Page updated 3rd January 2010
  St Mary's, Comber,   
Comber, Church of Ireland - St Mary's
COMBER PARISH, DIOCESE OF DOWN

St Mary's Comber 1st uploaded 10/02/2006

HISTORY PAGE

This picture of the front of the Andrews Memorial with the cover stone removed. The cover stone needed to be uplifted for inspection purposes. Underneath the main Memorial there is a vault containing the mortal remains of many of the Andrews family. Immediately under the cover stone there is a steep set of steps leading to the vault. The cover stone weigh about half a ton and required a mechanical digger to remove it. The headstone in front of the underground vault was supported by the cover stone and needed to be safely secured before the inspectors could enter the vault.
It is imperative that these vaults are inspected and renovated from time to time so that major structural failures are prevented. The entrance was in surprisingly good condition and not much shovelling and sweeping of soil was required, however a steel door at the entrance to the lower vault needed to be wedged open.
When all safety work had been completed a generator was then started and lamps lowered into the underground vault to illuminate the interior. While I could see into the vault I did not take any photographs out of respect for the Andrews family, nor will I describe what I saw there.
There was a brief ceremony held at the entrance by Rev., Ian Gilpin and Rev., Jonathan Barry which was attended by friends, engineers, officials and members of the family.


St Mary's, Comber was an early Irish monastery, founded by St. Patrick 432 AD, on the Plain of Elom "Elohim" but was defunct by the time the Cistercians arrived from Whitland in Wales, during January 1200 AD. The founder of the abbey was probably Brien Catha Dun. Very little is known about Comber Abbey. The last abbot, 1543 AD was John O’Mullegan. The buildings were burnt in 1573 AD during the dissolusion of the monasteries. The name of the abbey is derived from its location comar meaning the confluence of two streams. The site of the abbey is now occupied by St. Mary’s Church of Ireland. Major restoration is planned for the building of the new transept which should commence at the end of the July holidays 2007 subject to an archaeological survey and report. We doubt if there is anything of archaeological significance to be found as the area as the ground was dug for the building of the present church during 1840. The ground was again dug in the 1900's for the building of the first vestry which was subsequently was re-excavated during 1970 for the foundations of the existing choir vestry. Therefore it is very unlikely that anything of interest will be found. St Mary's occupies exactly the same site as the 1610 structure which was built on the ruins of the Old Comber Abbey. The stone was robbed out by Scottish settlers after the earl of Essex’s campaigns in Ulster It is also believed that any remaining stone was used in the construction of the home of the Hamilton family at Mount Alexander. If we could find any stone or artefact which we could prove came from any of the previous buildings would be worthy and appropriate for inclusion within the new transept.

In the year 0540 it is recorded that there was the annual Pagan Harvest Festival Comber / Newtownards area called Lughnasa (pronounced lug nasa) which centred round the effigy of a burning man. It was this Burning Man Festival which Colum Cille tried to turn into a Christian Festival. They enacted this festival every Autumn for two reasons, to give thanks for the harvest and to impress the other tribes in the vicinity. The hill of Scrabo would have been the obvious location as it can be seen for a considerable distance from all directions.
There was fiesting, dancing accompanied by fyfe and drum. A chance for neighbours to get together after the harvest. As darkness decended a torch light procession to the chosen site, then a ritual setting fire to the effigy. Horns would sound, singing and cheering an innocent festival where the entire community could celebrate together in thanks for the Harvest. Halloween has replaced Lughnasa and the spirit of the ancient times has almost been lost in this bland, disorganised and unsupervised melee. Hear is a good word to drop into the conversation "Samhainophobia" a fear of Halloween. There are/is perhaps only one person in ten who will know what it means,. just watch their faces while trying to bluff you into believing that they actually know what it means. All Hallows Eve with youngsters setting off fireworks scaring old folks and driving dogs to distraction is not what a festive occasion is about. Lughnasa was probably an inclusive Community Festival for families and people of all ages.

The headwaters of Strangford Lough and in particular the Comber / Newtownards region was quite widely populated because of the rich soil it was then known as Uí Blathmac "Town of the Ford" it is believed that Uí Blathmac may have had influence which stretched as far as Killinchy and Bangor. The people called themselves Uí Blathmac. It would be interesting if evidence was found regarding these ancient and still Pagan People.

It should be noted that the ground close to the church has been used for interrment since 1730 and probably several hundred (perhaps 1,000) years before that date. The vestry attached to the Southern side of the building was built during the last century and is to be removed when the new transept is being constructed. This Church has an almost continuous history since the days of St Patrick and probably ranks as the oldest sites of worship still in use anywhere within Ireland.

This picture was taken by the rector just before Christmas 2006. It shows the Christmas lights on the tower and the arch over the front gate. The floodlighting enhances the church and the watery moon gives this picture an atmosphere which is so difficult to capture.

The archaeological examination of the site revealed nothing of interest apart from a fragment of 17th Century glazed roof tile and two shards of unglazed coarse pottery ± 1250 AD. (images below)
In my own humble opinion it would need something of significant scientific interest to hold the scientists interests for very long.
Medical conditions such as leprosy and tuberculosis were prevalent in Europe during the early millenia but proteus syndrome (incorrectly called Elephantiasis) was very rare then and is so today. Many years of research have revealed the possibility of a cross-immunity between tuberculosis and leprosy but that subject is for another day.
Evidence of poor nutrition would be visible in the bones of famine victims. Plague victims, sufferers of syphilis and other medical conditions leave an imprint on the skeletal remains.
Forensic archaeology is a fascinating and wide ranging subject which may to help solve crimes. The examination of bones and teeth often reveal the identities of skeletons together with a determination of a victim’s age and sex and how long the body has been dead. Occasionally a body is discovered on the sight of ancient battlefields with a musket ball embedded in the remains of the skeleton. A bronze or flint arrowhead would really get the archaeologists juices flowing or even better a burial involving swords shields and other grave goods.

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your point of view nothing of interest was found but this was to be expected in an old graveyard which has been dug many times before with frequent burials in the same grave plot. Without defined stratigraphy it is impossible to sort out a time line amid a jumbled mess.
It is however possible to determine if bones had healed after trauma indicating that this was probably not the cause of death. In any event parish and medical records of the deceased will give a definite indication of death. The study of ribs and the pelvis can give clues to the sex of the deceased. The state and indication of the teeth and whether the permanent teeth have erupted or not will give further clues to age and health.
The fusion of the long bones (epiphysis) can give an estimate of age and height. In old graveyards the archaeologists refer to the jumble of bones and coffin fragments as spoil heap archaeology and it's not very exciting.


There is a very interesting book about Comber and it is freely available in PDF format
THE HISTORY OF COMBER by NORMAN NEVIN M.B.E.
Just click on the PDF logo on the left to download.
Transcribed into digital by Erskine Willis, ± 2007
This is quite a big file so give it time even if you have broadband.

Map location J462692 on Irish Grid.


CONTACT ADDRESS

I am sorry to do this to you, I get up to 100 SPAM E-Mails every day, simply because I am a "Dot.Com" Not that this is a problem, I get the blues after ten seconds while my fancy E-Mail filter shows me how brilliant it is as the unauthorised SPAM going up in flames.

 

Rector 's Foreword

Comber Parish has had many important occasions in its long and distinguished history. On Wednesday, 8th June, 1983 we reach yet another important landmark in our history with the Opening and Dedication of our New Hall.

The new building has been a necessary result of continued parish growth over recent years. New accommodation was urgently needed for our ever growing parochial organisations and as a replacement for the wooden building which had served the parish so well for twenty years.

The erection of the New Hall has been an act of faith, faith that the parish will continue to develop, and faith that the considerable financial commitment would be matched by the generosity of parishoners. The generous response by parishoners to this act of faith has been remarkable with two-thirds of the cost of the building having already been raised.

This Souvenir Booklet is an attempt to record something of our historic past and present achievement. I am most grateful to Mr. Norman Nevin, M.B.E. for his contribution to its production.

St. Mary's, Comber has been a place of worship and witness for almost eight hundred years and we approach this new landmark in our history confident in the belief that our new building will enable us to carry on that work of witness more effectively in our generation.

Derick Swann
June, 1983

COMBER ABBEY AND PARISH

(A Short History by Mr. Norman Nevin M.B.E.)

Christianity Comes to Comber Tradition has it that Christianity came to Comber about 1500 years ago. Apparently, Patrick having visited his favourite convert, Mochaoi (pronounced Maughee, or by the English - Mahee) of Nendrum (the island of the nine ridges), travelled north on his way to Donaghadee and hence to Scotland. When passing through the Comber district, Patrick was abused badly by Saran, one of the sons of Caelbadh, the local Chieftain of the district. Coma, brother of Saran, hearing with great sorrow, how uncivilly Patrick had been treated, went to apologise for his brother's behaviour and to venerate Patrick. He consecrated himself and all his property to his service, offering to him a remarkable field called the Plain of Elom, for the purpose of erecting a church thereon. Conla's Church flourished and in the course of time became an Irish Monastery with many buildings for its many activities. Its situation was most likely on the plain across the river from the present Cricket Green. It was known locally as the Black Abbey, because of the black habit worn by the monks. The Abbey became obscured in later years by the fame of the Cistercian Abbey sited near the present Square, and it completely disappeared from history, the Cistercians taking over its townlands.

The Cistercian Abbey in Comber

The Cistercian Abbeys of the twelfth century are all remarkably alike in layout, as the plan was dictated by the rules of the Order. The architect was to strive for utility and simplicity and all unnecessary decoration was to be avoided. In Comber, the present site of St. Mary's Parish Church was the site of the Cistercian Abbey. When it was built it was a virgin site with no buildings in the vicinity and it was in the angle of two rivers — the Enler and the Glen. These rivers were essential, not only for fishing but also for sanitary purposes, as even in those days they had a crude but efficient type of flush toilet called the reredorter or necessarium. When the foundations of the new Hall were being dug out, traces of the bed of a fairly broad stream, in the form of a smooth damp clay, came to light. This came from the direction of the Glen River which passes down the side of the Upper Distillery and can be seen from the present Car Park in Killinchy Street. In the Cistercian Abbeys it was customary for the highest building — the Church — to be built on the north side of the Cloister, which was the centre of the Abbey complex. This enabled the monks to work or read there, profiting from the sun and sheltered from the wind; the Cloister also linked the various buildings that were sited around it. In Comber the present Church probably occupies the site of the Nave and Choir of the Abbey Church and beyond the east end of the present church would be the Transepts, each with two chapels and a squat tower in the middle leading to the Presbyter containing the High Altar and the Abbot's Chair. In the south Transept, that is towards the present graveyard, a doorway led to the Sacristy, where the Holy Vessels were kept and opposite would be the Night Stair leading to the Monks' Dormitory. In Comber, an abbey for the Cistercian Order, was built in 1199 and it is generally believed that the man responsible for it was Brian Catha Dun, head of the O'Neills of Claneboye (not Clandeboye). In 1201, the founder had the misfortune to cross swords with de Courcy and perish in the conflict. The Abbey was occupied by monks from Caermarthenshire and it flourished until such establishments were dissolved by Henry VIII. In 1543, the last Abbot, John O'Mullegan resigned the Abbey and its possessions to the Crown. It has seven townlands — Ballymonster Carnesure, Cullintraw, Cattogs, Troopersfield, Ballynichol and half of Ballygowan. In previous years, when the Augustine Abbey closed it had taken possession of the townlands of that Abbey and later got possession of Ballyaltikilligan, where there had been a church and also claimed the tithes of the quarter "Kilmud". So, by 1543 it was quite prosperous and a wealthy foundation.

The Abbey Is Destroyed

A Church Arises

After 1543 Comber Abbey lay deserted and decaying rapidly. All the treasures had been removed and anything of any value or use had been plundered. So in 1606 came the Hamiltons to Bangor and the Montgomerys to Newtown to find the place desolate. The only shelter Montgomery could find was the stump of an old Tower House in Newtown and a few vaults in Greyabbey. In Comber about 1610 a portion of the ruined Cistercian Abbey was fitted up as a Church for the increasing population. This is the site occupied by the present Church of Ireland, the Montgomery Church being in use until 1840. Sir Hugh also built a bell tower and provided a bell to call the people to worship. In 1622 Sir Hugh Montgomery's eldest son also called Hugh married Lady Jean Alexander, daughter of Sir William Alexander, Secretary for Scotland. As a wedding present Sir Hugh built a large Manor House on a gently rising hill outside Comber for the happy couple and called it Mourn Alexander Castle. From this we get Castle Street and Castle Lane. The stone for the building came from the ruins of the old Cistercian Abbey. Not all the stones were taken and some of them are in the walls surrounding the present church. One at least has been recognised as it bears a Mason's Mark and it has been preserved. The same mark is on a stone in Greyabbey, showing that the same band of masons who built Greyabbey from 1193—1199 also built Comber from 1199—1220 A.D.

