Groomsport, County Down – Vikings, Wealth, Smuggling and Tragedy
Groomsport Village
Groomsport is a delightful old fishing village on the north coast of the Ards Peninsula in County Down. It is only 4 miles east of Bangor and 32 miles from Belfast.
Some historians believe the name comes from the Viking ‘Grimsport’, it is shown as such on a map dated 1693. However, the general feeling, and more intriguing answer, is that it comes from the Irish Port an Ghiolla Ghruama which translates as the ‘port of the gloomy servant’!
Groomsports Inhabitants
Groomsport, at the mouth of Belfast Lough, has a long history of human habitation. The surrounding land is fertile and dotted with fresh water springs, while the forested areas provided an abundance of wildlife. The coastline has sheltered coves ideal for an incipient fishing industry.
Remnants of ancient communities have been found in the region including Stone Age axes dating from around 4.000 years ago. It is believed that the Viking marauders found Groomsport, with its natural harbour, a useful base, and constructed the first pier here. They were certainly active in the area; nearby Bangor Abbey was attacked at least twice in the 8th century. Large rocks at the base of the quay have been found to be over 1,000 years old.
James Hamilton
In 1603 large tracts of land in north County Down were ’granted’ to one James Hamilton by the English king James 1st.
Hamilton, born in 1559, was the eldest of six boys of the Protestant minister Hans Hamilton and wife Janet (Jonet) Denham. Janet was the daughter of James Denham, laird of West Shield Ayrshire, Scotland.
Hamilton studied at St Andrews University in Scotland and became a teacher in Glasgow. He subsequently taught in Dublin, arriving by accident, it is said, when his ship was blown off course. Later he taught at, and became a Fellow of, Trinity College.
While in the Irish capital, he met and became friendly with fellow academic and Scotsman James Fullerton. As well as an intellectual career however, Hamilton and Fullerton were spies, acting as agents for the Scottish king James 6th (later James 1st of England). Their role was to gather information on the English Elizabeth 1st’s activities in Ireland and pass it on to the Scottish monarchy. Hamilton also worked to garner support in Ireland for James’s succession to the English throne.
In the early 17th century, the Irish chieftain, Conn O’Neil, was in prison (see link below to the post “Ballymacarrett – From Rural Village to Shipbuilding Giant“). A deal for his escape and pardon was made with Scotsman Hugh Montgomery. In return Montgomery would receive half of O’Neill’s lands.
Hamilton however, with the aid of his friend Fullerton, persuaded the English king (now James 1st) that allowing so much land in the hands of two men could prove problematic in the future. A much more sensible option would be to divide the confiscated land in three, with he, James Hamilton, receiving a third. Hamilton was rewarded with the area around (todays) Bangor, Newtownards, east Belfast and Killyleagh.
In November 1605 Hamilton was formally made Lord of Upper Clandeboye and the Great Ardes. Hamilton brought over members of his own family to settle in County Down, including his five brothers. He also recruited farmers and tradesmen from Scotland to come to Ireland, enticing them with low rents, displacing the native Irish, who had worked the land for generations. These Scottish emigrants would hence owe their position and loyalty to Hamilton. A policy furthered by the English government during the reviled Plantation Era.
On 14th November 1609 James Hamilton was knighted and in 1613 he was elected a member of parliament for County Down. On 4th May 1622 Hamilton was appointed 1st Viscount Clandeboye.
A few years later he moved from the little town of Bangor, that he had established, to Killyleagh Castle (see link to post “Killyleagh Castle – Vikings, Sieges, a Ghost and a Suspicious Death”).
His home in Bangor was on the site of today’s Town Hall. Hamilton was married three times. His first wife was Alice Penicooke and he divorced his second wife, Ursula Brabazon, in 1615.
His third wife, Jane Phillips, daughter of Sir John Phillips of Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire, produced his only son and heir, also named James. This may have been what prompted one source to write “he had three ladies, the first two of whom proved but little comfort to him”.
James Hamilton died on 24th January 1644 and was succeeded by his son.
Groomsport Post
In the 17th century, due to its safe natural harbour, Groomsport was a significant port on the north County Down coast. The left the harbour is sheltered by Ballymacormick Point and Cockle Island, while on the right is a rocky outcrop where the first pier was constructed.
Before being superseded by Donaghadee, Groomsport was the main embarkation point to Scotland from County Down. It was always a busy and popular route.
A map commissioned in 1625 and drawn by Thomas Raven shows Groomsport harbour. It also had its own Customs House. The Raven maps can be viewed in the North Down Heritage Centre, Bangor.
