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Scarva Road, BANBRIDGE, BT32 3AS

The Banbridge – Scarva road as it passes the back of Edenderry Park Image (right).

This, the first part of Edenderry Park, was built by Banbridge UDC circa 1955/56 by adding council houses to an existing development of private houses (the white ones in the background). A second part (in a different style) came along a few years later (out of picture to the left). The view is from Peggy’s Loanin. Continue to Image

Being grazed by sheep today. This field, on the southern side of the Scarva Road, was originally reserved for any future expansion of the factory on the left.

At the time, this sign (on the Scarva Road just before Peggy’s Loanin) was considered innovative. A change from the usual simple “Banbridge” design, it attracted much comment and attention.

The Northern Ireland Housing Trust was a body created to deal with the post-WWII housing shortage. A paper read by Sir Lucius O'Brien, (the Trust’s Chairman) on 20th March, 1953 included this: “The first report on housing in Northern Ireland, published in 1944 by the Housing Committee! of the Planning Advisory Board, revealed a serious state of affairs. The report estimated that 100,000 houses were needed immediately to provide reasonable housing conditions. The magnitude of such a figure may be judged by the fact that about 50,000 houses only, or an average of 2,500 per annum, were built between 1919 and 1939.” The Trust supplemented the work of the numerous councils and often provided houses of a very high standard. Some might say that Granville was one of its best.

See Image The view towards Peggy’s Loanin, from near the steps on the Scarva Road Image

Now selling used cars, the showroom, on the Scarva Road, dates from the mid-1960’s when it was built as a Rootes Group dealership. The buildings in the background were once (if my memory is correct) part of the Silverford Ropeworks.

Banbridge has three Catholic chapels. About a third of the population of the town are Roman Catholics.

Not red anymore and officially called Hockley Terrace – a terrace on the northern side of the Scarva Road – once redbrick but now rendered. There used to be a hand pump at the far end. Note for genealogists: there are/were several “Red Rows” in the area around Banbridge, Seapatrick and Lenaderg.

The chimney stack of Cowdy's Linen Mill just before it was demolished. The River Bann around Banbridge was once lined with these mills.