Bangor Historical Society was due to meet on the 9th January. The weather was bad and it was decided to cancel the meeting. I have, therefore, no meeting report. Instead I want to write about the Ward family connection to Bangor in two recent stories in the local press.

Excavations at Castle Ward recently uncovered remains of a probable working area dating to the late 1600s or early 1700s. The owner of the estate at this period was Michael Ward. In 1690 he had inherited the estate as a minor following the death of his father in a duel. At this time the Bangor estate belonged to James Hamilton, a distant relative of Sir James Hamilton who had been granted it by James I in 1605. James’ only surviving children were two daughters; Anne Catherine and Margaret. They shared the Bangor lands on their father’s death. Margaret married Lord Ikerrin. Anne met Michael Ward and they fell in love and married either in 1709 or 1710. The newly married couple moved to Castle Ward and the Bangor house was eventually occupied by tenants.

Michael built a new house for his bride. The remains of this house were excavated some years ago and the newly uncovered working area may belong to it. An excellent account of the present excavations appeared recently in the Newtownards Chronicle. Michael became a judge, but he was more interested in promoting his own estate rather than that of his wife. His representative in Bangor was Charles Echlin. On Michael’s death his lands were inherited by his only surviving son Bernard who built the present house at Castle Ward. Interestingly when Bernard was raised to the peerage, he chose a title derived from his mother’s inheritance and not from his father’s possessions at Castle Ward. He became the first Viscount Bangor.

In his will Bernard divided his estates and left much of the Bangor lands to his third son Robert. Robert took an active interest in his inheritance. His death and that of his son in the early 1830s meant his grandson Robert Edward Ward inherited the Bangor lands as a minor. Robert Edward replaced the 1790s Bangor Castle with the present and third building in the area in 1852. After the death of his only child, Lady Clanmorris in 1941, Bangor Borough Council purchased the castle and demesne for £35,000. The Second World War delayed renovation. Finally in 1952 the castle opened as the headquarters of the council. Now the Ards and North Down Council is actively considering the future of the building. Among the suggestions out for consultation will be leasing it as a hotel.