Newtownstewart
Encyclopedia
Newtownstewart is a village
and townland
in County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
. It is overlooked by hills called Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
and is at the confluence of the rivers Strule and Owenkillew. In the 2001 Census
it had a population of 1,479 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council
area.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
(L&ER) began in 1845 and reached Strabane
in 1847. By 1852 it had extended to Newtownstewart and Omagh
and its terminus in Enniskillen
was reached in 1854. The company was absorbed into the Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
in 1883. Newtownstewart railway station opened on 9 May 1852 and finally closed on 15 February 1965.
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 Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is overlooked by hills called Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
Bessy Bell and Mary Gray
Betsy Bell and Mary Gray are "twa bonnie lassies", the subject of one of the Child Ballads.According to the ballad, Betsy and Mary were daughters of two Perthshire gentlemen, who in 1666 built themselves a bower to avoid catching a devastating plague...
and is at the confluence of the rivers Strule and Owenkillew. In the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
it had a population of 1,479 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council
Strabane District Council
Strabane District Council is a Local Council in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. The headquarters of the Council is in the town of Strabane. Apart from Strabane the other smaller towns in the area include Plumbridge, Newtownstewart, Donemana, Sion Mills and Castlederg...
area.
History
- The townland of Newtownstewart was historically called Lislas. It gained its current name when the land was granted to Sir William Stewart as part of the Plantation of UlsterPlantation of UlsterThe Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
. - The Northern Bank building on the corner was the scene of a famous murder in 1871 when bank cashier William Glass was killed and robbed of £1,600. District Inspector Montgomery, of the Royal Irish ConstabularyRoyal Irish ConstabularyThe armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
, who was in charge of the case, turned out to be the murderer. - The local flute band has been in existence since 1979.
Places of interest
- Three miles to the south west lies Baronscourt, the country seat of the Duke of AbercornDuke of AbercornThe title Duke of Abercorn was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1868 and bestowed upon James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn.This article also covers the Earls and Marquesses of Abercorn, all named after Abercorn, West Lothian, in Scotland.-History:...
with its neo-classical mansion and ornate Italian style gardens, the home of the Duke of Abercorn’s family since 1612. It also features an 18 hole golf course in the estate. - Half a mile south-west of Newtownstewart, on a hill, is ruined Harry Avery's CastleHarry Avery's CastleHarry Avery's Castle is situated half a mile south-west of Newtownstewart, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. On a hill, ruined Harry Avery's Castle, is a 14th century Gaelic stone castle - most unusual in Ulster. The castle consisted of a two-storey rectangular construction fronted by the massive...
, a 14th century Gaelic stone castle - most unusual in UlsterUlsterUlster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
. Only the massive D-shaped twin towers of the keep, built by Henry Aimbreidh O' Neil (Harry Avery O'Neill) (died 1392), are left. - Newtownstewart also has the plantationPlantation of UlsterThe Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
castle of the Stewart family, where an intact Bronze AgeBronze AgeThe Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
cist grave was found. It was excavated in 1999. Stewart CastleStewart CastleStewart Castle is situated in Newtownstewart, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It was built in 1619 by Sir Robert Newcomen in an English manor house style. It suffered extensive damage during the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and its subsequent capture by Sir Phelim O' Neill, and in 1689 on King James'...
was built in 1619 by Sir Robert Newcomen in an English manor house style. It suffered extensive damage during the Irish Rebellion of 1641Irish Rebellion of 1641The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
and its subsequent capture by Sir Phelim O' NeillFelim O'Neill of KinardSir Felim O'Neill of Kinard , also called Phelim MacShane O'Neill or Féilim Ó Néill , was an Irish nobleman who led the Irish Rebellion of 1641 in Ulster which began on 22 October 1641. He was a member of the Irish Catholic Confederation during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, where he fought under...
, and in 1689 on King James' return from the Siege of DerrySiege of DerryThe Siege of Derry took place in Ireland from 18 April to 28 July 1689, during the Williamite War in Ireland. The city, a Williamite stronghold, was besieged by a Jacobite army until it was relieved by Royal Navy ships...
. The castle has remained a ruin ever since.
Royal Visit
Prince Albert (later, King George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon were married on 26 April 1923 in Westminster Abbey. The newlyweds' first visit as the Duke and Duchess of York was to Newtownstewart.Other
Theobald Wolfe Tone, was imprisioned in the towns Police station (situ at num 5 Townhall St) for one night after his capture on 12 October 1798, en route to his execuation in Dublin on 19 November 1798.
2001 Census
Newtownstewart is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 1,000 and 2,250. On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,479 people living in Newtownstewart. Of these:- 22.8% were aged under 16 years and 18.7% were aged 60 and over
- 50.5% of the population were male and 49.5% were female
- 54.7% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 45.1% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background - 5.8% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
People
- Thomas BurnsideThomas BurnsideThomas Burnside was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and associate justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania....
(1782–1851), member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and associate justice of the Supreme Court of PennsylvaniaSupreme Court of PennsylvaniaThe Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is the court of last resort for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It meets in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
, born near Newtownstewart. - Thomas MaclearThomas MaclearSir Thomas Maclear was an Irish-born South African astronomer who became Her Majesty's astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope....
(1794–1879), Astronomer Royal at the Cape of Good Hope, was born in Newtownstewart. - Dukes of AbercornDuke of AbercornThe title Duke of Abercorn was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1868 and bestowed upon James Hamilton, 2nd Marquess of Abercorn.This article also covers the Earls and Marquesses of Abercorn, all named after Abercorn, West Lothian, in Scotland.-History:...
, reside at Baronscourt, near Newtownstewart
Transport
Construction of the standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway
The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland.-Construction and opening:The Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway was incorporated in 1845. Construction began at Derry and followed the west bank of the River Foyle southwards to Strabane, which was reached in 1847...
(L&ER) began in 1845 and reached Strabane
Strabane
Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....
in 1847. By 1852 it had extended to Newtownstewart and Omagh
Omagh
Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
and its terminus in Enniskillen
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
was reached in 1854. The company was absorbed into the Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
Great Northern Railway (Ireland)
The Great Northern Railway was an Irish gauge railway company in Ireland.The Great Northern was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway , Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The Ulster Railway was the GNRI's oldest constituent, having opened between Belfast and...
in 1883. Newtownstewart railway station opened on 9 May 1852 and finally closed on 15 February 1965.