Ballynahinch.

A busy market town on the North East corner of Down District, Ballynahinch was laid out by the Rawdon family in the first half of the 17th century. The Rawdon's held the title Lord Moira, they had estates at Moira and Ballynahinch. The family seat was Montalto House, south of Ballynahinch, the town and house were burnt in the 1798 rebellion. Not long after this the second Lord Moira, Francis Rawdon, sold the estate and moved to Donnington Park in Leicestershire (England) where the family had another estate.

The town holds a market every Thursday, on the southern outskirts of the town is an interesting water mill, one of the few or perhaps the only one in Ireland still in private hands and used commercially, for non tourist purposes.

(Autumn 2008) The mill appears to have been sold, so presumably when the economic situation recovers it too will become another desirable housing development with a romantic name and the mill machinery will be consigned to the scrap heap.

In 1858 the town was connected to the County Down railway system.

Windmill Hill on the southern outskirts of Ballynahinch is famous as the site of the Battle of Ballynahinch in June 1798 when the United Irishmen were defeated.

Nearby to Ballynahinch are sited the historic Churches at Loughinisland, and Annadorn Dolmen. See also United Irishmen shot at Tievenadarragh and Irish History