Castlerock
Encyclopedia
Castlerock is a seaside village
in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. It is situated between Coleraine
and Derry
and is very popular with summer tourists, having numerous apartment blocks and three caravan sites. Castlerock Golf Club has both 9 and 18-hole links courses bounded by the beach, the River Bann
and the Belfast to Derry railway line. The village had a recorded population of 1,326 people in the 2001 Census, and currently has a popular local football team called Villagers FC.
Local historical interest is concentrated on the 18th century Bishop of Derry's ruined palace, the Mussenden Temple
on the clifftop, and the Black Glen set within the Downhill Estate, which is now owned by the National Trust
. The palace and estate were created by Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol
who was the Bishop of Derry in the 1780s. The Mussenden Temple, with its precarious perch on the basalt cliff edge is one of the most photographed scenes in Ireland.
The 17th century Hezlett House is a thatched cottage with a cruck structure and is situated at the crossroads near the village. Built around 1691 , it was originally a rectory or farmhouse. Also at the adjacent crossroads is an ancient tree.
The bodies of the two victims of infamous dentist Colin Howell
were found in Castlerock on May 19th 1991.
Castlerock was relatively untouched by the Troubles
, with only one fatal incident occurring in or near the village as part of the conflict. The "Castlerock killings" took place in March 1993, when four men were shot dead by a group calling itself "Ulster Freedom Fighters", a covername used by the Ulster Defence Association
(UDA). One of the men convicted for the murders was Coleraine loyalist Torrens Knight
.
Castlerock is also home to Guysmere Summer Camp, which is owned and run by the Presbyterian Church.
lived in Castlerock when a teenager.
The village was also the holiday destination for the famous author C. S. Lewis
. Born in Belfast
, he holidayed in Castlerock as a child and took inspiration from Downhill House for some of his books including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
.
opened on 18 July 1853. Northern Ireland Railways
currently run a mostly bi-hourly service in both directions (west to Londonderry Waterside
or east to Coleraine
and onward) on weekdays, with reduced service on Saturdays, and only five trains each way on Sunday . Ulsterbus
services tend to coincide roughly with the times of the railway service and proceed either west towards Limavady
or east to Coleraine
.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
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...
in County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, 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 situated between Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
and Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and is very popular with summer tourists, having numerous apartment blocks and three caravan sites. Castlerock Golf Club has both 9 and 18-hole links courses bounded by the beach, the River Bann
River Bann
The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, the total length being 80 miles . The river winds its way from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh...
and the Belfast to Derry railway line. The village had a recorded population of 1,326 people in the 2001 Census, and currently has a popular local football team called Villagers FC.
History
Mussenden Temple
Mussenden Temple is a small circular building located on cliffs near Castlerock in County Londonderry, high above the Atlantic Ocean on the north-western coast of Northern Ireland....
on the clifftop, and the Black Glen set within the Downhill Estate, which is now owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. The palace and estate were created by Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol
Frederick Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol
Frederick Augustus Hervey, 4th Earl of Bristol, PC , known as The Earl-Bishop, was Bishop of Cloyne from 1767 to 1768 and Bishop of Derry from 1768 to 1803.- Life :...
who was the Bishop of Derry in the 1780s. The Mussenden Temple, with its precarious perch on the basalt cliff edge is one of the most photographed scenes in Ireland.
The 17th century Hezlett House is a thatched cottage with a cruck structure and is situated at the crossroads near the village. Built around 1691 , it was originally a rectory or farmhouse. Also at the adjacent crossroads is an ancient tree.
The bodies of the two victims of infamous dentist Colin Howell
Colin Howell
Colin Howell is a Northern Irish convicted double murderer.Howell killed his wife Leslie and the husband of his lover, Trevor Buchanan , in what appeared to be a suicide pact between two lovers...
were found in Castlerock on May 19th 1991.
Castlerock was relatively untouched by the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, with only one fatal incident occurring in or near the village as part of the conflict. The "Castlerock killings" took place in March 1993, when four men were shot dead by a group calling itself "Ulster Freedom Fighters", a covername used by the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA). One of the men convicted for the murders was Coleraine loyalist Torrens Knight
Torrens Knight
Torrens Knight is a Northern Ireland loyalist and alleged police informer, who belonged to the "North Antrim & Londonderry Brigade" of the Ulster Defence Association . He was part of the UDA unit that carried out the Greysteel massacre where eight people lost their lives...
.
Castlerock is also home to Guysmere Summer Camp, which is owned and run by the Presbyterian Church.
People
The actor James NesbittJames Nesbitt
James Nesbitt is a Northern Irish actor. Born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Nesbitt grew up in the nearby village of Broughshane, before moving to Coleraine, County Londonderry. He wanted to become a teacher like his father, so he began a degree in French at the University of Ulster...
lived in Castlerock when a teenager.
The village was also the holiday destination for the famous author C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
. Born in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, he holidayed in Castlerock as a child and took inspiration from Downhill House for some of his books including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis. Published in 1950 and set circa 1940, it is the first-published book of The Chronicles of Narnia and is the best known book of the series. Although it was written and published first, it is second in the series'...
.
Transport
Castlerock railway stationCastlerock railway station
Castlerock railway station serves the villages of Castlerock, Articlave and their surrounding hamlets in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.The station opened on 18 July 1853.-Service:...
opened on 18 July 1853. Northern Ireland Railways
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
currently run a mostly bi-hourly service in both directions (west to Londonderry Waterside
Londonderry railway station
Londonderry/Derry Railway Station, known commonly as Waterside Railway Station, serves the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. The station is also used by residents of the west of County Londonderry, much of west Tyrone and County Donegal. It is operated by Northern Ireland Railways...
or east to Coleraine
Coleraine railway station
Coleraine railway station serves the town of Coleraine in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It shares facilities with the town's Ulsterbus bus depot.The station opened on 4 December 1855 and was closed for goods traffic on 4 January 1965...
and onward) on weekdays, with reduced service on Saturdays, and only five trains each way on Sunday . Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
services tend to coincide roughly with the times of the railway service and proceed either west towards Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
or east to Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
.
2001 Census
Castlerock is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,326 people living in Castlerock. Of these:- 22.2% were aged under 16 and 22.3% were aged 60 and over
- 46.6% of the population were male and 53.4% were female
- 14.5% 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 82.3% 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 - 3.4% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
See also
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland