ROSE COTTAGE
Rose Cottage stood on the opposite side of the road from Culcavey Stores. Tenants included a Mr & Mrs Colville who each year made an effigy of Lundy, which was taken shoulder high to Hillsborough, accompanied by Hillsborough Brass Band, and burned. Mr & Mrs Rutherford occupied the cottage, followed by Bob and Bella Walker. Sadly the cottage is gone, the only reminder being the gate to its entrance.

HARRY'S ROAD
Whilst the village of Culcavey was a small community made up mostly of mill houses, there were other large houses in the area. Notably at the top of Harry's Road were three such houses uniquely connected to the village.

CULCAVEY HOUSE
The use of the name `Culcavey House' can be confusing when looking at the history of the area. To those who remember the gentleman's residence bordering the Mill Pond on the Culcavey Road they immediately recall it as Culcavey House or McBride's House. In fact this was the site of Culcavey Cottage Farm, and when Herculese Bradshaw built his palatial house in 1826 he coined the name `Culcavey House'. The original and real Culcavey House stood at the top of Harry's Road on the right-hand side and faced onto the Lisburn Road. Existing records show that this house dates back to the early 1700's. The Nelson name has been associated with the house since the 1750's. The original house stood on this site until about 1912, when a new house built in front of it was named Brooklands. The house still remains in Nelson hands, being the residence of Brian Nelson and his family. Hubert Nelson (Brian's father), who was a forward thinking and mechanically minded farmer, demonstrated the first Combine Harvester (Allis Chalmers) to arrive in Northern Ireland in about 1942.

WELLINGTON LODGE
Adjacent to Culcavey House stands Wellington Lodge. This house could possibly have been built around the same time as Culcavey House. Records indicate that the Rev. Edward Kent bought the house privately in around 1859. He was Rector of Annahilt until 1847 when he became Treasurer and Rural Dean of Dromore. Rev. Kent died in London in 1863. The next recorded fact shows that Rev. Edward Smyth, who was Rector of Rathfriland until 1873, lived in Wellington Lodge from 1873 until his death in 1876. From that date the Lodge became a Rectory and was occupied by Rev. Stephen Campbell. Mr. Campbell's successor was Rev FW Hogan, Vicar of Eglantine parish from 1882 to 1915. Canon AD Mitchell followed Rev Hogan and remained in the house until his retirement in 1961. The final ecclesiastical occupant of the house was Canon F A Baillie. The house was sold in 1967 when a new modern rectory was built beside All Saints' Parish Church Eglantine. Mr. Jeremy Bryson occupied the house until 1998 when it was sold to the present owners.

It has always been the belief of the people of the surrounding area that one of either of the above two houses was used as a staging post where horses stopped via the Belfast to Dublin route.

EGLANTINE HOUSE
It is believed that Eglantine House was originally built by the Hill Family, landlords of Hillsborough, pre. 1800. It may, like Kilwarlin House, have been built for an unmarried daughter of the family to live in!

Mr Ambrose Moore, a civil engineer in charge of local roads, lived in the house pre 1841. Moore's Bridge on Hillsborough Road Lisburn was one of his constructions. In 1841 the Hill family sold Eglantine House to St Clair Mulholland, the youngest of four brothers who owned the York Street Spinning Mill in Belfast. At that time this mill was one of the largest in the world and is now the site of the Yorkgate Shopping Centre. After rebuilding and extending the house the family lived there until 1917 when Miss Mary Mulholland, the last of St Clair Mulholland's family, died. Mary was responsible for the building of All Saints' Church, Eglantine, in 1875, as a memorial to her brother and father.

The Coulter family, still living in the area and one time owners of the Newport Coal Quay, owned Eglantine House for a short time after 1917 before it was sold with its 300 acre estate to Mr. Edward Thomas Green, proprietor of ET Greens Mill near Belfast Docks. Around about 1973 the Green family sold both the house and estate to Mr Anthony Skyrme,

In the early 1980s the estate was divided into two farms and both were sold. Two-thirds of the land and Eglantine House were bought by the Falloon Family with the intention of converting the house into a hotel or country club. However planning permission could not be obtained for this project and the house lay mostly unoccupied until it was burnt down on the night of Sunday 23rd September 1990. The very ornate front Gate Lodge is still intact and lived in and is featured in The Gate Lodges of Ulster published by The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society.

The other one-third of the land was bought by the Sloan Family who have since built two large farm houses and many other buildings, including a vegetable washing and bagging plant. Access to this farm is by the former back avenue to Eglantine House, and this is also the way into All Saints' Parish Church from Eglantine Road.

PUDDLEDOCK ROAD (now Aughnatrisk Road)
In addition to the two row of Mill Houses (Thompson's Row and Puddledock Row) there were other houses of note on this road.

BRICKFIELD LODGE
This property was aptly named, as it was here during the 17th and 18th century bricks were made from the clay deposits so suited for that purpose. The kneaded clay would have been made into bricks and laid horizontally to be hardened by the heat of the sun (sun baked). Kiln drying came into general use around 1700. The Lodge was re-named Brickfield Cottage, and at the turn of the century was owned by a Mr Greer, who in 1913 emigrated to Canada. The property was purchased by a Mr Adams who whilst farming the land also operated a Saw Mill. He also enhanced the property by creating a grass tennis court. The next occupant was Mr Hood, who from 1939 specialised in market gardening. The Northern Ireland Electricity Supply Depot, Aughnatrisk Road, is now located on the site of Brickfield Lodge, and Lagan Valley Steel also occupies part of the farm land.

