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History of the Close -
A 'Claghan' of
individual cottages at the foot of the Mournes
The Hannas originally came
from Sorbie, Galloway, Scotland, around 1642 because the
conditions where they lived were so difficult. During the
1600's there was great religious persecution of the
Protestants in Scotland and they fled to Ireland in search
of a better life. They were granted the lease of some
acres of land in Aughnahoory, which would have had to be
cleared of trees, bushes and stones, before they could start
to build.
They built
their cottages on the bank above the river flood plain,
because in the 1600's the river was larger and flooded in
winter. The houses were built close together for protection. Aughnahoory may not have been a very safe place as there
were bandits around who plundered property.
A
noticeable feature of the Close is that the cottages only
have a front door facing into the centre of the Close and
only small windows facing the surrounding countryside, this
was designed to protect them against attacks.
In 1834
there were four Hanna families living in Aughnahoory but it
is difficult to ascertain which of these were Close Hannas.
In 1860 there were eight families of Hannas living in the
Close. The land around the Close and on either side of
Cassie's Loanen was divided them, probably on the basis of
good, and not so good land. George Hanna, who also had a
shop in Kilkeel, where he made and repaired shoes, appears
to have owned the larger portion, and it is on his land that
six of the houses were built, the other three seem to have
been built on William Hanna's land, but still in the Close
area. George also had his own ford over the river and a lane
leading up from it to his "street". The rest of Hannas used
a communal ford and lane which crossed the Commons. This was
an area of a little over 1 acre along the river where each
family had the right to graze a goat or a donkey. There was
also two small lint holes in the Commons where the flax
could be "retted" or steeped.
To the
north of the Close was a well, known as the "boiling" well;
it never dried up and the water from it was used for cooking
purposes, especially butter making. The other well was to
the south of the Close and it is still in existence. George
Hanna's son George inherited most of the close, or bought
the others out, and the property is now owned by George's
only child, Mrs Norma Fisher. Some of the Close land was
owned by the Poor Rate Hannas. Robert Hanna, the son of
William Hanna became a prominent grocer in Kilkeel.
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Walking in the Close |
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Fishing in the Close |
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Flora and Fauna |
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Rural Industry |
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For a map
of our location click here |
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A
very short stroll down from the cottages brings you to
Kilkeel river where you have a number of picnic benches and
fishing spots to spend a few relaxing hours