Clergy of St. Mary’s
The first minister in the repaired monastery church in Comber was James Fresall, appointed there by Sir Hugh Montgomery, who, as a supporter of James 1st was careful that ministers under his patronage adhered to prelacy. Nothing is known of the Rev. Fresall's ministry. Sir Hugh Montgomery died in 1636 and his son the second Viscount, who had married Lady Jean Alexander, died in 1642. His son also Hugh was very young when he succeeded to the title as third Viscount and his mother, the lady Jean, succeeded in getting the Rev. James Gordon, a Presbyterian, appointed to the Church in Comber in 1645. The position of the early ministers of Down was peculiar, in that, while Presbyterian in Doctrine, they were admitted by the Bishops to the Parish Churches and received tithes. This period has been described as "Prescopalian", for they were not ministers of "Non-Conformist" congregations. The "Form" used for ordination was one that satisfied the Bishops but at the same time enabled the Presbyterians to assert that they had received Presbyterian ordination. Trouble was bound to come and it did over the years until at last in the reign of Charles the Second in 1661 the newly appointed Bishop of Down — Jeremy Taylor, gave the ministers the option to conform or suffer ejection. Thirty-six were ejected in one day and among them was James Gordon of Comber. His pulpit was given to William Dowdall and he remained until 1692. He met with much opposition at first, chiefly from women, whose attack on him in the pulpit led to prosecution. At the trial in Downpatrick one of the rioters boastfully informed the judge, "These are the hauns that poo'd the white sark ower his heed!" They were fined of course for causing a riot in the church.
After Mr. Dowdall, came a succession of ministers. The first was David Maxwell in 1692 and seven years later he was buried in Comber on 30th July, 1699. In 1700 came the Rev. Edmund Bennet.A stone attached to the gable end of the Church, facing the entrance gates, bears this inscription, "Near this Place Lyeth the body of ye Reverend Mr. Edmund Bennet ye late learned and Pious Minister of this Congregation and Chaplain to the Earle of Mount Alexander; he died the 15th Febry 1710—11 very much lamented". James Montgomery came in April, 1712 and was followed by Patrick Hamilton in May, 1716. He resigned in June, 1733 and was immediately succeeded by Annesley Bailie, who was licensed the same day by Bishop Hutchinson. He died at Innishargie (his birthplace) in 1758 and was "universally lamented by all his parishioners for his many virtues". It was during his term of office that the Glebe House was built in 1738 and had eleven acres of land attached to it.
The minister to succeed Mr. Bailie was the Rev. Guy Stone, M.A. of Barnhill, who had been Curate in Newtownards for five years. He came to Comber in 1758. His daughter, Jane, married Robert Mortimer, Curate of Comber, and he succeeded his father-in-law as Rector in 1783. They had thirteen children and the third son, born in Comber, in 1796 became Incumbent of Magherhamlet. He died in 1876. The Rev. Robert Mortimer and his nephew were killed in the ambush at Saintfield in the 1798 rebellion. They are buried at York Island in the river near the scene of the ambush. The story is told that the York Fencibles, a cruel, rough half-trained regiment of Militia (they had two weeks training each summer), stationed in the Market House (now Town Hall) in Newtownards, marched under the command of Colonel Stapleton to Comber on their way to Ballynahinch, where the main force of the rebels under Henry Monroe was assembling. When Stapleton's force reached Comber, they did not know which road to take for Ballynahinch, so they enlisted the help of the Rector of Comber, the Rev. Mortimer, as one they could trust. He saddled his horse and with his nephew conducted them on the way. The Mortimer Plate was lost in this rebellion, but later was found on the top of Scrabo Hill. The remaining Rectors of Comber with date of appointment are as follows. 1799 — Rev. George Birch and his son in 1828 — George Watson Birch. He died aged 30 years. 1831 — Rev. Robert Ferrier Jex-Blake, an Englishman who resigned in 1851. It was in his time that the church was re-built — 1840. 1851 — William Thomas Delacherois Crommelin of Carrowdore Castle, a relation of the last Countess of Mount Alexander. 1868 — The Rev. George Smith. He died in 1911 aged 76. A new Transept to the church was erected as a Memorial to him with a Mural Tablet in 1913. In 1911 came Charles Campbell Manning, followed in 1918 by the Rev. John Sheffield Houston and in 1954 by the Rev. Richard Clayton Stevenson, 1960 by Rev. Robert Joseph Norman Lockhart, 1962 by Rev. Hamilton Leckey and finally in 1979 by the present Rector, the Rev. F. D. Swann. The Rev. Manning became a Chaplain to the Forces in the 1914-18 War and a new Rectory was built for him. Comber parish are most fortunate in having a set of parochial records which go back to 1688. The Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials are frequently consulted by those researching their family history; and contain many interesting facts about Comber families. Perhaps the most unique is the entry for 19th. March, 1946 when our present Queen, then Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth acted as Godmother at a baptism in St. Mary's. By the early 1800's St. Mary's was getting beyond repair, so it was decided to build a new church on the same site. This was done in 1840 and is the building that exists today. The bell in the tower was made by Thomas Mears of London in 1840 and is still calling the people to worship today. The clock made by Robert Neill of Belfast, has a pendulum ninety inches long, giving a slow even beat and is driven by two huge weights suspended on cables which take them to the roof of the clock-room and then begin a seven day descent to three heavy wooden beams on the floor. There is a brass inscription as follows, "Upon the completion of the new church, this clock and the chandeliers were presented to the parish of Comber by Viscount Castlereagh, 1841". The chandeliers, holding many candles, illuminated the interior of the church in the evenings for many years. Parish School In 1813 a day school was established in connection with the Church and occupied the site of the present Hall. It functioned from that date until the new Primary School was opened on the Darragh Road, in 1938. The school was built jointly by the Countess of Londonderry (her husband did not become a Marquis until 1816), and the executors of the Erasmus Smyth Charity. It was a single storey building, facing The Square and with a small playground in front. It had two rooms, one forty feet long and the other 30 feet long and both 18 feet wide and ten feet high. It had accommodation for 126 pupils. In 1837 the school had 233 pupils, 137 boys and 96 girls. They were all Protestant except 8 who were Catholics. The Master received £30 yearly from the Erasmus Smyth Foundation and one half-penny per week from such of his pupils as were able to pay it. In 1832 Lord Londonderry erected a house for the Master at the rear of the school. It has now been re-modelled as a house for the Curate. Comber Parish Church School The New Hall Work began on the New Hall on 2nd. May, 1982 and the building has been completed in just over one year. The permanent work force was recruited under the Action on Community Employment Scheme and other work has been carried out by specialist sub-contractors, many of whom were parishioners. In addition, some work has been done by parishioners on a voluntary basis.

The Building
The building was designed by Messrs. Diamond, Redfern and Anderson and special consideration was given to the needs of parish organisations. The main area is 1,500 square feet with a modern synthetic 'gym floor' finish, and has been designed to give the maximum amount of wear for a minimum of maintenance. Ample storage has been provided for equipment and changing accommodation has also been included. These features will enable the full floor area to be in use at all times. Additional accommodation includes a Vestry Room which can be used for Vestry meetings and, meetings of other committees. This room has been very comfortably furnished. A new Parish Office with purpose-built storage has been provided to replace the present one in the Parochial Hall. A feature of the building is the way in which it has been linked to the existing Den. This will enable the accommodation there to be fully utilised. The Den kitchen has been modernised with the aid of a grant from the South Eastern Education and Library Board and a hatch has been installed between the Kitchen and the adjoining room. The exterior of the building blends in well with the other existing buildings. The exterior finish is pebble dashed and the discriminating use of grey tiling on vertical walls and fascia gives a most pleasant effect. The Cost The approximate cost of the New Hall is £65,000. This compares very favourably with the architect's estimate of £95,000. Substantial savings were made as the result of the Action on Community Employment Scheme, competitive purchasing and sub-contract tendering, and the use of voluntary labour of parishoners. Of this figure of £65,000, just over £40,000 has been raised by the New Hall Fund. The balance will have to be raised over the next five years and the Select Vestry are confident that the enthusiasm and generosity which have characterised this venture in faith will be maintained until the balance is met. Gifts A number of gifts for the New Hall will be Dedicated by the Bishop on Wednesday, 8th. June. Chairs for the Vestry Room presented by Mrs. Rosemary Jess in memory of her husband Hans. Chairman's Chair for the Vestry Room presented by 1st. 'B' Comber Brownies. Table for the Vestry Room presented by Inler Cub Pack. Clock for the Vestry Room presented by Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Graham. Cross and Clock for the Entrance Lobby presented by an anonymous donor. Desk for the Parish Office presented by Mr. and Mrs. James Taggart. Overhead Projector presented by Mr. and Mrs. Derek Steen. Office Chair presented by the Junior Beavers. Other equipment for the Hall was purchased with the aid of a grant from the South Eastern Education and Library Board.