LAURELVALE
This was the home of the McCandless family and the farm remained in their name up to 1930. It was here that Rex and Cromie McCandless, the motor cycle legends, were born. Mr. John Law became the next owner and continued to farm the land. The Law family remain in residence, and the area around the farm has been industrially developed. Bertie Emerson recalls how his Grandfather McCandless, once a year, drove his horse and cart from Laurelvale Farm along a track over the hills to the 'Flush' at Reilly's Trench and back again in order to keep the right of way open.

DICK'S HUT
This was a small wooden structure that stood on the right-hand side past Culcavey crossroads. Originally built in the early 1930's as a lock-up shop to distribute newspapers, it was operated by Mr Harry Ginn from Hillsborough. When he ceased business it was taken over by Mr Dick Thompson, and at that time another smaller hut was added to provide living accommodation. The shop was mainly a confectioners/ tobacconists and also carried out the vital function as newsagent, as Culcavey Stores did not operate this service. As a newsagent it meant the shop was open at night and over the weekend. The Stores closed at lunch time on Saturday. The building was quite small, and people often wondered how Dick, as he was always known, managed to live in it. Here the village children would spend their pennies at the weekend, while the adults bought cigarettes and newspapers. Dick carried on trading in his `hut' for a good number of years until his retirement to a nursing home in Holywood, Co. Down. His avid interest was horse racing and he proclaimed to know many people in the racing world. People will remember him as one of the `characters' of village life.

RAILWAY VIEW
Just past Oakmount, the red brick residence of the Emerson family (built in 1913), a lane-way led to five two-storey houses called Railway View. Very aptly named, the railway line faced them just one field away. Originally a two storey stone built farmhouse stood on this agricultural holding, and in the 1880's Mr Shaw of Culcavey Stores owned it. This was made into three cottar-houses (dwellings for farm labourers) and in the 1930's two houses were built onto the northern gable. Each of these houses had a garden. Bertie Emerson recalls that they were built on a clay base rendering them completely free of damp. Tenants names were Carr, Crossey, Cunningham, Dewart, Hunter, McAdam and McDonald.

On the opposite side of the road to the entrance of Railway View stood a whitewashed cottage. In the 1930's the Crothers family occupied this cottage. Mr Crothers worked for the Belfast and County Down Railway, and in the evening carried on a bicycle business. Members of the family joined the armed services and one daughter emigrated to the USA. During the 1950's the cottage became home to the village cobbler (shoemaker) Mr. Dewart. The owner of the cottage, Mrs Hewitt, had the building `taken down' and a new bungalow built in its place.

CULCAVEY HALL ASSEMBLY
Previous to the erection of the first building known as `Culcavey Mission Hall' gospel meetings were held in an old school building belonging to the Hillsborough Linen Company as far back as 1919. Some time later a Sunday school was started in the Halftown Orange Hall and later a gospel and a prayer meeting followed. Those involved in this work were George McCord, Joseph Coulter and Robert Smith, and they decided that a permanent building was needed, so a wooden structure was bought from the brethren of Windsor Gospel Hall in Belfast.
 

The trust deed then drawn up showed Messrs G McCord, E Woods, D Patterson, S Greer and J Scandrett as trustees placing upon them no other obligation but that the building would be used only for evangelical meetings. The land deed showed that George McCord had transferred this plot of ground to the trustees free of charge. All these events took place around 1929. The Worship meeting or breaking of bread commenced in 1930. Much support was given by the Belfast's Victoria Hall Assembly and by various other churches. Attendances were large, with missions being taken by Mr Tocher of Belfast's Templemore Hall and a Scotsman, Mr James McKendrie.

Most of the children in the village attended the Sunday school, where in the I940s the principal was Mr Bobbie Smith. The teachers were the Pattersons, the Greers, Mr Porter and Mr Thompson. Excellent Christmas parties were organised and an invitation was even extended to those who did not attend the Sunday school.

By the mid-1950s the old wooden hall was beginning to show signs of decay, so it was given a front and a back of brick, leaving the timber hall in between. In the 1960s a donation of �500 was made by the Sir John Laing Fund to complete the building work commenced in the previous decade. A new hall was in effect built and linked with the brick front and back walls. During the work meetings were held in a tent loaned by a Mr Glasgow of Newtownards. Further renovation work was carried out in the I980s to provide what is now a very modern and fitting place in which to preach the word of God.

NEWPORT HOUSE
Down past the `Mission Hall' the road traverses to the left leading down the back of the new Newport Primary School. This was the original road before the M I was built. To the back of the school stands Newport House. The present owners are the Reid family.
The property has been beautifully and traditionally maintained over the years, and acres of arable land bordering the canal were attached to it. The farm took on a new importance when the canal was built, with a spacious yard and a range of out buildings the advantages were clear. Here a store (shop) was built, and a weigh-bridge for horse-drawn vehicles was installed. A private quay was built on the feeder river to the canal. The entrance to this quay, which was for private and commercial purposes, was straight through the farmyard. It is recorded as being in use in 1853.

Many of the original features of the house can be seen today. A most beautiful specimen of a weeping willow is still growing on the front lawn, reminiscent of bye gone days.

NEWPORT RAILWAY HALT
From Newport House you would have looked directly across the fields to the front to see Newport Railway Halt. The Halt was specially constructed during World War II to facilitate Service personnel stationed at Long Kesh, and remained in operation right up until the line was closed. Many will remember Mr Arthur Dowd who was in charge of the Halt.

