Lecale Heritage Hub

27/05/2026

Rules for Caretakers of the Downpatrick Water Supply.

From a batch of original Downpatrick Workhouse related documents, sent by Mr Paddy Waters for the Lecale Heritage Hub

27/05/2026

One of Lecale's magical places 💚

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 is an early historic site, likely dating to before 1000 AD, set within a valley and centred on a natural stream that continues to supply the area.

The site includes the ruins of a church built around 1750 on the location of earlier religious structures, and has links to St Patrick. Alongside the church are two bath houses—one for men and one for women—as well as two roofed wells, traditionally known as the Drinking Well and the Eye Well.

The men’s bath house (currently closed) contains multiple chambers, including a dressing area and a bathing room, reflecting the organised use of the site. The wells and baths were fed directly by the stream, and the waters were historically believed to have curative properties.

From the 17th century until the 1840s, Struell was a well-established place of visitation, with people coming to use the wells and bathing facilities. Today, the surviving structures and layout provide a clear insight into its former role and long-standing use.

📍Ardglass Road, Downpatrick. Co Down BT30 6RA

For more information on this and other historic places to visit, go to: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/historic-places-visit

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬

26/05/2026

This Saturday...

26/05/2026

Sheepland Windmill, near Ardglass, as depicted on an old Gallaher's cigarette card.

Some further information on this windmill is available via this link: http://www.irishevents4u.com/Ireland/Countys/down/sheeplands-windmill.htm

22/05/2026

From a batch of original Downpatrick Workhouse related documents, sent by Mr Paddy Waters for the Lecale Heritage Hub.

In Ireland in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Boards of Guardians were the local authorities responsible for administering workhouses under the Poor Law system. They managed the overall running of these institutions, setting rules, supervising staff such as masters, matrons, and medical officers, and ensuring that inmates received basic food, shelter, and discipline.

They also decided who was entitled to relief. This included both indoor relief, which meant admission to the workhouse, and, increasingly by the late 1800s, outdoor relief, where aid was given to people in their own homes. Alongside this, the Guardians controlled finances within each Poor Law Union by setting and collecting local rates to fund assistance and deciding how that money was spent.

By the end of the nineteenth century, their responsibilities had expanded beyond the workhouse itself. They took on broader duties related to public health, including managing dispensaries, overseeing sanitation, and dealing with outbreaks of disease. Although they operated under the supervision of the central Local Government Board, they still had a degree of local discretion, which meant that conditions and policies could vary between different areas.

Around the turn of the twentieth century, their role was beginning to change. Workhouses became less central as outdoor relief and medical services grew in importance, and the Guardians increasingly acted as general local welfare and public health administrators rather than simply managers of workhouse institutions.

19/05/2026

Rules for the Caretaker and Overseer of the Downpatrick Water Supply, which fell under the jurisdiction of the Downpatrick Workhouse Guardians.

From a batch of original Downpatrick Workhouse related documents, sent by Mr Paddy Waters for the Lecale Heritage Hub.

16/05/2026

One of Lecale's historical and beautiful buildings...

This 4 Bed Country Estate Rent Is Located At Salt Water Mill, 35a Killyleagh Road, Downpatrick. Find Out More Inside.

16/05/2026

Ardtole church, Lecale

🏰𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 - 𝐀𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝🏰

This year we celebrate a century of protecting Northern Ireland’s past. The Ancient Monuments Act (Northern Ireland), 1926 was a turning point, the first legislation for Northern Ireland safeguarding our archaeological monuments.

Today, Northern Ireland’s Historic Environment Division (HED) manages 187 State Care Monuments and more than 2,000 Scheduled Historic Monuments.

📍𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐂𝐨. 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 - 𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐌𝐑 𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝟎𝟒𝟓:𝟎𝟎𝟕
📍𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 1.2km north-northeast of Ardglass, east of the A2, on the A22.

The ruined medieval parish church dedicated to St Nicholas stands on a prominent hilltop overlooking the sea, with views to the Isle of Man. Early Medieval activity is indicated by a cross slab which is now built into Chapeltown Church. A souterrain was also discovered nearby. It is traditionally thought that the church was abandoned after a massacre.

The long, narrow fifteenth century building features a large east window and opposing doors, one with a draw-bar hole. The graveyard is set within a substantial rectangular earthwork measuring around 52 by 42 metres and occupies the north end of a ridge. The east gable remains at full height, while the west survives only in foundation.

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/centenary-care-state-care-monuments

📷Photographs by Tony Corey

𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬

15/05/2026

Rules for Nurses at Downpatrick Workhouse

From a batch of original Downpatrick Workhouse related documents, sent by Mr Paddy Waters for the Lecale Heritage Hub.