THE WORK HAS STARTED

1st report.
Photograph taken at 11.14 am Monday 10th September 2007 by the Rector.

 

The long awaited work has eventually started by removing the old Choir Vestry.
Er., .... Sorry, I meant the Vestry is old not the Choir.

By 4.30 they had the roof off and they are down to the ceiling joists. I have been informed by a reliable source that while the gable end with the door seems reasonably sound, the other gable end at the Clergy Vestry is rocking as they swing the sledge hammer at the top of the wall.

It is not fully connected to whatever it is supposed to be holding.
They are proceeding with caution and bringing it down one cement block at a time.

 

 


Roof tile ± 17th Century
Pottery shard ± 1250 AD.
Pottery shard ± 1250 AD.

THE LAST GREEN BOTTLE.


There were once ten green bottles sitting on the wall, nine of which fell and got broken but the tenth was found hiding behind a memorial tablet to the Revd John Birch who died during 1832, that was eight years before the present church was built. The contractors needed to remove the various memorial tablets from the wall of the church where the new transept was to be built.

To cut a long story short the green bottle contained a rolled up manuscript which was taken to the Ulster Museum for conservation.

They will need to process the manuscript before it can be unrolled and read. I wonder what information the manuscript will contain, remember this was hidden away sometime during 1840's, when the present church was built, which was before the Potato Famine of 1845 to 1849. It may contain a reference to the hiding place of St Patrick's flute which was lost in the distant past. A list of names of the then congregation. A greeting to parishioners of the future from the parish of the past. Whatever it is we will have to wait until the conservators have finished their work. However this does not stop me speculating about it's contents.


A question which is now giving me food for thought is, "What would we place in a time capsule."? Possibly a photograph of the church as it is today with the transept work in progress. A local newspaper of the day. A copy of Outreach. The Rector is also pondering the same thought. He is looking for ideas and we don't have much time to collect all the bits together and have them placed in the new building. I never give out other peoples E-Mail addresses but if you have a good idea then send it to me and I will forward it to the Rector.

As you can see from the picture the parchment is in a very fragile state and lots of care will be needed to unroll it. To St Mary's this is like finding the Dead Sea Scrolls I will keep you posted to whatever information the parchment has to offer.











The "mullionaires" (as a witty member of my Select Vestry has called the stone masons ) have completed the main part of the South Transept window.
This is truly a historic photograph as it shows a vital piece of the church window stonework being carefully placed into position.

If you look at the picture below you can probably work out where this piece is being placed.

Each section is given a refrence number and the mullionaires carefully assemble them into their exact positions. When that part of the work is finished the stained glass will then finally plased in position.

It will be some time yet before the stained glass panels are finished so in the meantime we will enjoy the light coming in filtered by a protective plastic cover.







 

Dear Friends of St Mary’s
This is the new window placed in the South Transept installed on Friday 5th December 2008. Designed by David Esler. This photograph does not do justice to the iridescent light which streams through.

If you want to support the installation of this beautiful window. Any amount, no matter how small, is very acceptable. We believe the window should be dedicated as the gift of this generation in gratitude to God for the faithfulness of previous generations over the last thousand years in Comber Parish. If you wish to make a donation, place it in an envelope with your name and address and indicate that it is for the new window, or speak to the clergy or the Treasurers:-
Robert Kirk Tel: 028 9187 8186 or Louis Latimer Tel: 028 9187 3255.

The theme of the window is unity and light.
The central figure is that of a Cistercian monk holding a lighted lamp relating to the ancient abbey and the origins of Christianity in the area where the present St Mary's church is situated. The red cross behind is a symbol of God’s love for a new humanity. The crown of thorns above is a reminder of Christ's suffering. The orange sun behind reminds us that Gods love like the sun is old yet new each day. Breaking down barriers whether sectarian, racial or cultural, people and races mixing freely serving each other in diversity and unity.
The dove of the Holy Spirit and the dove of peace (right and left) throw light upon the world in the form of the rainbow becoming, through prayer, a principle of unity and light.

Two lilies in the tracery are a symbol of the blossoming of St Mary's Parish, while in the centre, top right and left tracery the symbols of the pointed compass the sword and two crosses relate to the Benedictine origins of the Cistercians and to St Patrick who arrived in the area in 432AD.
Local references are included, flax flower and linen (millwork), wooden barrel (whiskey distilling), barley (agriculture).
David Esler AMGP
Artist

THE TILERS
       Even the tilers showed that sense of being in awe of the church, increasingly proud to be part of it all. When they left this afternoon, two of them stopped at the Transept door, taking a last lingering look around them. Chris, the leading tiler, the perfectionist, said he was glad he is coming back. On Wednesday he returns to complete one or two little bits of grout and also to install the two areas of decoration, in the chancel and at the Baptistry. He thinks St Mary's is beautiful. They left with half a dozen copies of our printout of the picture of David's Cistercian Window (as I would love to call it!) with the explanatory text.
Photograph and text by the Rector.
6th September 2008

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
        In June I found the above picture postcard in an online auction site. It is postmarked Comber, but there is no year. So, how old is it? The stamp is Edward VII, who was King 1901-10. If you look closely, you will see a window beside the pulpit, therefore it is before the North Transept was built during 1912. (I heard from some old parishioners many years ago that it took far longer than they thought it would. Fancy that.) Thus the picture can be dated between 1901 and 1910. Note the chandeliers, or candelabra, decorated for the Harvest.
Photograph and text by the Rector.
Outreach September 2008

        Throughout the last year is the way all those who have worked on our church have each said at some point how proud they are to work on this project. They have shown craft and skill similar to those who worked on our church over hundreds of years. Our church has evolved over centuries. There is nothing straight, nothing in line. So our generation of craftsmen have had to think hard and work out the best way at just about every turn. They have had to try to understand why something is the way it is, before they can alter or fix it. For example, why was there a loosely blocked up window above the inner west door in the porch? They had to take the stones out with great caution and cement them all in again to hold the memorial now above the door. Why is the door frame small and 17th century in shape, whereas it is in the 1840 Tower and Nave wall? Our architect thinks it may mean that it was the west wall of the 1610 church. When the church floor has been laid, the choir stalls returned and the church cleaned, it is all finished, except for the Transept window to come in time for Christmas. We thank God for what has been achieved.
Text by the Rector. Outreach September 2008

THE MYSTERY OF THE FONT
There is no record of the Baptismal font being presented to the Church by anyone. The stone that it is carved from is not found within Ireland. The design is Byzantine (i.e. the old Roman Empire of SE Europe - Turkey)
As we already know the church is on the site of an old Cistercian Abbey.
Knights of the Crusades went to Holy places of the East to win back Christian places and recover relics taken over by non-Christians. The Cistercian monks backed these Crusades and brought back recovered artefacts.
The question we must ask ...."Was this font brought back from the East by Crusading Knights."?
Stolen from "Comber, a History Trail."
St Mary's Windows
We had these before Bill Gates
The Dorcas Window

Detail of lower panel
To the glory of God and in memory of Mary Watson
Birch, a benefactress of this parish and its poor
who died 9th Nov 1891, erected by Rev. Cannon - Smith AD 1895
 


Memorials to several people of international repute associated with the Church include:-

Thomas Andrews. Designer of the TITANIC which sank in the Atlantic Ocean on that fateful night of 15 April 1912, with the loss of 1503 passengers and crew. The Andrews Family Memorial Vault stands within the grounds of St Mary's.

