Saintfield
Saintfield (in Irish: Tamhnach Naomh, ie Field of Saints) is a large village located in mid-County Down, Northern Ireland, situated roughly halfway between Belfast and Downpatrick on the A7 road. Running east to west across the A7 is the B6 road and to the west of this crossroads is Main Street, which takes you towards Lisburn and Ballynahinch, and to the east is Station Road which takes you towards Killyleagh. It lies within the Down District Council area and in the Strangford constituency for UK Parliamentary and Northern Ireland Assembly elections. It had a population of 2,959 people in the 2001 Census.
History
- Saintfield was originally an early 17th century settlement, from which the parish church survives. The present village form of Saintfield dates back to the early 18th century and the establishment of linen manufacturing and other trades by the Price family. The village had a number of corn, flour and flax mills, the remains of which are visible today, and has retained a tradition of textile manufacture through Saintfield Yarns. The architectural and historic significance of its village centre is reflected in its designation as a Conservation Area in 1997.
- Saintfield is probably most famous for the battle that took place there in June 1798, between the United Irishmen and the York fencibles and local yeomanry during the Irish rebellion. The headstones of men who were killed in this battle can be seen near the river at the bottom of the 1st Presbyterian Church graveyard, however the actual graves and bodies have been built over with new housing.
Places & buildings of interest
- Rowallane Garden is situated just outside the village. The exotic gardens were started over 100 years ago, and are now in the care of the National Trust.
- Many of the buildings on the main street have old stables and courtyards behind them.
- The old White Horse Inn also sits on the main street.
- The Church of Ireland building next door is a listed building.
- The First Presbyterian church on the main street dates from 1777.
From Lewis Topographical Dictionary (1837):
The proprietor and lord of the manor, N. Price, Esq., improved the town in 1802, when he erected a large market-house and hotel, since which time Saintfield has been rapidly improving, and is now one of the most flourishing towns in the county.
- The Market House (now an Orange Hall) and the Hotel (now a private house) can be seen on Main Street.
Demographics
Saintfield is classified as an intermediate settlement by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 2,250 and 4,500 people).
On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 2,959 people living in Saintfield. Of these:
- 25.6% were aged under 16 years and 16.3% were aged 60 and over
- 47.8% of the population were male and 52.2% were female
- 23.8% were from a Catholic background and 71.4% were from a Protestant background
- 1.9% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Sport
References
See also
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- List of Irish Towns with a Market House
- List of Primary schools in Northern Ireland
External links
Business links for Saintfield