ALL SAINT'S PARISH CHURCH, EGLANTINE
Today Culcavey falls within the Church of Ireland parish of Eglantine, although this was not always the case. Originally, this was within the boundary of the parish of Hillsborough and then of Lisburn Cathedral, and latterly of Christ Church, Lisburn. In 1875 the independent parish of All Saints, Eglantine, came into being. The parish area stretches from Sprucefield to Carnreagh and from Ravarnet to Maze. The name, Eglantine, is French Norman and means Dog Rose. It is uncertain how this name came to be associated with this area, although we know that the Normans were not too far away at Duneight.

The present beautiful church was consecrated by Bishop Robert Knox on 15 July 1875 and was designed by Sir Thomas Drew. He was an architect of some renown and his other works include St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast. All Saints was not actually built to serve as a parish church, but rather as a private chapel for the Mulholland family of Eglantine House. The prime mover in building the house was Mary Mulholland, who wished it to be a memorial to St Clair Kelburn Mulholland and his young son, also named St Clair. The elder Mulholland was one of five brothers who founded the York Street Spinning Mills in Belfast. The family, which retained its connection with the parish until 1917, is remembered in the stained glass east window of the church.

The completed church cost �3,442 5s 10d and is a fine example of Early English style gothic, built of blackstone with sandstone dressings. A pleasant feature of the exterior is the turret with its three little bells. The interior is equally rewarding, with a font and pulpit carved from French Caen stone. The building is composed of a nave and south aisle with a very English-looking carved timber porch.

In 1943 the Rector of the church was approached by the Imperial War Graves Commission seeking permission to have a number of grave spaces reserved for the use of the air forces stationed at RAF Long Kesh. As a result of this arrangement, twenty-one airmen of different ranks and faiths from the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force are buried here.

THE LAGAN CANAL
The Lagan Canal was constructed in 1794 to give barges or lighters a watercourse from Belfast to Lough Neagh. The River Lagan was navigable as far as Lisburn, but required engineering work to extend that course. From Moore's Bridge at Lisburn the sloping ravine made a natural setting for the canal and facilitated its construction. The river was lower than the canal and required four locks to transfer boats from one level to another. Following the pathway along this stretch of canal form the Union Locks at Lisburn, under the hump-backed Blaris Bridge to Kesh Bridge, were to be found structures that were part and parcel of canal-building, such as locks, quays, culverts, excavations and embankments. The towpath gave the residents of Culcavey a short cut to Lisburn and Maze.

Culverts had to be built to take the field drains as the canal was higher than much of the countryside. A lattice work iron bridge was built over the canal near Newport in 1863 to accommodate the Great Northern Railway line. A stone pillar on a concrete base at the Culcavey side of the canal helped to support this great structure. At this particular point the canal was wider than usual and then it narrowed to a 45 degree angle to flow under the low Newport Bridge. At the Kesh side of this bridge it was again wider in order to accommodate two barges passing each other. There was also berthing for several barges bow to stern near the quay and three brick-built coal sheds.

Further along at the junction of the feeder river (the Whiskey River) the original course of the river was blocked, although a new outlet had been dug at right angles one hundred yards back. This area was called the `Cutts' and its design prevented sediment from the feeder river from entering the canal.

The canal was completed in 1794, making the transport of goods and particularly heavy goods, much easier, and the new port or `Newport' benefited from this with the opportunities provided for the distillery and linen factory in bringing in raw materials and transporting finished items.

The Newport Bridge was built in 1794 and it was accustomed to traffic of one or two horsepower and perhaps only experienced heavy usage when the local lord passed over it in his coach and four. Increased traffic down the years took its toll on the bridge and part of its retaining wall collapsed during the Second World War. The army built a temporary iron bailey bridge, which in turn was replaced by a concrete structure. When the M I motorway was built a new bridge was provided on the realigned Culcavey/Halftown Road.

NEWPORT SCHOOL
Elementary education in Britain was made compulsory from 1876. Newport Public Elementary School was built in I870 at the junction of the Halftown Road and the Lagan Canal. This building still exists in use as a nursery school. It was very typical of the time, being built of red brick with a steep slated roof with high windows and a schoolmaster's residence attached. The large hall inside the building was divided into two classrooms. At that time all religious denominations had their own school and Newport was under the control of the Church of Ireland. This link was made very clear in 1909 when a new principal was being sought, as applicants had to be prepared to additionally serve as organist and choirmaster at All Saints, Eglantine.

Mr JJ Victor Boyd was appointed at this time and he served as principal for 36 years. A memorial in All Saints' Eglantine Church is a record of Mr. Boyd's contribution to the education and musical life of the area.

Church control of the school remained until it was transferred to the Down County Council Education Committee in 1927. In 1930 there was a proposal to amalgamate the two Maze schools and Newport, although in the event only the Maze schools were linked.

With the proximity to RAF Long Kesh, the classrooms were used by servicemen for training in the evenings between 7 and 9 pm, and the evacuees placed in the area due to the war served to increase numbers on the school register. After the war numbers moving into the area increased and the need for a new larger school building became apparent. A new school was completed in November 1967 and was dedicated on 3 January 1968. The growth of the school at this time is indicated by the appointment of the first ever vice-principal, Mrs FE Brown. This flurry of activity was also mirrored by the formation of a Parent Teacher Association.

However, by the time the school came under the jurisdiction of the South Eastern Education and Library Board in 1972 enrolment was in decline. Anyone familiar with the area today will know that this is definitely not the case now with the vastly increased numbers ofhouses in the vicinity.