Built into the right hand pillar of the church gate there is a very interesting stone, which was probably cannibalised from somewhere else, is a mention of the Thomas Andrews the Church Warden **77. I would imagine this would be 1777, this was almost certainly an ancestor of Thomas Andrews. Designer of the TITANIC.

This is a view through the church gate showing the location of the Andrews family vault. It should be noted that the body of Thomas Andrews was never found.
There is a small red arrow indicating the position of the stone as shown in the detailed picture above. This is a very interesting graveyard and contains a vast amount of history of the people of the Comber district and beyond. There are plenty of car parks in the centre of Comber and this graveyard is well worth a visit, bring a camera, the churchyard is a very beautiful place to pass a few quiet moments. Light refreshments are available from the many coffee shops and restaurants in the town
Incidentally Thomas Andrews was the brother of John Miller Andrews who was Northern Irelands second Prime Minister.

 
Edmund de Wind.
Recipient of the Victoria Cross who served in the 36th (Ulster) Division and was Killed in Action March 1918.
The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry, on the field of combat, for all British & Commonwealth Citizens, only 1355 people have been awarded this decoration.
There is a plaque to de Wind within the church and several roads within Comber district now bear his name with pride.
Edmund was born in Comber and emigrated to Canada. Therefore he is entitled to appear on the list of Irish Victoria Cross recipients.
The Citation reads:-
"For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the 21st March, 1918, at the Race Course Redoubt, near Grugies. For seven hours he held this most important post, and though twice wounded and practically single-handed, he maintained his position until another section could be got to his help. On two occasions, with two N.C.O.'s only, he got out on top under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and cleared the enemy out of the trench, killing many. He continued to repel attack after attack until he was mortally wounded and collapsed. His valour, self-sacrifice and example were of the highest order.''
The London Gazette, 13 May 1919



Rollo Gillespie.
Major General Rollo Gillespie. Born Hugh Robert Rollo on January 1766 He became a member of the Masonic Order. Gillespie became Major-General on 1 April 1812, and in the New Years Honours List of 1815, he was awarded the KCB - Knight Commander of the Bath. During an attack on Kalunga 31 Oct 1814, he was shot through the heart. A monument in The Square, Comber was unveiled on 24th June, 1845 (St.John's Day). 25,000 to 30,000 people crowded into the town to witness the ceremony. Recorded at the foot of the column are his famous last words "One shot more for the honour of Down".
It is worthy of note that fifty Masonic Lodges were present at the unveiling making it the biggest convocation of Free Masons in Irish history. The abbey burial ground may have included part of the modern Town Square, as bones were discovered there in 1844 when the Gillespie Monument was being erected.

This is an unofficial web site, which may not at all times accurately reflect the views of the Rector, Vestry, or Congregation, but I will not stray too far from the straight and narrow path. If I do then you can contact me Via E-Mail. This site is intended to give a brief history into St Mary's and to report on anything of archaeological interest that may be found in the coming months. In the meantime this page is sitting here being found by Internet Search Engines and people like yourself. It is my hope that the archaeology will be of interest to you, so pop in again form time to time.
If you wish to use any material from the site please run it past me first as some of the material is the property of others and they still hold copyright. This is also a Microsoft and carbon free website and makes maximum use of re-cycled materials. Counter polemics being the true goal of the Author except when I want to confuse..

  St Mary's alternative page.  
The page you are currently viewing is provided by www.sixgolds.com which is still under construction. There are research notes down at the bottom of this page which are still undergoing verification before publication. You are advised not to use any of this material until I render it visible.
There is an alternative page (The Official Web Site) which has recently been placed on the web, to visit, click between the arrows above.

Background music is "Lord, I'm coming Home"

THIS IS THE REALLY TECHNICAL STUFF
That's why it's at the bottom of the page
It is also liable to change in a big way as I delve into the history of St Mary's the real experts are Len Ball and Desmond Rainey. They have written a book, A Taste of Old Comber ISBN 1 870132 06 8. It should still be available in most local shops, and is well worth a read.

On John Sloane's map of Comber 1732 shows a Mercat Cross in the town square which was traditionally symbol of a town's trading status, they were also used as sites for the punishment of criminals. St Mary's is also clearly shown on the same map in exactly the same position that it occupies today. Unfortunately this cross has been destroyed by the frequent upgrades that Comber town square has received since time immemorial. Looking at the map with a magnifying glass the mercat looks something like this:-
There is no rules for a mercat ( Mercat is the old Ulster-Scot spelling of the word market. ) design, it may not even be a cross, it could be a maypole, perhaps the best example is the Old Cross in Newtownards.

 

Topography is probably the main reason why Comber is placed at the head of a tidal river and at the confluence of a second smaller river. ( the Enler and the Glen. )Today it is possible to sail a small boat to the outskirts of Comber whenever tidal conditions permit.
The Lough contains extensive areas of saltmarsh, mudflat and sandflats the most extensive being in the Comber river estuary.
Over the many centuries the river has meandered over many different courses, however because of construction work and landfill its course is now reasonably stable. It is believed that the Church was founded on the bank of the river but over the years the river gradually moved to its present location several hundred yards away.
  ELOHIM - Creator and Judge. Founded by St. Patrick 432 AD on the ancient Plain of Elom. There is a slight difference in spelling but I think the connection has been established.
In ancient times it would have been possible to use this river for communications and transport of goods. Today there is a band of enthusiasts who use the river as a marina. (Comber Navy Dockyard) .... Otherwise known as Comber Cruising Club with Norman Brashaw listed as the contact. There is no reason to doubt that St Patrick landed here as he was a familiar figure round Strangford Lough. (The Vikings called it "Sträng Fjõrd" )(Strong Fjord / Ford) Anyone on foot or horseback approaching from the South in those days would have been forced to cross the river roughly where the bridge is today (The "Ghost Hole" {Ghist}). As you can see from the map the area towards the lough is very wet and was probably a swamp unsuitable for foot traffic. It is an Area of Special Scientific Interest : ASSI. During the early part of 2007 a man was fined £11,500 plus court costs at Ards Magistrates' court for waste offences within this area

Another name for Strangford Lough is Lough Cuan which translated means "The Lough of Harbours". Believe me when I say that name means exactly what it says as there were hundreds of mooring places everywhere on its shores. There is an excellent book "An archaeological survey of the maritime cultural landscape of Strangford Lough". Well it is not so much a book as a rather weighty door-stop of 650 pages. The ISBN No is :- 085640 723 2 It costs a massive £25 quid, (± $50 US) but try your local library for a copy.