An Eagle Wing and a Prayer
On 9th September 1636 a ship named ‘Eagle Wing‘ set out from Groomsport to the New World. It held 140 passengers, mostly Presbyterians, including 4 ministers. Their destination was Massachusetts.
However, after 8 weeks at sea, it was forced to return to Ireland due to bad weather conditions. This is thought to be the first emigrant ship to attempt to leave Ulster for America.
The Duke of Schomberg
In August 1689, the German Duke of Schomberg, with a massive fleet and an army of 10,000 men, landed at Groomsport. Schomberg, a commander-in-chief of the Williamite army, died the following year at the Battle of the Boyne.
Groomsport House
In the late 17th century, the townland of Groomsport was acquired by the Scottish Maxwell family (later Waring-Maxwell and later still Perceval-Maxwell).
In 1848 Groomsport House was built for John Waring Maxwell to the designs of English architect James Sands.
The grand 2-storey Victorian mansion was built on a site east of Groomsport village, with magnificent views over the sea toward the Copeland Islands. The large residence was composed of Scottish freestone, which was shipped to Ireland at the considerable cost of £6,000. The house was set in 13-acre grounds.
The foundation stone was laid on 11th September 1844 by Madelina Martha Waring Maxwell.
By the turn of the 20th century Groomsport House is recorded as having 33 rooms and 44 outbuildings, including fowl houses, piggeries, dairies, coach houses and 12 stables. This obviously required an army of servants.
One unusual fact noted by Peter Gibson (www.discovergroomsport.com) was that the lawns were maintained by horse-drawn mowers. However, to protect the grass the horses had to wear leather shoes!
During World War 2, Groomsport House was utilised by the American army
“The Maxwell House Castle near Groomsport in Northern Ireland was large enough to take care of 150 men. My entire company, the 166th Signal Photo Company, was billeted in the castle from March 11th to April 25th 1944. There was a beautiful stretch of beach just below the castle where we would go down in the afternoon and spread our blankets, hoping that some Irish lassies would come sit with us”
Charles Eugene Summers, Darkness Visible: Memoirs of a WW2 Combat Photographer (2002)
Groomsport House was sold in 1968 by Gavin Perceval-Maxwell. It was transformed into a hotel and today is privately owned apartments.
Groomsport’s prosperity depended on fishing. By the mid-19th century, it was base to a large fishing fleet. At one point it was home to 20 boats and 80 fishermen. Groomsport oysters were particularly popular.
“It is situated on the south side of Belfast Lough, and has a harbour for small craft chiefly engaged in fishing”
Samuel Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837
The Sinking of the “Lady Hill”
However, the sea is unpredictable and the Briggs off Groomsport have caused their share of shipwrecks including the “Eleanor” in 1823, the sloop “Aunt” in 1836 and the schooner “John Metcalf” in 1844.
The Belfast Newsletter gives an account of one tragedy. On Sunday 21st November 1824 the brig “Lady Hill” departed from Ayr to sail to Belfast with a cargo of coals. She was captained by Peter Murchie. As the ship approached Belfast Lough, the weather suddenly turned stormy. The vessel “being old and crazy” became waterlogged and the crew were unable to steer her. At 5am on Tuesday she drifted onto the Briggs at Groomsport.
The crew of five plus three passengers attempted to lower the lifeboat but a fierce wave washed this away. The three passengers and one sailor, Andrew Kerr, were swept overboard.
Villagers from Groomsport engaged in a rescue effort.
“…when the alarm was given to the fishermen of Groomsport who immediately repaired to the breakers with a sympathy which seamen pre-eminently display”
Belfast Newsletter, 30th November 1824
Eventually, after many strenuous and desperate efforts the Captain and the two remaining crew, William Moffat and William Clarke, were saved.
The Christmas Storm of 1894
During the wild weather of December 1894 (see link to post “The Christmas Storm of 1894“) a number of vessels in Groomsport harbour were damaged, while the 3-masted schooner “Doctor” and the ship “Trial“, belonging to Mr Samuel Fullerton of Donaghadee, were wrecked.
Cockle Row
As well as fishing, the residents of Groomsport were employed in agriculture or weaving in their own homes.
In 1837 the village contained 408 houses. Some of these old cottages, close to the harbour, at right angles to the sea to provide protection from the wind, have been lovingly restored to show what life was like in the 1800’s.
The buildings, a pair of fishermen’s cottages, are thought to be 400 years old and were inhabited up till the 1950’s! Cockle Row is open to the public during the summer season.
