IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
My Ladys Mile, HOLYWOOD, BT18 9EE

Apartments on the southern side of My Lady’s Mile Image

A suburban road running from High Street to the Demesne Road Image This view is outward from opposite the southern end of Church View Image with the autumn colours on display. The road’s name is unusual and an explanation is not easy to find. One thing which seems reasonably certain is that it has no connection with this one Image where the “Lady” in question was related to Lord Donegall. One suggestion for Holywood is that the name was originally “Our Lady’s Mile” implying a religious connection which is not unreasonable given the origin of the town’s name. Another is that the “Lady” was a relative of Sir Hugh Montgomery Image and Image who had been granted land in north Down and the Ards as part of the Plantation of Ulster.

The first conkers have just started to appear on the horse chestnuts in the past week or so.

St Colmcille's RC church in Holywood, County Down. It is located at the corner of High Street and My Lady's Mile. The original church, built of local white Scrabo and imported red Dumfries stone with a pitch pine roof, was first dedicated on Sunday 14th June 1874. The later addition of a bell tower was not completed until 1891. However, what we see today is a different structure. The original 1874 construction was destroyed by a malicious fire (probably sectarian) in the early hours of 24th August 1989. After the fire, the 120-foot tower remained but was deemed to be structurally unsafe. It was decided, however, to restore it using some of the stone salvaged from the old church. The main church structure was beyond repair and this was replaced with a new circular structure, seen to the left of the tower. The reconstructed St Colmcille's seen here was rededicated by Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr. Patrick Walsh, on Sunday 28th May 1995. See the parish website at http://www.parishofholywood.org/ for more information.

A third picture of the spire of St Comcille's in Holywood (see Image), this time from directly underneath. The spire had the following inscription dating from the original church, dedicated in 1874: "Have mercy O Lord on the soul of Patrick Read, at whose bequest this tower was completed AD1890. The Church of St. Columba dedicated June 14th 1874" When the spire was repaired following the fire of 1989 the following inscription was added: "New church built and tower restored 1993 AD" The spire still contains the original bell. However, to prevent further damage to the structure, this is now struck electronically rather than rung by hand.

The 120 foot high spire of St Comcille's (see Image) is a prominent feature on the southern side of Holywood. This is a view from several hundred yards away.

The churchyard of St Comcille's contains memorial stones to many of the departed parish priests. The most elaborate is this celtic cross in memory of the Rt Reverend Monsignor O'Laverty who died on the 18th April 1906, aged 78 years. Monsignor O'Laverty was pastor of St Comcille's (written as St Columb-kills on the memorial) for 40 years.

See Image (June 2008). The present church (left) and the remains of the former seen from Ean Hill. Continue to Image

See Image (May 2012). The present church (designed by Rooney and McConville http://s530839310.initial-website.co.uk/ - 1993) features a part-glazed copper conical roof topped by a glazed lantern. This view is from High Street.

Rivet bench mark on a wall around St Comcile's church in Holywood Image The arrow points to a small brass rivet set into the top of the wall. The mark is 11.75 metres above MSL. See also http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=11037856 for many other examples I have found.