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LIST OF COMBER ACTUARIES INDICES, 1592 Henry, Earl of Kildare, 24 new Kilns at Castle Espie, 2nd Comber, 36 Ulster division Comber, 36th Ulster division Comber, A taste of old Comber, Abbey Erinagh, Abbey of St Mary Comber, Abbey stone Comber stolen, Abbey stone stolen, Adrian Hanna Comber, Affreca was the daughter of the King of Man, Affreca wife of de Courcy, Affreca, airsteps, Alba Landa in Caermarthenshire, An Comar, Andrew Abbot of Cummor, Andrews memorial hall Comber, Andrews mill Comber, Annals of the Four Masters, Archdall (1786), Arda, Ardara house Comber, Ardara, Ards Comber, Ards tourist trophy Comber, Ards tt Comber, Ards TT Race Comber, Arthur de Wind Comber, Arthur Halligey Comber, Ballyalloly Comber, Ballyalloly, Ballyaltikilligan Ballyaltikilligan Comber, Ballyalton Comber, Ballyalton, Ballybeen Comber, Ballybeen, Ballycreelly Comber, Ballycreelly, Ballygowan, Ballyhanwood Comber, Ballyhanwood, Ballyhenry Minor Comber, Ballyhenry, Ballykeel Comber, Ballykeel, Ballyloughan Comber, Ballyloughan, Ballymagaughey Comber, Ballymagaughey, Ballymaglaff Comber, Ballymaglaff, Ballymalady Comber, Ballymalady, Ballymonster, Ballynichol Comber, Ballynichol, Ballyrickard Comber, Ballyrickard, Ballyrush Comber, Ballyrush, Ballyrussell Comber, Ballyrussell, Ballystockart Comber, Ballystockart, Ballywilliam Comber, Ballywilliam, Belfast and county down railway, Bishop Reeves, Black Abbey belonged to Augustinians, Black Abbey, Black Island Comber, Black Island, black-tailed godwit Comber, Blackwood estate, Blathmac and Uf Eachach Arda, Bones were discovered Comber Square 1844, brent goose Comber, Brett family Comber, Bridge and Crown dental repair Comber, Bridge street Comber, British Formula Three champion in 1997, Brownlow street Comber, BT 23, BT23, bt23, Canon George Smyth Comber, Canon Smyth Comber, Carnasure Comber, Carnasure, Cashel 1101, Cashel again 1172, castle espie Comber, Castle Espie Limestone, Shale, Castle Espie brick Castle Espie Brick Works, Castle Espie Hoffman kilns, Castle Espie lime, Castle Espie Limestone Formation, Castle Espie tile and pottery works, Castle Espie runway, castle street Comber, Castleaverry Comber, Castleaverry, Cattogs Comber, Cattogs, Cell Chomair (Comber), Chapters of Down, Charles Henry Brett, Cherryvalley Comber, Cherryvalley, Church by Conla, Church of Ireland Comber, Cistercian Abbey Comber, cistercian abby Comber, Cistercian Comber Abbey, Cistercian Houses, Cisterican monks, Civil Parish Comber, clattering ford, Clattering Ford, clay pits Comber, Clay Pits Comber, Clontonakelly Comber, Clontonakelly, Co down N ireland, co down, n ireland, colony of Scots, Colum Cille Columba, Colvill family, Comar, Comber Abbey founded in 1198, Comber filling station, Comber J462692, Comber fish, Comber Abbey burned 1572, Comber abbey burial ground, Comber Abbot burned 1572, Comber Archaeological Associates, Comber Ards Borough, Comber blacksmyth, Comber blacksmith, Comber Bleach Green. Comber brownlow arms, Comber Brownlow Arms, Comber bus, Comber buses, Comber by pass, Comber Bypass, Comber by-pass, Comber cabs, Comber captured german field gun, Comber centre, Comber church rebuilt 1610, Comber churches, Comber cinema, Comber Co Down, Comber commercial center, Comber computer, Comber corn mill, Comber country fried chicken, Comber county down, Comber county down, Comber elementary school, Comber fire station, Comber flax mill, Comber flour mill, Comber food, Comber football club, Comber gas company, Comber gas works, Comber glebe cottage, Comber glebe, Comber Halifax, Comber Hardys hardware, Comber hardy's hardware, Comber help, Comber high school, Comber hire shop, Comber historical society, Comber history classes, Comber history, Comber horticultural society, Comber House, Comber info, Comber information, Comber jet filling station, Comber level crossing, Comber libary, Comber linen production, Comber Methodist church, Comber Newtownards road, Comber Orange hall, Comber orange hall, Comber orange order, Comber park way, Comber pet shop, Comber Progressive, Comber recreation club, Comber regeneration, Comber rifle club, Comber River, Comber Russel cellars, Comber Secondary Intermediate School, Comber Spinning Mill, Comber Square, Comber Station Master, Comber Strickland Brothers, Comber take away, Comber taxi, Comber Town Parks, Comber Town Square, Comber Translink, Comber Ulster Covenant, Comber Ulster Defenders, Comber upper distillery, Comber Veternary Surgeon, Comber vets, Comber war memorial, Comber was exemptum est Cis tersensis exempt from tax, Comber Whiskey distilling, Comber Whiskey, Comber xtravision, Comber, County Down, Combuir, confluence of the river and the sea, Conlig, Connor and Dromore, Convention of Rathbreasail, Copyright held by Sixgolds, Copyright this list Sixgolds, Cormac, Abbot of Comar, Cowan a Freemasons Son, Cowan, Craigantlet, Crawfordsburn, Cromwell Oliver, Crossnacreevy Comber, Crossnacreevy, Cullintraw Comber, Cullintraw, Cultra, Cumber burnt 1573. Cumerer, cummer, dairtigh, Dal Fiatach, Dal nAraide, Darragh road Comber, dc Courcy John, De Burgh family, de Courcy Greyabbey in 1193, De Halywoode, De Lacy, De Mandeville, demise of Comber Abbey. designer of the ill-fated Titanic, desmond rainey Comber, Dialling Code: 028, +44 28, Domhnac Combuir, Donaghadee, Donaldson three brothers killed whilst serving with B Company, the 13th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles, Downshire Marquess of, drumhirk Comber, Drumhirk, Dublin, Dundalk, Dundonald, Earl of Essex Walter Devereaux, eating out in Comber, Ecclesiastical Records of the Diocese of Down, Ecclia de Comber, Edenslate, edmund de wind, Edmund De Wind, Elom Plain, English garrison Comber, Enler river Comber, Ernie kane Comber, Ernie kane racing driver Comber, Euler Comar, family Magennis, Father Edmund McCanna, Father Gunn Comber First Battle of the Somme on 21 March 1918, Flannahhra, flax-spinner Fox - Davies Amorial Families, Gasworks Comber, German Gun Comber, ghost hole Comber Ghost Hole, Gillespie Arms Comber, Gillespie Monument foundations, Gillespie of Comber, Gladstone William Ewart, Glass Moss Comber, Glass Moss, Glastry Brick Works, Glastry Educational Nature Reserve, Glen River Comber, glen road bridge Comber, Gransha Comber, Gransha, Grants to Sir Arthur Chichester 1621, grave stones date from the 1630s, Greengraves, Gregstown, Grey Abbey, Greyabbey, Greyabbey, Groomsport, hair dressers Comber, Hanna of Comber, Hardies of Comber, harvest failures, headmaster Comber, high street Comber, In the Ards, Inquisition of Ardquin 1605, Inquisition of Down 1657, Irish Archaeological Society Ware (1745), Irish church, Island