The village was also popular with tourists during the holiday season.
Smuggling
In 1821 the Customs Authority had a Watch House constructed at Groomsport as a ‘Preventative Water Guard’. Its aim was to render assistance to shipwrecks and those in difficulties on the water, but also to prevent smuggling.
This section of the County Down coastline was notorious for smuggling. A popular item for the smugglers was unmanufactured American tobacco leaves.
In the first half of the 19th century this practice was seemingly quite commonplace. Folk could buy a ticket for half a bale of tobacco leaves from the smuggler’s ‘agent’ or apparently even from the village shop! You then visited the boat where it was secreted in a nearby cove, collected your illicit purchase and replaced its weight in stones collected from the shore.
The Watch House consisted of a boat house on the ground level with living accommodation above. The officer lived here with his family. A staff of eight men were billeted in the village though, later, a row of specially designated cottages was built as their living quarters.
The men took it in turns to be ‘look out’ at night. Subsequently the Watch House became the Coast Guard Station. It was decommissioned in 1908 and the building demolished in the 1960’s.
The Life Boat Station
In 1857 proposals were made to establish a Life Boat Station at Groomsport. The boat house was constructed on land donated by J W. Maxwell at a cost of around £200. It was designed by the well-known Belfast architect Charles Lanyon.
The maintenance of the facility was funded by local donations and the residents of Belfast. The first lifeboat was 28ft long and had 6 oars, it was in service from 1858-1867. This was only the second Life Boat Station in the north of Ireland and the first on Belfast Lough. The Station closed in 1920 and is now a community hall.
Groomsport Tragedy
One particularly tragic event happened on 15th November 1861. On the Friday morning the yawl “Paddy” with Thomas Hunter the master set out as usual to drawl for oysters. (A yawl is a small 2-masted fishing vessel). Although the weather was described as ‘squally’ no-one suspected any danger. However, some hours into their shift, a sudden wind caught the sails and the little craft capsized. The crew were all lost and the Paddy was broken to pieces on the Orlock rocks.
Those who drowned were:
- Thomas Hunter, the master. He had been married three times and had a large family. Many of his offspring had emigrated to America. His third wife of only 18 months, was pregnant. The Hunters lived in a small house in the village, the value of which was £30. The newspaper reckoned that, once Thomas’s debts and funeral expenses were paid, the widow might have £10.
- James Hamilton also left a pregnant wife and 2 children under the age of 5. “She is quite unprovided for, and excites much commiseration”.
- James Lindsay’s family were left in similarly dire financial straits – his wife was an invalid, his 22-year-old daughter was visually impaired, an 18-year-old son, a farm labourer was currently unemployed and a 12-year-old daughter. Another tragedy had recently befallen the Lindsays. A few months previously their eldest son had died in a coal-mining accident in Scotland.
- Arthur Hepburn (brother-in-law of Thomas Hunter) left behind a daughter and 2 young teenage boys, one of whom wanted to be a carpenter. His eldest son was a sailor on cross-Atlantic ships.
- Bachelor Alexander Waterson supported his niece and 3 young nephews. Their mother, Alexander’s sister, had died of cholera in 1848.
“He was the most generous, kind-hearted man, and devoted all his earnings to the above purpose. This family has lost its main support in him”
Northern Whig 26th November 1861
A poignant mention was made in the local newspapers, that only a few days earlier, the same men now drowned, had gallantly and at great personal risk, saved the crew of a brig that had gotten into distress at almost the exact same spot.
Thankfully the plight of the widows and orphans touched the hearts of many and a fund was established to help with their financial needs.
“The people of Belfast had raised a noble subscription – equal to what might have been expected from the greatest city in the land. Every person in that neighbourhood felt the deepest gratitude to the people of Belfast for their great sympathy, in showing such ready relief to the poor people who had suffered so much by this disastrous calamity”
Northern Whig, 26th November 1961
The Davaar
Another, though fortunately less calamitous, maritime incident happened on 6th June 1895. The Scottish ship, the “Davaar“, was ferrying folk from Campbeltown on a day trip to Belfast when it ran aground at Cockle Island. Thankfully no-one was injured and the ship came away relatively unscathed.
Groomsport Today
Today, ‘The Port of the Gloomy Servant ‘is a picturesque seaside haven, having almost forgotten its smuggling past!
It has been described as a ‘dormitory’ village, with most of its 1,220 inhabitants (census 2021) working either in neighbouring Bangor or Belfast. It is certainly popular with retirees, week-end visitors and sailing enthusiasts.
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