UAH concluded its year long project to highlight the architectural heritage of Newry. The project included creating an architectural heritage trail of the city focusing on the architects, Thomas Duff, W J Barre and William Watson. The buildings designed by these architects demonstrate the astonishing development of architecture in the nineteenth century and contribute greatly to a diverse and highly attractive townscape in Newry.
Interior of Unitarian Church in Newry
UAH held a training day for tour guides on architectural styles found in the city and specific features. It was agreed in all of the events that Newry has a wealth of heritage and truly unique structures that offer tourism potential. Attendees also noted that they wished to re-visit and see more of the city and the sights.
On Friday 1st March a Heritage Conference was held in Newry with talks by local architect Tom Gilsenan, Geraldine Foley of the IWAI Newry and Portadown, Joanne Cummins of Newry and Mourne Museum and Caroline and Aoibheann from Historic Environment Division. The talks looked at different aspects of Newry including the Canal, the architects and recently listed boundary markers that were spotted by a local resident in the city (which shows the importance of local people in highlighting and recognising heritage). In the afternoon we had a tour of several sites in the city including W J Barre’s designed Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church and St Patricks Church of Ireland where we saw Barre’s memorial. There was a great turnout for the event where locals and people from further afield came to see what Newry has to offer. We take places like Newry for granted and think we understand them from afar, but once you walk the streets and look up we see the beauty and effort that our predecessors went to to create an impressive built legacy that is worth preserving for future generations.
Thanks to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for the partnership and support throughout the project, to the contributors to the project including Lisa Anderson for the artwork of the buildings and Ciara Gallagher for the sketches of the three architects. Finally to the attendees for supporting the event.
The architectural trail can still be accessed via this link: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/20dc17fe006d420db96ec6b80aa3b7aa
Further to this artists designed drawings of key buildings in Newry with artist impressions of the architects which can be accessed here: https://www.ulsterarchitecturalheritage.org.uk/news/exciting-new-architectural-heritage-project-to-begin-in-newry/
