Part 2 Photographs by Cecil Newman (1918-1984)
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4. Towns and Villages Many of the towns and villages in the Mourne region have long histories, with links to early churches, Norman castles and family estates. Castlewellan, Hilltown and Rathfriland were developed in the mid-eighteenth century during expansion in the linen industry. Extensive linen bleaching took place in Castlewellan from 1749 and a mill was erected in 1829, the first mill in Ireland capable of spinning fine yarns. The first Earl of Downshire established Hilltown in 1766 as another centre for the linen industry but it soon lost importance in competition with nearby Rathfriland. All three towns were important market centres and were used by local farmers to sell livestock and produce and to host fairs. Smaller villages such as Kilcoo, Attical and Leitrim provided support to their local communities. The waters off Dundrum Bay provided particularly good fishing grounds and numerous small fishing villages, such as Annalong, developed along the coastline. Dundrum’s trade was centred on the import of coal and export of wood. However, the south and south-east winds have always created hazardous sailing conditions in the Dundrum area and as trade increased the
larger boats found more suitable ports. Kilkeel became the main fishing port and remains so to this day. The harbour has undergone a series of developments, which was of interest to Cecil Newman who thought that the presence of a working fishing fleet could be used as an attraction, as well as a source of employment and economic benefit to the wider community. The setting of Newcastle, located between mountains and sea, has long been appreciated for its beauty. With a reputation for good bathing waters, hotels and spas were established here from the early nineteenth century. Cranfield is a good example of how smaller resorts developed in the 1950s. In addition to its fine beach, its wartime airfield provided a perfect foundation for a large caravan and camping area. The larger towns of Newry and Warrenpoint have benefited most from industrial development and port facilities. In the case of Warrenpoint, this was combined with its early development of a flourishing tourist industry. Cecil’s photographs Cecil’s photographs reflect all these differing, and changing, aspects of towns in and around the Mournes.