Castledawson
Castledawson
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 Castledawson Main Street |
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| Castledawson shown within Northern Ireland | |
| Population | 3,293 (2001 Census) |
| • Belfast | 35 mi (56 km) |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MAGHERAFELT |
| Postcode district | BT45 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
Castledawson is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is mostly within the townland of Shanemullagh (from Irish an Seanmhullach, meaning 'the old hilltop'), about four miles from the north-western shore of Lough Neagh, and near the market town of Magherafelt. At the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,293.
The village sits on the River Moyola and was originally called "Dawson's Bridge". The bridge that crossed the river here was once the largest single span stone bridge in Ireland. The village was named after its 'castle' (actually a large manor house) built by Joshua Dawson in 1713. He was Chief Secretary for Ireland and founded the village in 1710. The Dawson estate, Shanemullagh, shares its name with the original townland name. The Dawson family also founded Christ Church, on the edge of that estate, in the early 18th century.
On 12 July 1830, Orange Institution parades led to confrontations between Orangemen and Ribbonmen in Maghera and Castledawson. Several Catholic homes were then burnt by Protestants following these clashes.
Castledawson was the hub of the mid Ulster shirt-making industry, with its location midway between Belfast and Derry being crucial. In 1943, Nestlé built and opened a factory that made sweetened condensed milk. However, it was closed in the 1970s. Today it is the home of the award-winning Ditty's Bakery and Moyola Precision Engineering, a noted innovator of aerospace components.
The River Moyola, which dissects the village, is popular with anglers and has managed stocks of salmon (but also has perch, eel, trout and bream). Dominating the horizon to the south-west of the village is a dramatic ráth.
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Wikipedia