For the many children who passed through Newport School their memories of school life include the names of their teachers. As the Principal (in earlier years known as Headmaster) is usually the one brought most easily to mind, many people will remember who `ran the ship' in their schooldays. Following Mr Boyd we have:

1. Mr Frederick W. Browne
2. Mr Harry Chasty
3. Mr Harry Carson
4. Mr Ronald Wilson
5. Mr Ronnie Small
6. Mr Derek Henderson
7. Mrs Ruth Dodds
8. Mrs Margaret Wilson

Mrs Barbara Lewers (nee Clarke) � current Principal

The following teachers too will evoke memories, although the list isn't comprehensive, but does include today's staff, with Mrs Lewers and Miss McGowan having chalked up thirty-six years of teaching at Newport between them:

Day trips, overnight visits and longer trips both on the mainland and across the water became a feature of school life. Cabra Towers, London, Edinburgh and the Lake District evoke memories. How different school was in the 1920's as Bertie Emerson recalls:

Today the age of technology continues its advancement and the children at Newport have become verycomputer literate in their work, which continues to be supported by word processing and internet skills. Emphasis is still very much on the academic and social aspects of school life. Educational visits continue but have been extended to destinations further afield such as Euro Disney in Paris. Visits with other schools through EMU (Education for Mutual Understanding) links have been established allowing the Newport children to share their experiences and learning with pupils from other schools.

The media has also become very much a part of school life with children taking part in radio interviews and frequently appearing in local and Province-wide newspapers. Perhaps the most recent and exciting experience was televised in January 2001, when the entire school appeared in Ulster Television's School Around the Corner.

The Newport primary seven class of 2000-2001 decided to try and discover some things about the past of the school, so they carried out project work asking their parents and grandparents about their schooldays. Out of eighteen pupils, six had a parent or grandparent who had attended Newport School � quite a change from the days when everyone in each generation would have gone to the same school. Past pupils recalled the various modes of transport to and from school, which ranged from walking to taking a bus. Many of the former pupils remembered the teachers by name and also recalled their favourite subjects. Each person was asked, "Would you like to go back to school and why?" One ex-pupil responded by saying, "Yes, it would be nice to try and recapture my youth". It was clear that Newport Primary School had left many pupils with very happy memories.

ANTHONY'S LOANIN
Anthony's Loanin was the colourful name given to the long straight, narrow road which ran left off Halftown Road just past the old Newport School. Summerfield Farm was located down this road and its owner, William E. Sands, was renowned in the field of potato growing.

"World's Record Crops of 1912 and 1913 were produced from Irish-grown seed potatoes ".

So proclaims a very detailed catalogue of 1914 detailing prize-winning potatoes of every imaginable variety. What all the potatoes had in common that they were grown from seed produced by "William E Sands, FRHS, Potato Raiser and Specialist, Hillsborough, Ireland".

Mr Sands was a resident of Culcavey and his potato seeds were used the length and breadth of Britain.

His brochure states that "No black scab has been found in any of the potatoes, which are not grown in or near infested districts". The catalogue details the entire range of Sands' potatoes and where they had been exhibited and what awards � and there were many � they had won. Some of the potatoes rejoiced in splendid names such as `Sands' Mayflower', `Sands' Erin Queen' and `Sands' Irish Hero'.

There were two farms on the Halftown Road, just past Anthony's Loanin. A family called Gregory lived there and in the 1920s/30s `Gregory's Buses' provided a service to Belfast each Saturday, the fare being 6d (2.5 new pence) return. The next farm was Morgan's, and Lottie's son wrote and performed the song "My Lagan Love".

BERRY'S LANE, SANDY LANE AND MOSS ROAD
Next on the right past Anthony's Loanin was Berry's Lane, so-called because Mr Berry, a farmer, lived up this lane in Newport Cottage. Further down the road on the right, past Coronation Gardens, was Sandy Lane and here six families had homes. Moss Road, which came next on the left, led to deposits of sand and gravel used by farmers and the building trade up until 1939. To facilitate the building of Long Kesh aerodrome during the Second World War, the government requisitioned the land from Anthony's Loanin to Bog Road, left side of the Halftown Road.

CORONATION GARDENS
David Adams has provided an insight into the history, people and life of the area.

The main centre of population at the Lower Maze is Coronation Gardens, which was built as a public housing estate in 1950 and consists of 60-plus houses. The "Coronation" prefix in the title of the housing estate reflects not only the era when it was built but also largely the political affiliation of its inhabitants. Adding to the local populace a much smaller private housing development, Florence Court, was built alongside in the early I 970s � but essentially "the Gardens" remains at the heart of the area. Built roughly in the shape of a half-moon, Coronation Gardens sits on one side of the Halftown Road and faces across the road onto the Lower Maze Community Hall � formerly Lower Maze I 1 I Orange Hall. Beyond the community hall lies the 343-acre site of the former Maze Prison and Long Kesh army base.

Before Long Kesh internment camp, later to become HMP Maze, was constructed, the surrounding area was exclusively of a rural agricultural nature. A small section of the local populace found employment with farmers in the area, but, in the main, most people travelled the three miles to Lisburn to work.

The focal points of community activity were Newport Primary School, Lower Maze 111 Orange Hall (now Lower Maze Community Hall) and Eglantine Parish Church. Two local pubs, Drake's and Mills' (now Gowdy's), which are still in existence and a local shop, Palmers, (now gone) also provided for the area. With Eglantine Parish Church having no church hall at that time, Lower Maze Orange Hall was the venue for meetings of the Church Lads Brigade, and in later years Halftown Residents' Association and the local Youth Club.


