Book traces the history of the heart of Lecale

Book traces the history of the heart of Lecale

18 June 2014

A NEW book entitled ‘Ballee – In the Heart of Lecale’ is being launched this weekend.

The book is a short history of the rural lives of the people who have lived in the Ballee area since early times. It deals with their lands, their churches, their schools and much more.

The front cover of the book depicts the ‘Centre Hill’, which has always been regarded as the centre, or heart, of Lecale.

The authors are Jennifer Hutton and her granddaughter, Sara Brown. Jennifer describes the book as a “labour of love” which was six years in the making.

After retiring from her busy life of teaching in Down High School Preparatory Department and as Director of Down County Livestock Mart, Jennifer agreed to Sara’s suggestion of researching the history of the Ballee area.

Ballee Parish Church has been traced to the twelfth century, its links with Down Cathedral from 1622 and the building of the present church by Dean Delany in 1749.

The history continues with the coming of the Scots and the setting up of their churches at Ballyclander, the Flying Horse, Ballee and Ballyhossett, and in the building of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Ballycruttle.

Land ownership is traced to the seventeenth century and includes the purchase by Thomas Ashe of the ‘Ten Towns in Lecale.’ Other topics dealt with are the ‘41 Rebellion, the Great Famine and their effects on the people of Ballee.

Anyone interested in the history of the area is cordially invited to the book launch in Ballee Parish Church this Sunday at 3pm.

A display of antiquities relating to the area, including the sixth edition of the Down Recorder, will be on display.

Books costing £10 each will be on sale. The proceeds will be donated to the Northern Ireland Hospice and Ballee Parish Church.

Jennifer and Sara wish to thank Jayne Caven, Elizabeth Hamilton, Connie Rourke, Martin Seed, the staff of Downpatrick Library and the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland for their assistance.