Castlebellingham
Encyclopedia
Castlebellingham is a village
and townland
in County Louth
, Ireland
. The village has got a lot quieter since the construction of the new M1 motorway which bypasses the village. Because of its closeness to Dublin and Dundalk
, the village has seen an influx of new inhabitants and construction.
who was a cornet in the Army during the Civil war. He purchased the lands of Gernonstowne, Louth, from a fellow soldier who had been granted them in lieu of arrears of pay. The purchase was confirmed by King Charles II
.
There is some variation on the spelling of Gernonstowne. On various maps and other documents it is spelled Gernonstowne, Gernonstown, Gernon's-Town, Gormanstown, Germanstown, Garlandstown, Garland, etc. Irish road signs show the English as Castlebellingham while the Irish translation still refers to baile an Ghearlanaigh - or Gernonstown. It was not called Castlebellingham for at least forty years after the purchase. The name does not appear on any document before the year 1700. About 1710 it began to appear in journals and other sources to be called Castlebellingham.
The castle was occupied by troops and burned down in the autumn of 1689 by King James II
in revenge for Colonel Thomas Bellingham being a guide for William III
, prior to the Battle of the Boyne
. It is said that King William's armies camped the night before the Battle of the Boyne in the grounds of the castle.
Over time Castlebellingham became known as an important gathering point in the county. Fairs were held there every year. A church was constructed next door to the castle and graveyard with a family vault was built. The Bellinghams became one of the most powerful and influential family in the county. For over a hundred years a Bellingham held the seat in Parliament for county Louth.
Records also note Castlebellingham for having "the best malt liquor" in Ireland. Apparently a brewery was built on site about 1770 and belonged to an O'Bryen Bellingham. For a number of years a brewery partnership ran their liquor business. The brewery is still there but now houses the "button factory" or Smallwares Ltd. The brewery was the main supplier of drink to the Boer War
troops.
A history of the parish, dated 1908, states that the impressive Calvary standing close to the Castle was erected by Sir Henry Bellingham as a monument to the memory of his first wife Lady Constance. Much more interesting for tourists and local history buffs, is the collection of inset religious panels to be seen on the upper facades of many of the village buildings. These are also a reflection of Sir Henry's reigious sentiments, and they are unique in Ireland. In addition to the many pretty panels, there are biblical quotations cut into the stone window sills of some buildings. North of the refurbished castle/hotel is a group of "widows dwellings", built from charitable motives by Sir Henry, and these are architectural gems which have been carefully preserved.
Castlebellingham was the ancestral home of the Baronet until about the late 1950s when it was eventually purchased by Dermot Meehan in 1958 from the Irish Land Commission for £3,065.00. Dermot spent several years converting the house into a hotel called the Bellingham Castle Hotel which remains today. Dermot Meehan sold the Castle on 17acres in 1967 for £30,636.61. The Hotel including the 17acres is on the market at present for €1,500,000. The last Bellingham to live there was Brigadier General Sir Edward Bellingham, born in 1879, who was the last Lord Lieutenant and Guardian of the Rolls (Custos Rotulorum).
opened on 1 April 1851, but finally closed on 6 September 1976.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
in County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The village has got a lot quieter since the construction of the new M1 motorway which bypasses the village. Because of its closeness to Dublin and Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
, the village has seen an influx of new inhabitants and construction.
History and Features of Note
The castle of Castlebellingham has served as one of the ancestral homes for Bellinghams since the 17th century. It was purchased and built somewhere around 1660 by a Henry BellinghamHenry Bellingham
Henry Campbell Bellingham is a British Conservative politician. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 14 May 2010. In parliament, he represents the constituency of North West Norfolk.-Early life:...
who was a cornet in the Army during the Civil war. He purchased the lands of Gernonstowne, Louth, from a fellow soldier who had been granted them in lieu of arrears of pay. The purchase was confirmed by King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
There is some variation on the spelling of Gernonstowne. On various maps and other documents it is spelled Gernonstowne, Gernonstown, Gernon's-Town, Gormanstown, Germanstown, Garlandstown, Garland, etc. Irish road signs show the English as Castlebellingham while the Irish translation still refers to baile an Ghearlanaigh - or Gernonstown. It was not called Castlebellingham for at least forty years after the purchase. The name does not appear on any document before the year 1700. About 1710 it began to appear in journals and other sources to be called Castlebellingham.
The castle was occupied by troops and burned down in the autumn of 1689 by King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
in revenge for Colonel Thomas Bellingham being a guide for William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, prior to the Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
. It is said that King William's armies camped the night before the Battle of the Boyne in the grounds of the castle.
Over time Castlebellingham became known as an important gathering point in the county. Fairs were held there every year. A church was constructed next door to the castle and graveyard with a family vault was built. The Bellinghams became one of the most powerful and influential family in the county. For over a hundred years a Bellingham held the seat in Parliament for county Louth.
Records also note Castlebellingham for having "the best malt liquor" in Ireland. Apparently a brewery was built on site about 1770 and belonged to an O'Bryen Bellingham. For a number of years a brewery partnership ran their liquor business. The brewery is still there but now houses the "button factory" or Smallwares Ltd. The brewery was the main supplier of drink to the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
troops.
A history of the parish, dated 1908, states that the impressive Calvary standing close to the Castle was erected by Sir Henry Bellingham as a monument to the memory of his first wife Lady Constance. Much more interesting for tourists and local history buffs, is the collection of inset religious panels to be seen on the upper facades of many of the village buildings. These are also a reflection of Sir Henry's reigious sentiments, and they are unique in Ireland. In addition to the many pretty panels, there are biblical quotations cut into the stone window sills of some buildings. North of the refurbished castle/hotel is a group of "widows dwellings", built from charitable motives by Sir Henry, and these are architectural gems which have been carefully preserved.
Castlebellingham was the ancestral home of the Baronet until about the late 1950s when it was eventually purchased by Dermot Meehan in 1958 from the Irish Land Commission for £3,065.00. Dermot spent several years converting the house into a hotel called the Bellingham Castle Hotel which remains today. Dermot Meehan sold the Castle on 17acres in 1967 for £30,636.61. The Hotel including the 17acres is on the market at present for €1,500,000. The last Bellingham to live there was Brigadier General Sir Edward Bellingham, born in 1879, who was the last Lord Lieutenant and Guardian of the Rolls (Custos Rotulorum).
Transport
Castlebellingham railway stationCastlebellingham railway station
Castlebellingham railway station served the village of Castlebellingham on the Dublin to Belfast railway line between Drogheda railway station and Dundalk railway station. It was north of where the line branched to Ardee...
opened on 1 April 1851, but finally closed on 6 September 1976.
External links
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland