Banbridge.

The town of Banbridge sits astride the river Bann. Its most striking feature is its underpass cut through the hill over which the wide main street ran, this was undertaken in 1834 at a cost of £19,000 to enable the Royal Mail coaches to move more easily through the town. The Downshire Arms was the original coaching inn and is still in business.

According to Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837 prior to 1719 when a bridge was built over the River Bann the town was called Ballyvalley, he goes on to state that the army of William III forded the river at Huntley Glen on the 11th of June, 1690, on their way to do battle with the army of James II on the banks of the river Boyne in County Meath.

In church square there is a impressive statue of Captain Francis Crozier, who in 1848 discovered the north west passage, he is surrounded on his pedestal by four polar bears, and two panels depicting two ships locked in the ice. Crozier's ship and that of Sir John Francklin, who also tried to find the passage. Crozier was descended from Huguenots who settled in the area in the 1680's and engaged in the linen trade. Crozier was born in 1796 in a Regency house across the street from his memorial, the house bears a plaque to him.

Another of Banbridge's famous sons was the hymn writer Joseph Scriven (1819-86) who wrote the famous hymn 'What a friend we have in Jesus' There is a plaque to him on a house in Dromore street.

Read about Banbridge from Samuel lewis' Topographical Directory of Ireland published in 1837.

Banbridge was a coach town on the Belfast to Dublin route, the town sits on a steep hill, the hill presented a great difficulty for the coaches. Fearful that the mail coaches would bypass the town resulting in lost revenue, the famous engineer William Dargan was employed to make a cut through the hill, this was completed in 1834.

Tourist Information
200 Newry Road
Banbridge
Co Down
BT32 3NB
Tel +44 (0)28 4062 3322
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