Comber town

The town was built on the site of a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1199 by the Whyte family and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The first monks came from Wales . The poluation of the parish in 1764 was 315 Church of Ireland, 1220 Presbyterians & 165 Catholics. (TMUOP p88) In 1798 the United Irishmen Movement was very strong here.

The population of the town in 1824 was 1000 people. (POD). The census of 1831 gives the following figures about Comber town:- 264 families; 77 families employed in agriculture; 90 in trade, manufacturing and handicrafts; 97 in other occupations; 638 males; 739 females; 4 farmers employing labourers; 8 not employing labourers; 58 employed in agricultural labour; 4 in manufacture or making manufacturing machinery; 130 in retail trade or handicrafts with masters; 35 capitalist, bankers and other educated men; 24 in non agricultural labour; 23 male servants; 46 female servants

Comber Church of Ireland- St Mary's
in The Square

This very small, old, oblong building is near the centre of town and was built on the site of the old Cistercian abbey (St.Marys, 1199) which was burnt down in 1572, nothing of the old abbey remains. The church was built in 1623 like a common house (called Mount Alexander House ) with merely a small arch on the south gable. The rector in 1724 was Rev. Edmund Bennett. The bell was purchased and installed by the parish in 1840 and the clock was a gift from the Viscount Castlereagh in 1841. The rector in 1798 was Rev. Robert Mortimer who died during United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798. The perpetual curate in 1799- 1828 was Rev. George Birch who was suceeded by his son, Rev. George W. Birch 1828-1830. In 1836 there was no tower or steeple and the average attendance was 100 people. The clergyman then was Rev. Blake (also in 1846). The present church was built in 1840 by Rev. Robert Ferrier Jex-Blake. . The rector 1911-1918 was Rev. Charles Campbell Manning & in 1927 and for a long period was Canon Houston (TOOC p91)

Some old monuments read "I Elder 1634 & John & Margrat Steine 1686" ;

Records PRONI MIC/583/37; graveyard attached; gravestone inscriptions UHF Vol 2 ,5 & 13; email me for a gravestone look-up
The above photo was kindly sent to me by Brian McCleary.

1st Presbyterian Church
in High St, Comber

The church was originally built in 1645 and rebuilt in 1740 . Its first minister was Rev James Gordon who arrived with the Scots Army in 1642. The lease of the present church site dates from 1686 during the ministry of Rev. John Hamilton. The minister in 1760 was Rev. Robert Cunningham. The minister 1776-1789 was Rev William Henry. Considerable repairs were carried out in 1836 at a cost of £300. It was described then as a plain, whitewashed building in the form of a cross. It could hold 1,000 people with an average attendance in 1836 of 1,800 people. The minister from 1790-1836 was Rev. John McCance then Rev Isaac Nelson & Rev. J.M. Killen in 1859 & 1869 & Rev. Robert Hanna in 1887. There was a National School next door in 1863.

Newspaper articles from Down Recorder;
new meeting house 26 Aug 1837; special meeting & dinner 25 Jul 1885

Records available from 1847; no graveyard

2nd Presbyterian Church
in Market/Killinchy St, Comber

In 1836, the Manse & an Erasmus Smith school were within the grounds. The minister in 1846,1863 & 1869 was Rev. John Rogers . Rev. James Niblock was transfered to Newark, Port Glasgow 18 Aug 1877. Messrs. Smylie, Ritchie, Withers, McKee, Blackstock , Todd & Cairns spoke of his regard. The minister in 1927 Rev. James E. Jones.

Newspaper articles from Newtownards Chronicle;
letters about music in church 27 Sep 1873; Presbytery Meeting, Rev. J. Niblock transfered 18 Aug 1877; jubilee 30 Mar 1889

records from 1849; no graveyard

Presbyterian Non Subscribing /Remonstrant

between High & Mill Sts, Comber , behind the 1st Presbyterian

The congregation was formed in 1836 through the efforts of John Miller & John Andrews. The site for this Meeting House was given by John's father, Mr. James Andrews in 1838 and it opened in 1840. There are several Andrews memorial stained glass windows .

The ministers were Rev. William Hugh Doherty 1838-1849; Rev. John Orr 1850-1879; Rev. Thomas Dunkerley 1880 -1925 ; Rev. Kenneth Dunbar 1915-1919; Rev. James Glynne Davies 1919-1964; Rev. Robert Islwyn Pritchard 1965- 1969; Rev. William Fairbairn Rown 1970- 1984; Rev. Ian Gilpin 1986--

The postal address "Mill Street" for the Manse and Church was used up until the early 1990s when the original name "Windmill Hill" was re-introduced.

