitch and putt. You can walk from
the Commons car park back into the
8
town along the seafront, passing by
the Donaghadee Community Centre.
This walk will take approximately
15 minutes. At Coalpit Bay beside
the Commons, you may be lucky
to find a fossil of one of the oldest
organisms known in Ireland, a
graptolite. This fossil which can
resemble fine pencil markings dates
from the Silurian period some 410420 million years ago.
Manor House
Retracing your steps back from Rosebank
towards High Street, you will note
Donaghadee Masonic Hall on your
left hand side just at the junction with
Killaughey Road. It is a relatively small,
typical late Victorian redbrick and
sandstone building with gothic revival
features and built by the firm JJ Philips
and Son 1898-1899.
Looking across from the Masonic Hall into
Killaughey Road, you will see on the right
hand side of the road, Café Manor, which
is home to an ancient walled garden.
Continue down High Street and you will
If you feel like stretching your legs
some more, you can continue along
the Killaughey Road, taking the turn on
your left after Cypress Park into Hunts
Park. In Hunts Park you will note the
water tower. The tower was constructed
see The Manor House on your right.
This important building was the first stone
house built in the town around 1605 by
the Montgomery family, whose leading
light became Viscount Montgomery.
His successors, the Earls of Mount
Alexander, were the towns landlords
until 1771 when Marie Angelique, wife
of the 5th and final Earl, died leaving her
lands and property to her descendants,
the Delacherois family (a French Hugenot
family who moved to Northern Ireland
after persecution in France).
by the Donaghadee Urban District
Council around 1912 and provided
the town with its first mains water
supply. This tall prominent cylindrical
tower (topped with a large tank) is
set on a slight rise.
Pages 10 – 11
9
Grace Neill’s
If you continue back towards High Street
and the town centre from Café Manor,
you will note Grace Neill’s bar and
restaurant on the left hand side of High
Street. It claims to be the oldest pub in
Ireland and dates back to 1611. Grace
was born Grace Jamieson and married
John Neill in 1817. One of their wedding
presents was the inn, named the Kings
Arms. John died in 1866 and the venue
then became known as Grace Neill’s.
In more recent years, unexplained events
have taken place, leading staff of the
premises to claim that Grace Neill herself
haunts the venue. Many members of
staff have witnessed unexplained events
including scattering of books and glasses
throughout the bar. The inexplicable
occurrences and curious creaking of
floorboards above the old tavern have
culminated in an actual sighting of a
Victorian lady, contained within a ‘puff’
of smoke. (Take care with the steps into
the entrance and the low doorways).
Donaghadee Walking Guide
10
Methodist Church
Further down the hill is the Methodist
Church with a prominent octagonal
dome, marking the spot where John
Wesley (founder of the Methodist
11
Church) once preached. The present
building dates from 1909, but there has
been a Methodist Society in Donaghadee
since 1790, and a chapel since 1813.
Donaghadee Parish Church
Proceeding up the hill after High Street
becomes Moat Street and you reach
Donaghadee Parish Church. This site has
been a centre of worship since ancient
times. St Patrick first marked it as a place
for Christian worship and erected a stone
building. A more substantial building was
erected by John de Courcy, and this was
rebuilt in 1626.
The four sided clock on the tower was
installed in memory of Mrs Daniel
Donaghadee Parish Church
Delacherois and was said to keep time
so accurately that the ships captains
relied on it rather than on their own
chronometers.
In the graveyard lie the remains of the
Delacherois and other local families.
The earliest gravestones date from 1660
with one to the memory of William
Scott, a mariner. This was the main town
graveyard until 1947 when a new one
was built at Ballyvester.
Pages 12 – 13
Donaghadee Motte
12
Moat Street and the Motte
Continuing up Moat Street, we come to
the actual Moat (Motte) which overlooks
the town from atop a commanding
hill. Archaeologists believe the moat
occupies the site of an even older rath/
ringfort. A visit to the fort is well worth
the detour with a stepped walk up to
the summit.
It may look like an ancient castle, but it
was built in 1819. Stories claim that it
was used to store the gunpowder used in
the building of the harbour, but Rennie
claimed that this was brought regularly
from Belfast for safety reasons. Its lofty
position offers magnificent views over
Donaghadee Harbour, the Copeland
Islands and as far as Portpatrick
in Scotland.
Returning to Moat Street, we continue
past the Moat Inn, once a Presbyterian
manse, and catch a glimpse of the
Manor Farm, another ancient and listed
building, constructed in the French
Huguenot style with a large courtyard.
If you take the laneway almost opposite
the Manor Farm housing development
you come to New Road, once known as
Villa Road, with imposing houses dating
back to Georgian Times. Going down
New Road will return you to the shore.
Turning right, you pass Shore
Street Presbyterian Church, where
the congregation settled after a
disagreement in 1812 with the minister,
Rev. Skelly, over improper behaviour.
Before the split, services were conducted
in Meeting House Street.
Donaghadee Walking Guide
13
Coastguard Cottages
Opposite the church is a row of red
brick coastguard cottages built in the
1860’s when Donaghadee was a main
coastguard base. Beside the cottages is
East Street, once known as Bullock Road
because it was here that cattle were
herded down to the shore for shipment
to Scotland.
walk out to the breakwater or North
Pier. There is a flight of steps leading
to the top of the pier. At Donaghadee
Sailing Club, dinghies are parked on the
site of a former hotel. To your right is
Union Street, once known as Tanners’
Row and later as Sailors’ Row.
The walk back to the harbour skirts the
sandy bay and at low tide, it’s an easy
14
Old Market House
Continue along the shore to New Street,
another important shopping area where
most of the old houses have been turned
into shops and offices. Halfway up is the
old Market House, later used as the town’s
courthouse. A few steps further and you
reach High Street and the end of the trail.
Pages 14 – 15
For more information contact any of the
following Visitor Information Centres:
Ards Visitor Information Centre
31 Regent Street
NEWTOWNARDS
BT23 4AD
S028 9182 6846
k [email protected]
Bangor
Donaghadee
Belfast
(Seasonal office Easter – end August)
Portaferry Visitor Information Centre
The Stables, Castle Street
PORTAFERRY
BT22 1NZ
S028 4272 9882
k [email protected]
Newtownards
Downpatrick
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