The present site of the now-closed Maze Prison was commonly referred to as "The Camp" and housed nothing livelier than a few straggly sheep and a meteorological station from where weather balloons would be released periodically. The sheep, owned by local farmers who leased the land for grazing, didn't always confine themselves to the boundaries of the camp but often wandered at will along the adjoining Halftown Road.

Another, and for the local children at least, far more interesting lessee at the camp was a gliding club. Indeed, on the occasional Sunday afternoon during the summer months, people who had travelled out from Lisburn would often join with local children and adults to watch the gliders taking off and landing.

Another local venue that was capable of attracting people from a much wider dispensation was the Maze Racecourse (now Down Royal). Although in those days horse racing at the Maze took place on a far more infrequent basis than now, it still attracted people from the length and breadth of Ireland and beyond. Not surprisingly it also attracted the people from the Maze itself. Young and old alike, mostly male of course, used to walk the couple of miles from the Lower Maze once or twice a year to enjoy the racing. The men went for the racing and a few pints of beer at Mills' pub next door to the racecourse and the youngsters for the colour and excitement of the day. The many multi-decorated stalls selling everything from candyfloss and toffee apples to windmills and kites proved irresistible to every child within walking distance.

Other than on special occasions such as the Maze Races, entertainment and social activity was largely self-generated. Pigeon racing has always been very popular in the area and an occasional card school or game of pitch-and-toss wasn't unheard of in years gone by. Remembering a childhood spent at the Lower Maze is to remember skipping, hopscotch, rounders, hide-and-seek, chasing, the Queen of the May and girls playing numerous complicated ball games against gable walls. Strangely as it seems now, where the boys were concerned at least, there was also a seasonal or cyclical dimension to the playing of games. For a time marbles would be all the rage and then, almost unspoken, everyone would begin to play bows and arrows for a while, then, just as unannounced, these would be put aside for the building and racing of guiders or playing with hoops or old tyres. Eventually, everyone would return to marbles and the cycle would begin again.

A sparsely populated area, the Lower Maze at that time was much like any other rural area in Northern Ireland. People tended to gravitate towards their local church much more than they do nowadays. Travel beyond the area, either to Lisburn or Hillsborough, was invariably done on foot or by the twice a-day bus service. Car ownership was viewed as a distinct luxury and the use of taxis an almost unheard of over-indulgence. Consequently, although the Lower Maze area is still quite rightly viewed as a relatively tight knit community, in this respect at least, it is as nothing to how it was then. In those days almost all social activity and interaction by adults and children alike was carried out in the immediate area. Adults ventured beyond the area merely to work or for shopping. A child's first experience of a world beyond the Maze was his or her first day at secondary school. Other than this the main reference points for life in general were all anchored at the Maze.

One can begin to imagine then, the cultural shock to a small rural community such as the Maze with the development, literally on their doorstep, of what was quickly to become the most famous � or infamous � prison in the world. When Long Kesh internment camp, and later HMP Maze, was sited at Lower Maze, "the troubles", which previously had seemed so distant, became an overnight reality and constant companion of the people of the area. A constant flow of prison visitors, increased security, periodic protests by political and paramilitary groupings and massive media interest suddenly became the norm. The area and its inhabitants were catapulted into a spotlight they neither wanted nor deserved. As the years went by the disruption to normal life increased. The burning of the prison by its inmates, a mass breakout by republicans, the dirty protest and hunger strike, plus numerous small incidents, all combined to create an almost siege-like atmosphere at the Lower Maze. This ebbed and flowed with political development and at particular times in the prison's history. All of this took place against a constant backdrop of the high security measures and safeguards in place. Helicopter traffic night and day, sirens blaring and lights blazing, security checkpoints and army patrols were all a continuing reminder of the potential risks in living in such close proximity to the prison. With the closure of the prison, the area looks set to experience substantial change yet again.

Despite pressures imposed on the community, the area remains close-knit and forward-looking and the best recent evidence of this is the construction of the new Lower Maze Community Hall. built at the instigation of local people and involving a high level of co-operation.

A good indicator of how the people of Lower Maze feel about their area is the fact that family names and connections have remained largely static. Names like Fay, Mallon, McKeown, Welsh, Heasley, Quinn, Campbell, Patton, Martin, McQuillan, Cargo, Stewart, Kennedy, Coburn, Bird, Willis, White and Lavery are synonymous with the area.

LOWER MAZE COMMUNITY HALL
The Downshire Family built Lower Maze Orange Hall in the year 1810 as a National School. When Newport Public Elementary School was built the hall became an Orange Hall shared by Singleton's Lodge LOL Ill and Chapman's Lodge LOL No 244. LOL 244 ceased to function around about 1923, leaving LOL 11 l in control. The Lower Maze Orangemen made a big contribution towards the cost of building Newport School in the year 1877.

Apart from being used in the early 1900s as a Sunday School, the hall provided the meeting place for the Church Lads' Brigade Company. Eglantine Company was part of the 3rd Battalion of the Church Lads' Brigade.

The first Commanding Officer was Mr Jack Curry and Officers were William Parker, Dougie McCarthy, George Quail, Noel Finlay and Foster Cottney. It was a large contingent and the boys enjoyed the marching, drilling, gym work, singing, hand ball, 5-a-side football, cross country running and religious education. The annual summer camps were looked forward to, visiting such places as Bangor, Ballycastle, Portstewart, Morecombe, St. Anne's on Sea, and Ramsey, Isle of Man. Over the years numbers declined and the company is no longer operating.

