Waringstown
| Waringstown | |
| Irish: Baile an Bhairínigh[1] | |
_parish_church%2C_Waringstown_(1)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1433242.jpg) Donaghacloney parish church, Waringstown |
|
  Waringstown shown within Northern Ireland | |
| Population | 2,523 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| Irish grid reference | J103552 |
| - Belfast | 23 miles (37 km) |
| District | Craigavon |
| County | County Down |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CRAIGAVON |
| Postcode district | BT66 |
| Dialling code | 028, +44 28 |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | Upper Bann |
| NI Assembly | Upper Bann |
| |
Waringstown is a village in County Down,[1] Northern Ireland, two miles south-east of Lurgan. It lies within the parish of Donaghcloney, and in the barony of Iveagh Lower, Lower Half. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 2,523 people. Over the years, the village has been bestowed numerous awards, including "Best Kept Small Town" for its floral displays and pleasant appearance.
History
The village is named after William Waring, who in 1658 bought the western part of the parish of Donaghcloney from Captain John Barrett.
In 1667 William Waring built a semi-fortified house in the townland of Magherana, around which sprang up the village of Waringstown. Waring House, as it became known, is on the badge of the local Cricket Club. </ref> It is a three storey gentleman's house and is the oldest unfortified mansion house in Ireland. Margaret Parr, Holt Waring's young widow, became the well-known Mrs Waring who, over the next fifty years, was to have such a strong and beneficial influence of the life of Waringstown. She received the CBE and also served an MP and as a Justice of the Peace until her death in May 1968. Her nephew, Michael Harnett, and wife Ann now reside there, along with their children Jane and William.
Mr Michael Harnett has been gathering information about the history of Waringstown and its house since the early 1990s.
It is common knowledge in the village however that on his way to the battle of The Boyne. General Marshal Schomberg (1615–1690), and a detachment of troops stayed in the house and their horses were watered at the Planters Tavern. There is an oak panelled and tapestried room in Waringstown House known as "The Duke's Room", which Schomberg occupied during his stay in the district. A third storey facade was added in 1680, designed by architect Lyndsey Boyd. The weaving village of Waringstown developed under the auspices of William Waring and his descendants. Waring's son, Samuel, brought Flemish weavers to the village, building Huguenot style cottages for them, some of which survive today. In the past, the village was renowned for its handloom damask weaving. The industrial focus was at the southern end of the town, where brewing, linen-weaving, and cambric and clothing manufacture were formerly carried out and where some substantial 18th century and 19th century industrial buildings still exist.competitions.[2]
The Troubles
1990
- 20 December 1990 - Wilfred Wethers (46), A Protestant off duty member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), was shot and killed by an Irish Republican Army (IRA) sniper while driving his car near to his home, Waringstown, County Down.
Cricket
The village has, over the years, been associated with the sport of cricket, something that has been attributed to the area's planters being predominantly from the north of England. The local team, Waringstown Cricket Club, has achieved some success in the NCU Senior League, playing its home matches at "The Lawn". The club was established in 1851, by a member of the Waring family, and its ground was also donated by the family. The popularity of the sport in the village and its influence elsewhere has led to it being dubbed "The Home of Cricket in Ulster".[3] The neighbouring village of Donaghcloney has a similar heritage in the sport.
Education
- Waringstown Primary School
2001 Census
Waringstown is classified as an intermediate settlement by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population between 2,250 and 4,500 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 2,523 people living in Waringstown. Of these:
- 26.8% were aged under 16 years and 14.6% were aged 60 and over
- 49.0% of the population were male and 51.1% were female
- 5.4% were from a Catholic background and 92.2% were from a Protestant background
- 1.7% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Placenames Database of Ireland
- ↑ "Waringstown". Culture Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
- ↑ "Waringstown Cricket Club - The First 150 Years". Michael Maultsaid/Waringstown Cricket Club. Archived from the original on 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ↑ "Waringstown". NI Neighbourhood Information Service Towns and Villages. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
- Craigavon Area Plan 2010
- County Down.com