Strangford

Strangford
Scots: Strangfurd[1]
Irish: Baile Loch Cuan[2]
Strangford shown within County Down
Population	474 (2001 Census)
Irish grid reference	H8396
District	Down
County	County Down
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Postcode district	BT30
Dialling code	028
EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	South Down
NI Assembly	South Down
List of places UK Northern Ireland Down

Coordinates: 54°22′14″N 5°33′20″W / 54.37065°N 5.55547°W

Strangford (from Old Norse Strangr-fjǫrðr, meaning "strong fjord") is a small village at the mouth of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. It has a population of 475 according to the 2001 Census.

On the other side of the lough is Portaferry and there is a ferry service between the two villages. The village has a small harbour, which is overlooked by rows of 19th-century cottages and a fine Georgian terrace.

History

In 1637 the Surveyor General of Customs issued a report compiled from accounts of customs due from each port and their "subsidiary creeks". Of the Ulster ports on the list, Carrickfergus was first, followed by Bangor, Donaghadee and Strangford.^[3]

Strangford (strong-fjord) was the designated home of King Magnus (bare legs) Olafson. Upon his attempted siege of Uladh (ulster) he set up his fort in the (strong fjord) of Strangford. This was an ideal place for him to base himself and his army as he had good fortified grounds and quick access to an inland lough that leads directly out to the east onto the Irish Sea. The only known celebration of King Magnus' time in Ulster is demonstrated (bi-annually) at Delamont Country Park (situated at Strangford Lough). by the Downpatrick-based living history group, the Magnus Viking Association.

Despite having the same name, the village (and the wider ward of Strangford) is not in the Strangford parliamentary constituency or Assembly constituency, instead being in the South Down parliamentary constituency and Assembly constituency.

Sports

Strangford has two men's football teams who compete in the Newcastle & District Football League.

The Troubles

Places of interest

• Strangford Castle, near the harbour in Strangford, is a 16th-century tower house with a drop hole at roof level to defend the door.
• Castle Ward is an intriguing mansion built in 1760 in two distinct architectural styles, Classical and Gothic, overlooking Strangford Lough. The property is owned by the National Trust. Castleward is seven miles from Downpatrick and one-and-one-half miles from Strangford.
• Audley's Castle is a 15th-century castle one mile (1.6 km) northeast of Strangford, on a rocky height overlooking Strangford Lough, grid ref: J5781 5058.^[4]
• Audleystown Court Cairn is a dual court grave near the south shore of Strangford Lough, north-west of Castle Ward, 1.75 miles from Strangford, at grid ref: 562 504).^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Houses in Strangford, August 2009
• 
  Strangford, August 2009
• 
  Strangford Ferry terminal, August 2009
• 
  Strangford Castle, August 2009
• 
  Houses in Strangford, August 2009
• 
  Strangford Ferry approaching Strangford slipway, August 2009
• 
  Ulsterbus in Strangford, August 2007

References

1. Jordan's Castle – Department of the Environment
2. Placenames Database of Ireland
3. O'Sullivan, Aidan & Breen, Colin (2007). Maritime Ireland — An Archaeology of Coastal Communities. Stroud: Tempus. p. 212. ISBN 978-0-7524-2509-2.
4. Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (1983). Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland. Belfast: HMSO. pp. 97–98.
5. Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland (1983). Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland. Belfast: HMSO. p. 88.

External links

• NI Neighbourhood Information Service
• Culture Northern Ireland
• Strangford Lough Online