The formation of the Halftown Residents Association brought new life in the use of the Hall. It was realised that in order to meet the needs of the community serious remedial work would need to be done to bring the Hall up to standard. The project kicked off in 1996, when the local community initiated a fund-raising drive. The

Halftown Residents Association successfully approached Lisburn Peace and Reconciliation for a substantial grant to carry out repairs to the existing hall. However, a subsequent professional survey revealed that somewhere in the region of �90,000 would be required to bring the existing hall up to basic standards for community use. At that stage it was decided that a more viable option would be to build a completely new hall on the existing site. In order to take the project forward a Community Hall Management Committee was formed.

Together with funding from Lisburn Borough Council, Lisburn Peace and Reconciliation, and the Millennium Halls Fund, plus hard work and the assistance of many people, the dream of a modern community hall became a reality. The whole project would not have become a reality without the help of the Officers and Members of Lower Maze LOL III, who with their generosity and understanding gave the community a place to be proud of. The official opening of Lower Maze Community Hall took place on 4th December 2000.

THE LOYAL ORDERS

THE ORANGE ORDER
The district has a prominent association with the Orange Order, not least the Blaris and Lower Maze areas. The Battle of the Boyne needs no re-telling. An entry in the Vestry Book of the Cathedral of Lisburn states that King William III and his army marched through that town in 1690, and encamped at Blaris, on his way to the Boyne, but did not stop there, as he proceeded to Hillsborough. The camp at Blaris was situated on the farm owned by William Fullerton. His home was called Camp Lodge in memory of its past history. A Doctor Cupples (then Rector of the Parish of Lisburn, alias Blaris) was called on to visit a parishioner named Connor who had seen King William alight from his horse and throw the reins over a bush for a short halt. This bush was then known as the King's Bush, and was still to be seen on the road to Blaris graveyard until the middle of the nineteenth century. Connor, ancient inhabitant of Blaris, died at the age of 110.

Ireland entered a state of comparative tranquillity after the Boyne until 1793, when radical movements began to make themselves felt in the country, chiefly as a repercussion of the French Revolution. On 10th May 1795, three months previous to the formation of the first proper Orange Lodge, the Association of United Irishmen was formed and a committee of delegates met at Belfast and completed their constitution. The Protestant people banded themselves together against this pressure. They became true to their sovereign, steady in their faith, and united for the purposes of defence. They made loyalty the pledge of their union and dedicated themselves to maintain the principles of that constitution for which their ancestors had bled. They assumed the name of him whose memory they held in highest esteem; they called themselves The Loyal and Religious Orange Institution'. The first lodge properly constituted under this new title was established at Dyan, a beautiful village on Lord Caledon's estate in County Tyrone. Some records show that in Loughgall after the Battle of the Diamond on 21st September 1795, in a certain Dan Winter's cottage (subsequently burned), yeomen from various districts, including three from Lisburn, met for the purposes of allocating warrants for other lodges of the new Orange Institution. In fact it appears that the warrants were issued from the house of James Sloan, who himself signed the early warrants. One of the men from Lisburn to whom a lodge number was allocated was William Singleton, domiciled at Lower Maze, and to him went the number of Lower Maze Lodge No. 111. In Orange history this is unique, since there are also lodges bearing this number in Cookstown and Newtownards, Lower Maze LOL No.111 was therefore begun in 1795, and was one of the foremost lodges in the Orange Institution.

The oldest document found, dated January 1799, reveals William Singleton as Worshipful Master of the Lodge, with William Joseph Cherry as Warden. Thomas Wilson is described as Secretary, and Henry Toan as a Candidate. The lodge sat in a house owned by Thomas Garrett. Something is known about these persons and their families. A Thomas Singleton was churchwarden in Magheragall Parish Church in 1666 (and extracts from the Hertford Estate papers reveal him paying hearth tax in that year). In 1719 a George Singleton (grandson of Thomas) owned 147 acres of land and paid an annual lease of �15 Os 4d., while in 1726 Silas (connection unknown) was charged a rental of �9 41s 3.5d. for land. George Singleton had a lease granted in 1756, Silas in 1787, and John Singleton likewise in 1790. There is every reason to suppose then that the Magheragall Singletons had a very close relationship with the Maze Singletons, if not a direct lineage. Indeed, in Magheragall Churchyard lies a white marble headstone with the inscription `William Singleton, Lower Maze, 1844' � in all likelihood here lies the remains of the first Master of Lodge 111, Lower Maze.

The Cherry family are of Huguenot descent � and the name now a diminutive of De Cherrie, or de la Cherrois, or, as known in Lisburn, Delacherois. In the history of the early Methodist Church in Ireland there is mention of two brothers Cherry who were connected with the Zion Methodist community at Priesthill, and whose residence is given as Lower Maze. At any rate, our Joseph Cherry was one of the thirty-two men who rebelled against the governing Methodist body. There is mention of his being brought before the King's Camp at Blaris, but being a man of high standing in the community was immediately released. The Cherry family figures prominently in the title papers of the Kilwarlin Estate Rental Register and John Cherry leased land in Maze in 1756, whilst Moses Cherry did the same in 1789. This register (1801-1804) reveals the names of families whose descendants still live within the area. Under Carnbane is listed John Leathem, leasing granted in 1756, and John Hancock of Carnbane House was granted land in the same year. Under Culcavey is listed Sir G Atkinson; under Maze Hugh and John Morgan, with Silas and John Dickson, claiming land in 1789; William McCoy and William Quaile and David Quaile with James Phenix, William Phenix and Andrew Briggs are all listed as rent-paying in the middle of the 18th century. For Ravarnet in 1771 is listed McKee and William and Susan McLoran. Many of these names are still linked with the area.

