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Steel Dickson Gardens, NEWTOWNARDS, BT22 1LF

Portaferry lies at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula drumlin belt. Some of its streets, while not particularly steep, are sloped. Steel Dickson Avenue (named after this chap Image) is one where some of the houses are stepped to accommodate the hill. This is the north western side. Image shows the other side of the street.

A plaque, on a house at the Shore Road, commemorating Joseph Tomelty http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/tomelty.html and http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaryjoseph-tomelty-1586249.html. He is probably best known (to an older generation) for writing the script for “The McCooeys” http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00dlsrj - a wireless programme which included JG Devlin and James Young Image Most of this will be meaningless to anyone under 55.

The two buildings were originally a house and a Masonic Hall. Probably built sometime between 1790 and 1830 and remodelled circa 1890-1900. Listed, grade B2, details and history are at: http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/content-databases-buildview?id=16921

Image showed an elevated view of the church in February 2009. This is a more traditional ground-level view. Image shows the blue plaque.

A plaque, on Portaferry Presbyterian church Image, commemorating Steel Dickson http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/dixonwilliamsteel.htm and Image a former minister of the church.

See Image The view, in the other direction, towards Strangford Lough where the “Strangford Ferry” is arriving from Strangford. The houses (left) are thought to date from the early 19th century http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/built/buildview?id=13292&js=true and are stepped to accommodate the hill.

This fine hall was built in 1900 to serve the needs of the Catholic parish of Ballyphilip, Portaferry. A replica of the hall, such is its architectural importance, has been built at the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra. It represents a phase in the history of Ulster when the Roman Catholic church was in its ascendancy after a long period of repression. In recent years the cost of maintaining the hall became too heavy a burden on the parish resources and the building was sold for conversion into apartments. http://www.nmni.com/uftm/Collections/buildings/Town-Area-%281%29/Parochial-House

See Image A similar sign (in English only) showing a former street name. Steel Dickson (1744 – 1824) Image was Minister of Portaferry Presbyterian Church and a United Irishman.