Newspaper Aticles from Newtownards Chronicle;
death of Dr. James Frame one of the founders of the church 17 May 1884

graveyard established in 1863; gravestone inscriptions UHF Vol 5 ; pay per view gravestones on www.irishgenealogy.ie
The above photo was kindly sent to me by Sandra Gilpin

Comber Methodist Church
in Newtown/ Bridge Street on the E side of town

John Wesley visited Comber in 1758 and a band of followers met in private houses until a plain, stone building was built in 1821 and paid for by general subscription. It was capable of holding 300 people with an average attendance of 100 people in 1836. The minister in 1836 was Rev. McDowell. The original church was bulldozed in 1995 because the structure was unsound. The congregation now meet in the hall (pictured)

Comber Catholic Church-
Our Lady of the Visitation
The Crescent, on the east side of Killinchy St., near the bypass road , Comber

Mass was celebrated upstairs in the market house around 1850 by Rev. Close and by 1863 they were using a building in The Crescent. This chapel was built in 1868 and dedicated in 14 Sep 1872. The church was fire bombed during The Troubles in 1993 but refurbished & rededicated.

records from 1864; graveyard nearby; gravestone inscriptions available UHF Vol 5

Gransha Presbyterian Church
54 Gransha Road, Comber

This Seceeding congregation split from the main church in 1800. Their meeting house was built in 1801 & rebuilt in 1830. It measured 73 feet by 30 feet and in 1836 was described as a plain whitewashed and slated building, capable of holding 400 people with an average attendance of 150. The minister at that time was Rev. Mr. McCullogh with Rev. Isaac Vance minister in 1877. Rebuilt 1878.

Newspaper article from Newtownards Chronicle;
article on the 'new' church 29 Jun 1878; opening of Gransha Presbyterian 7 Jun 1879; visitation of Comber Presbytery 5 Mar 1887

Graveyard attached, gravestones UHF Vol 1; oldest stone 1854; email me for a gravestone look-up

Moneyreagh Non Subscribing Presbyterian Church

The congregation was formed in 1703 by Rev. James Makain. Then a break away group formed in 1717. The church was rebuilt in 1770 with a clock placed at the front and was paid for by subscription. It was capable of holding 700 people with an average attendance in 1836 of 250. The minister at that time was Mr. Blakely whose salary was £100 a year from the government.There is a book called "A History of the Moneyreagh Congregation 1719-1969" written by William Macmillan (1969) and printed by the Newtownards Chronicle.

List of ministers of Moneyrea:
Rev.. Alexander Hamilton, 1725 (?) - 1736.
Rev.. James Tullis McCulloch , 1736 - 1744.
Rev.. James McKean , 1746 - 1773.
Rev.. Samuel Patten , 1774 - 1809.
Rev.. Fletcher Blakely , 1809 - 1857.
Rev.. John Jellie, 1859 - 1862
Rev.. John Berryhill, 1863 - 1864.
Rev.. David Thompson , 1864 - 1874.
Rev.. Thomas Leyland , 1875 - 1878.
Rev.. Harold Rylett , 1879 - 1884.
Rev.. George Winslow Bannister , 1885 - 1888.
Rev.. Richard Lyttle, 1889 - 1905.
Rev. George John Slipper , 1906 - 1909.
Rev.. Matthew Watkins, 1910 - 1915.
Rev.. Alfred Whitford , 1916 - 1929.
Rev.. John Dare Davies , 1929 - 1959.
Rev.. Evan Daniel Evans 1960 - 1974
Rev.William Frame 1975 - 1987
Rev.. Andrew John Rowley 1990 - 1993
Rev. Samuel John Peden 1996 - 2001
2001 + various "minsters in charge"

Records from 1838; graveyard attached, gravestones UHF Vol 1; oldest grave 1756; email me for a gravestone look-up

Andrew's Spinning Mill
located directly opposite the Andrews Memorial Hall on the Ballygowan Road

The following entries in the various Post Office Directories state-
-Andrews & Sons- linen & bleachers, corn & flour merchants & millers in 1824; mill built in 1863, for machinery,coal, flax & yarn
- James Andrews & Sons- of Mill St, Comber; linen merchants & bleachers & millers in 1846
- John Miller Andrews- a mill manager in 1899 (brother of Thomas Andrews of 'Titanic" fame
-William Andrews- managing director & chairman of John Andrews & Co., millers in 1906

The building is currently (2007) it is being developed as a rather exclusive "gated community".
This photo was kindly sent to me by Sandra Gilpin.