hill Comber, Islands of Strangford, Islands of Strangford, J462692 Comber, Jack Kane Comber, James Donaldson were three brothers killed whilst serving with B Company, the 13th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles, James Fresall art Comber resident 1623, James Hamilton, jlo andrews, John de Courcey, John Donaldson were three brothers killed whilst serving with B Company, the 13th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles, john millar andrews Comber, John Miller Andrews, John Miller, uncle of William James (Lord) Pirrie, john murry Comber, John O’Mullegan, Jonathon H.T. Hanna Comber, kane of Comber, Kane's of Comber Kane's of Comber, Kells 1152, Kill Combuir, killed by John de Courcy, Killynether Comber, Killynether, King’s Book 1614, kinvara Comber, Kirkubbin, Kirkubbin, Knights Templar Comber, la mon house bomb Comber, Lake Cuan, last abbot of Comber 1543, Ledger or Terrier of Down and Connor 1615, len ball Comber, Letters Patent 1609, Lisleen Comber, Lisleen, Location 54.544° N 5.735° W, LOL 100 Comber, Londonderry estate Comber, Londonderry school house, Longlands Comber, Longlands, Lord Clandeboye, Lord Edwin Hill, lower distillery dam, Magherascouse Comber, Magherascouse, Mahee Island, Major General Rollo Gillespie, manse Comber, Marion Grace Hanna Comber, Marion Grace Hanna Nee Scott, Marion Hanna Comber, masonic hall, Maureen Church office Comber, Maxwell Court, mc brides, McBrides on the square Comber, McCanna used stone from Comber abbey memorial gardens Comber, methodist church, Middletons Comber, Milecross, mill house Comber, mill street Comber, mill street, Minor Hall St Marys, Minor, Moira. Lord, Molly Drennan Comber, monastery of Bangor, monastic religious house of Comber. monastic settlement , monastic to a diocesan, Monasticum Hibernicum (1786), Monasticum Hibernicum, Moneyreagh Comber, Moneyreagh, Monlough Comber, Monlough, Monro's army, Mount Alexander Comber, Mount Alexander Hamilton family, Mount Alexander, Mount Stewart, Mount Stuart, Movilla abbey church monastery, Movilla Ghost 3 Apr 1886, Mr C E B Brett, Mr Halliday, Mr James Gordon, Mr McCleary bought Castle Espie constructed a runway for light aircraft, nendrum college Comber, nendrum tidal mill Comber, nendrum tidal mill nr Comber, nendrum, neolithic arrow head, New Comber Red Row, NEWTOWN, Newtownards and Comber Cavalry, Newtownards Chronicle, Newtownards, Ninian.St, Ninian.St, norman nevin Comber, norn iron, North Down CC, north down cricket Comber, north down house Comber, northern bank, Northern Cricket Union Senior Challenge Cup, northern ireland, O’Laverty Copmber 1880, Ogilby Island, old Comber whiskey, old forge court Comber, old kennel bridge Comber, old mill dam Comber, old oak tree Comber, old school house resturant Comber, on the Ards penninsula, on the Ards, One shot more for the honour of Down, outbreak of heresy, Papal Taxation of 1306, PARISH OF Comber, PARISH OF COMBER, parish-based church, parkers chemist Comber, parkway Comber, Patriot Club, paul erskine Comber, Phills fruit shop Comber, photographs in Comber, photographs of Comber, place called Commor, Plain of Elom, Plantation of Ulster, Ponsonby Brabazon, Poor Law Union, port used by traders and fishermen. Portaferry, Portavogie, Portpatrick, precursor to Comber abbey, presented St Patrick, Privy Council about the Baron of Dungannon, Racing driver Jonny Kane, railway street Comber, Randal, Bishop of Down, Reagh Island, Rebellion of 1641 royalist rebel, Rectory of Ballymacgeehan, rectory of Comber, Rectory of Islandmagee, Rectory of Kilaney, Rectory of Kilmood, Rectory of Saintfield, Rectory of Temple Effin, regal visitation in 1633-34, relief of Cumber, religious foundation, rev charles clayton Comber, Rev Wills Hill Brett, Ringcreevy Comber, Ringcreevy, Ringneill, RMS Titanic, Robert Blackwood of Ballyleedy, Robert MURLAND Comber, Robert MURLAND purchased Castle Espie, Robert MURLAND quarries at Castle Espie, Robert Murland, Robert Street, Roll of Inquisitions, Rollicking Rollo, rollo gillespie Comber, Rosemount, Rough Island, Royal North Down Rifles, Royalist rebellion of, ruff Comber. Saint Patrick, Saintfield, Salt Marsh Comber, Salt Marsh Islands, samuel davidson Comber, Samuel Donaldson were three brothers killed whilst serving with B Company, the 13th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles, Scots Gaelic, Scots plantation town, Scottish settlers Comber, scrabo stone Comber, shelduck Comber, shores of Lough Cuan, shores of Strangford Lough, Sidney. Sir Henry, Sir Brian McFelim O’Neill, Sir Robert Rollo Gillespie, Six Road Ends, Sixgolds holder of this lists Copyright, skirmishes Comber 1572, Smith Sir Thomas, smyth hall, somme Comber, son of Caelbadh Magennis, spinning mill school Comber, St Mary's Comber, St Mary's Comber, St Patrick, St Patrick's St. Finian in 540 AD, St. Mary’s Church, St. Mary’s, the Church of Ireland, Stefan W.S. Hanna Comber, stmarys.htm, Sträng Fjõrd, Strangford Lough, Strickland's Filling Station, Strong Fjord, Sugarcane Coffee Shop, supervalu Comber, supervalue Comber, Suppression by Henry VIII, Synod of Rathbreasail, Tenant Farmers Association, tesco Comber, The Annals of Lough Ce, the Black Comber monastery, the cooperage Comber, The First Fruits Roll of Down Connor and Dromore, The Hanna's Comber, The Inquisition of the Churches 1605, the monastery of Commer. The Montgomery family, The Royal Irish Rifles, the White Comber monastery, thirty captives were taken away, This list Copyright of Sixgolds, Thomas Andrews Comber, Thomas Andrews, Thomas McConnell Comber, thompson hall Comber, three Comber brothers killed, Three comber clerics were killed, tithe of Ballymacgeehan, tithe of Islandmagee, tithe of Kilaney, tithe of Kilmood, tithe of Temple Effin, Tourist trophy Race, Town Parks Comber, Town Parks, TOWNLANDS of COMBER, Tripartite Life of Patrick, Trooperfield Comber, Trooperfield, tt lounge Comber, TT motorcar Races, Tudor Cimema Comber, tudor cinema, Tullygarvan Comber, Tullygarvan, Tullyhubbert Comber, Tullyhubbert, two Comber monasteries, Uf Eachach Arda, UfNeill, Ulaid, the (Uladh), ulster bank Comber, Ulster Visitation of 1622, ulster volunteer force Comber, ulsterbus Comber, unitarian church Comber, United Irishmen Society of, upper crescent Comber, USS Comber (SS-527), victoria cross, Viscount Ardes 1600's, Walter Devereaux Earl of Essex, wellworths Comber, White Abbey, White Abby belonged to Cistercians, White family, Whitespots, wigeon Comber, Willie Browne postman Comber, with its wooden church dairtigh, World Veteran Archery Champion, www.comberonline.org, www.kitesantenna.com, WWW.SIXGOLDS.COM, www.sixgolds.com, Zen beauty Comber, END LIST OF COMBER ACTUARIES INDICES.