Henry Toan, the candidate mentioned in the 1799 document, resided at Ballentine, quite close to the king's camp at Blaris. Thomas Wilson, the first secretary of Lodge 111, is credited with drawing up certain signals by which Orangemen were enabled to recognise one another. He was probably related to James Wilson, the 1794 Orange hero, and one of the original members of the Orange Boys of that year. Abraham, son of James Wilson, recounted that his father had penned an early Orange history, though no trace of it can now be found. A former Town Clerk of Lisburn, Mr. T.M. Wilson, was also a descendant of the family.

Of the Thomas Garrett in whose house the Lodge first sat, little definite is known. A certain Lieutenant Robert Garrett served in the Magheragall Yeomanry founded in 1793, the same year as the famous South Down Militia was brought into being by an Act of the Irish Parliament. The Garrett family was all engaged in the cloth business in the Magheragall area. The Garrett name is still associated with the Coronation Gardens area of Lower Maze.

In 1810 the Downshire Family built a National School at Lower Maze and when Newport Public Elementary School was built the building became an Orange Hall shared by Singleton's Lodge LOL 1 1 1 and Chapman's Lodge LOL No 244. LOL 244 ceased tofunction around about 1923, leaving LOL 1 I 1 in control. The Lower Maze Orangemen made a big contribution towards the cost of building Newport School in the year 1877.

A thriving community in the Lower Maze area brought about the formation of Lower Maze Community Group. This group has achieved a great deal, including the construction of a new community hall on the site of the old LOL 111 Orange Hall.

A continuous list of past Masters of LOL 1 l I exists and can be traced back to 1799:

LOWER MAZE SCARLET

KNIGHTS ROYAL BLACK PRECEPTORY No. 124
The new preceptory was inaugurated in Lower Maze Orange Hall on Tuesday 31st January 1961, when representatives from counties Antrim, Down and Belfast were present.

Wor. Sir William Kain, Imperial Deputy Grand Master, presided, assisted by Wor. Sir Knt. John Patton, Worshipful District Master of Lisburn RBDC Nol. Included guests were Wor. Sir Knts. S.J. Kerry, County Grand Master of Down, William J. Warnock, DDM Nol, Belfast, and John Stewart, DDGM. Wor. Sir Knt. Kain, in handing over the warrant gave a brief outline of its history.

The warrant was first issued to be held at Liverpool on 17th June 1857, in which year Sir Knt. William Johnston of Ballykilbeg became Sovereign Grand Master of the then Grand Black Chapter of Ireland, a position he held until his death in 1902. On 1st June 1894 the warrant was surrendered and cancelled. It was re-issued to be held at Plumstead, Woolwich (Kent) on 11th July 1895 and became dormant in 1900 and was `not accounted for' until 1908. On 16th December 1908 it was re-issued in the name of Moses Sefton, to be held at Bootle, Liverpool. The warrant was surrendered and cancelled on 13th June 1950.

The warrant ended its career in England when it became dormant in 1943. The title of the warrant then was `Knights of Enniskillen'. On 2nd December 1960 it was re-issued to be held at Lower Maze, with the title of "Lower Maze Scarlet Knights".

After the inauguration ceremony Sir Knt. John Curry opened the new preceptory and invited Wor. Sir Knt. Kain to take the chair and conduct the installation of their new Officers of the Preceptory, of which the following were installed: W.M. Sir Knt. John Curry; D.M. Sir Knt. James Sinnerton; Chaplain Sir Knt. William McCambley; Registrar Sir Knt. John Richmond; Treasurer, Sir Knt. William Smyth; Pursuivant Sir Knt. Thomas Morgan; Foreman of Committee Sir Knt. John Morgan.

The first banner was second-hand, a gift from the Sir Henry Wilson Memorial RBP 1194, and the first `Last Saturday in August' demonstration for the new preceptory was held in Antrim. The story is told that this banner was in such a poor state of repair it had to be stuck together with tape, which began to peel off in the rain at the demonstration in Antrim. A press photograph appeared in the newspaper and in the reflection of the light the banner appears as new!

The preceptory's first new banner, depicting Eglantine Parish Church and the `Escape of the two spies', was unfurled on 4th August 1962. The second, and present banner, was dedicated by Rev. Sir Knt. WJF Moore, Deputy Grand Chaplain of Down, on Friday 28th May 1982. Wor. Sir Knt. David Bell, Worshipful Master, presided and the unfurling ceremony was carried out by Wor. Sir Knt. Peter Ward, PM RBP 124, Worshipful District Master, Lisburn RBDC No.I.

In its relatively short history the preceptory has taken an active role within Lisburn Royal Black Dist^rict Chapter, having provided four Worshipful District Masters: Peter Ward 1980-1981; John Burleigh 1986-1987 (who for a period was Imperial Grand Registrar and also an Assistant

Sovereign Grand Master, and IDGM � now transferred to Lyons royal Knights RBP 452); William McCambley 1990-1992 and John Curry 1996-1998. The latter two were our foundation members.

