Dromore, County Down

Dromore is a market town of County Down, Northern Ireland.

It derives from the Irish Gaelic term "Droim Mór" meaning 'Big Ridge'

It is 17.5 miles south-west of Belfast. Population of urban district (2001) 6,000.

Dromore lies on the A1 Belfast to Dublin Road.The town's centre is Market Square, which has a rare set of Stocks - King William III fought a battle here in 1689 (about a mile out on the Milebush Road) on his way to the Battle of the Boyne

It is in the linen manufacturing district. The town is of high antiquity, and was the seat of a bishopric, which grew out of an abbey of Canons Regular attributed to St Colman in the 6th century, and was united in 1842 to Down and Dromore.

The town and cathedral were wholly destroyed during the insurrection of 1641, and the present church was built by Bishop Jeremy Taylor in 1661, who is buried there. Also buried in the former cathedral is Thomas Percy, another famous bishop of the diocese, who laid out the fine grounds of the palace.

Remains of a castle and earthworks are to be seen, together with a large rath or encampment known as the Great Fort. The town gives its name to a Anglican diocese.

Dromore Information - [1]

Updated - Dean Molyneaux (13/8/05) This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)