Annsborough
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Annsborough is a small village in County Down which is one of the main residential areas in Castlewellan, Northern Ireland. It is situated on the A25 road between Downpatrick and Newry, approximately 0.8 kilometres to the east of Castlewellan and 17 kilometres to the south west of Downpatrick. It had a population of 593 people in the 2001 Census.
It originally developed as a mill village in the valley of the Clarkhill and Ballybannon rivers. Most people look beyond the village to neighbouring Castlewellan for the majority of their local services as Annsborough is merely just a few row of houses. The village contains a Post Office and shop and a playing field. Annsborough Primary School first opened in 1835, making it one of the oldest functional schools in the country. It officially became integrated in 1997, although after many years of unofficial integrated education. A variety of light industrial and commercial units provide small scale local employment within former textile mill buildings in the centre of the village. The village has a history and identity closely linked to Castlewellan and its distinctive character derives from its natural valley setting within the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the well landscaped former mill complex in the centre of the village. In addition to a listed bridge, there are seven listed buildings within the village, a number of which are in need of restoration and repair.
Culture
The village is the home of the Annsborough Pipe Band. Currently competing in Grade 3A of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association, the band has had success within the last four years, including two World Championships (in 2004 and 2005).[1]
Demographics
Annsborough is classified as a small Village or hamlet by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population of less than 1,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 593 people living in Annsborough. Of these:[2]
- 29.4% were aged under 16 years and 13.6% were aged 60 and over
- 48.7% of the population were male and 51.3% were female
- 93.6% were from a Catholic background and 5.1% were from a Protestant background
- 5.8% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed
See also
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
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References
- ↑ "Annsborough Pipe Band". band website. Retrieved 24 February 2009.
- ↑ "Area Profile of Annsborough - Based on 2001 Census". NI Neighbourhood Information Service. Retrieved 24 February 2009.