Wor. Sir Knt. William McCambley, having decided to take up lecturing, gained his Lecturer's Certificate on 31st March 1962 and was nominated 2nd District Lecturer shortly thereafter. On the resignation of Wor.Sir Knt. William Dalzell from the Institution, Wor. Sir Knt. McCambley took over the mantle of I st District Lecturer, travelling to various preceptories within Lisburn District and other neighbouring districts. In this capacity he has been responsible for the initiation of literally hundreds of Sir Knights into our institution, and although now retired from district office he continues to confer degrees in several preceptories.

The preceptory continues to flourish, and while we miss our old home we are delighted to be associated with the new Halftown 2000 Hall, and wish the management every success, and look forward to many more years at Lower Maze

MRS. ELIZA McGUIGGAN
The loyal orders in the area used the skills of Newport woman, Mrs Eliza McGuiggan. She had a reputation for creating beautiful banners, and this expertise was acknowledged by a local newspaper by an article about her work. This article is quoted below.

LAMBEG DRUMS
There has been a long association, and an avid following, of the Lambeg Drum in the area. In years gone by the drumming season was represented by the sound in the distance of the beat of the drums. Close to home it was much louder, and while many a person would call it `batter, batter', the Lambeg drummers would cock their ear and listen to the `tune'. The `tunes' had many names `Pigeon on the Gate', `Beggar man' etc., and a discerning person would recognise these. Even today if you watch the Lambeg drummers, two people beating different drums, their rhythm and beat match exactly, even though they can't hear each others `tune'.

Lower Maze LOL 1 l I had, and still retains, in its possession two drums � one of which is called `The Darkie'. Years ago in Culcavey, Stewarty Walker would line up `The Horse', `The Duke' and the `Culcavey Champion'. A lot of hard work went into the `pulling' of these drums (not like the easy way today with a machine to do the work). Two men sitting on a bench with the drum in front of them `tightening the ropes'.

Culcavey corner was the learning place for many of the young men interested in the drums. Names like Crossey, Patton, Wilson, McCarthy, Hull, Campbell, Finn, Hewitt, Riddel - young hands and old - spring to mind, but there were many more. The `Eleventh Night' was as important as the `Twelfth Day'. The drums were pulled to `bursting point' (and many did) then they proceeded up to Hillsborough, playing all the way, to rendezvous at Ritchies' pub. Here everyone who wanted could have a tune on the drum, and at pub closing time it was about-turn and back down the road to Culcavey, playing all the merrier. Their arrival back home usually coincided with the lighting of the bonfire, an event looked forward to by young and old. The `Twelfth morning' had them doing the whole thing all over again, although on this occasion all were dressed in their best and the drums were dressed too with Orange Lilies.

This tradition continued on after the demise of Stewarty, with his son Jimmy following in his footsteps. Jimmy was a familiar picture in the village, sitting on a bench outside his house at 15 Hillside Terrace (the corner). He, like his father, was `good craic', and a practical joker. To give an example, one night he lifted an old rubber backed carpet out of his living room and took it round the side of the house, turned it upside down, the black coating showing, and planted artificial flowers through it. The next morning he sat on the bench as usual and grinned happily as people passing congratulated him on the lovely flowers growing in the garden. This was in the middle of winter and he had a `quire' laugh!

The Lambeg drumming tradition `at the corner' stopped after Jimmy died, but the event was marked one more time. On the last `Eleventh Night' before the row of houses was demolished, the drums again beat out their `tune' at 15 Hillside Terrace played by Jimmy's two nephews (Stewarty's grandsons).

THE FLUTE BAND
In every town or village in N. Ireland there is at least one flute band, and our area is no exception. The formation of Hillsborough Protestant Boys' Flute Band came about in June 1974 led by Eric McCallister and David Chambers, with the help of Geoffrey Gibson, Minis and Joe Flanagan from Pride of Down (Dromore). The first band practice took place over 26 years ago. At that time they practised in Magheradarten Hut on the Ballynahinch Road, Hillsborough, sitting on wooden benches on the cold winter nights round a pot belly stove learning to play the flute and drums. Jackie McQuillan was at that first practice and today continues to play, influence and guide the Band. The first Band parade was on 12th July 1975. When the Band first came into being it was enthusiastically supported and had a high membership. The Band uniform then consisted of a Glengarry cap costing �10, an orange and purple Jumper costing �5.50, and members were required to supply their own white shirt, black school trousers, and a purple dickie bow costing 75p. A Miller brown flute purchased at that time cost �13.50. Today the latest new uniform purchased cost �259 and a flute was �85. So there is also inflation in the music business!

The Band has remained in business where other larger contingents have since wound up. This may be due to the fact that the members are mainly from the local community and although considered a small Band in the fraternity, the main aim has been the enjoyment of music. Members came from Hillsborough, Culcavey, Coronation Gardens, Long Kesh (now Eglantine) and Ravarnet, with a few from Lisburn. Most of the members walked to Band practice and one member, Paul Walker, was killed as he made his way up along the dual-carriageway.

The Band has played and paraded all over N. Ireland and Scotland, and has close association with LOL 144, Hillsborough District 19, Hillsborough Apprentice Boys and Royal Black Preceptory.

At its largest membership the Band had 32 Fluters, 8 Side Drummers, 2 Cymblers, 2 Road Marshals, 3 Flag Girls and 2 Leaders. Today the numbers have dropped to 15 Fluters, 6

Side Drummers, 2 Cymblers, I Road Marshal, 3 Flag Girls and I Leader. The fall in numbers may be associated with a loss of interest in music and the advent of the computer (which occupies the time of the younger generation). As long as there are young people out there who want to come to the Band and to learn to play instruments there will be someone there to teach them and encourage them to continue our culture and tradition in the area.