RESERVE INFORMATION.
The following not easily seen unless you drag your mouse across it.
I did not write what follows. I'm still working on it and want to check it's accuracy before you read it and are mislead by innacurate information.

Almost INVISIBLE BIT
St. Mary’s, the Church of Ireland Church of Comber, occupies the site of the Cistercian Abbey which seems to have been founded in 1198, according to an old catalogue of Cistercian Houses published in the 19th century by the Irish Archaeological Society. Ware (1745) and the Monasticum Hibernicum spell the original foundation as Cumerer and note an abbey of St Mary founded here in 1199 supplied with Cisterican monks from Alba Landa in Caermarthenshire.
The Monasticum Hibernicum (1786) suggests the White family, who were English, founded the abbey, although Harris (1744) in The Antient and Present State of County Down doubts this. Archdall (1786) suggests that Saint Patrick was the original founder of a monastic settlement here and that the founder was killed by John de Courcy about the year 1201. The Annals of Lough Ce confirm that an early religious foundation was created here on the shores of Strangford Lough as a precursor to the abbey. It notes that Cell Chomair (Comber) was burned in 1031 with its wooden church (dairtigh) and four clerics were killed and thirty captives were taken away. The Tripartite Life of Patrick relates the creation of a church by Conla, the son of Caelbadh (later the family Magennis) who presented Patrick with ‘a remarkable field for the purpose of erecting thereon a church on which we erected the monastery of Commer.’ This was done on the Elom Plain and the ancient name for the Comber River was Euler Comar in Irish meaning a confluence of the river and the sea. The Annals of the Four Masters also mention that in 1121 Cormac, Abbot of Comar was killed.
The first documentation relating to the new Cistercian Comber Abbey was a certificate signed by Andrew, Abbot of ‘Cummor’ and other dignitaries, testifying that they had been present at a visitation held by Randal, Bishop of Down at the monastery of Bangor on the 28th May 1251. Little more seems to be documented beyond its mention in the Papal Taxation of 1306 and its boundaries as laid down by the Convention of Rathbreasail The Synod of Rathbreasail took place in AD1111. It was a notable event in that it marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and parish-based church. Many Irish Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland (protestant) dioceses trace their boundaries to decisions made at the synod. It was the third of four great reforming. Irish synods, the other three were at Cashel (1101), Kells (1152) and Cashel again (1172) in 1115, which were noted by Bishop Reeves in his Ecclesiastical Records of the Diocese of Down, Connor and Dromore (PRONI Dio/1). The abbey burial ground may have included part of the modern Town Square, as bones were discovered there in 1844 when the Gillespie Monument foundations were being dug. St. Mary’s Church, Comber Archaeological Associates (Ireland) May 2006 - 22 - More is known about the demise of the Abbey during the Suppression by Henry VIII. John O’Mullegan was the last abbot and he voluntarily resigned in 1543 at a time when the Abbey was wealthy and owned seven townlands around the settlement (including Ballymonster which adjoined the Abbey itself). According to the later Inquisition of Ardquin on 4th July 1605 it also owned the rectories of and associated tithes of Saintfield, Ballymacgeehan, Kilmood, Kilaney and Temple Effin in Islandmagee. The Abbey buildings were burned in 1572 by Sir Brian McFelim O’Neill to prevent the English garrison fortifying it, according to O’Laverty (1880), although this reference may relate to skirmishes in the following year. On the 28th Oct 1572 Walter Devereaux, the Earl of Essex, wrote from Carrickfergus Castle to the Privy Council about the Baron of Dungannon, who had been sent to the relief of Cumber and was staying at the ford at Belfast. It was noted that Essex marched to their aid after a skirmish with Sir Brian McFelim when 100 died and Cumber burnt.

The buildings were burnt in 1573 during the earl of Essex’s campaigns in Ulster. Scottish settlers used the abbey as a source of building materials and the stone was also carried away for use in the construction of Mount Alexander, home of the Hamilton family (which is now destroyed).

In 1592 Queen Elizabeth leased the lands of the religious houses in Down to Henry, Earl of Kildare and the abbey and its possession were eventually granted by James I to James Hamilton, Lord Clandeboye at the rent of £3 2s 2d Irish. A number of early seventeenth century sources have been reviewed to source more detail about the condition and development of the site. The Inquisition of the Churches in the Ardes (1605) and the Letters Patent of James I 20th July (1609) to James Hamilton ‘by which several chapters of Down, Connor and Dromore were erected’ provide little detail. The former noted however that the ‘Ecclia de Comber’ was ‘in parte repaired’. It noted that the site ‘esteemed to be a rectory but all tithes taken up by Sir Hugh Montgomery or by Sir James Hamylton. Noe Vicarage distinguished.’ The church was rebuilt out of part of the remains of the Abbey around 1610 and paid for in part by Hugh Montgomery and Sir James Hamilton. The First Fruits Roll of Down Connor and Dromore in the King’s Book (1614) and A Ledger or Terrier of Down and Connor (c.1615) noted that Comber was exemptum est Cis tersensis exempt from tax, whilst Extracts from Grants to Sir Arthur Chichester (1621) yielded no specific information on the site. The Ulster Visitation of 1622 noted that ‘James Fresall art resident’, whilst the 1623 Roll of Inquisitions just noted the considerable townlands associated with the late dissolved monastic religious house of Comber. An account of a regal visitation in 1633-34 stated that the site had no rector. In the present church graveyard, early grave stones date from the 1630s. In 1644 the Irish Itinerary of Father Edmund McCanna records: ‘Lake Cuan makes a turn at a place called Commor. Previous to the outbreak of heresy there were two monasteries here, commonly called the Black and the White, from the colour of the garments worn by the inmates of these houses… Of these monasteries not even the ruins remain, for a colony of Scots, who settled there employed the stones of them building houses for themselves – so great was the passion of the heretics for demolishing sacred objects.’ It was the White Abbey which was the Cistercian one on the current site. The Black Abbey belonged to Augustinians and seems to have been on the site of the 19th Century Andrew’s Bleach Green. The Montgomery family, as McCanna notes, used much of the stone from the abbey in the early 1600s to build their Mount Alexander (now demolished) near the town. The property later passed by assignment to Viscount Ardes. St. Mary’s Church, Comber Archaeological Associates (Ireland) May 2006 - 23 - The Inquisition of Down held in 1657 notes the parish and rectory of Comber where ‘Mr James Gordon preacher minister hath a dwelling house and six acres of land’. A Map of Comber in 1722 shows the position of the church and glebe as it stands today, east of the Square which was to be redeveloped in 1731. Searches through the Montgomery and Stewart archive for estate maps, leases and other sources which might provide description or development of the Abbey have given no further useful information. The 1837 Ordnance Survey Memoir records: ‘Most westerly parish of lower Castlereagh. The church is small very old and oblong building situated near the centre of the town. It is said to have formed a part of some large and ancient establishment of which nothing more at present exists. It is capable of accommodating 300 persons. The church of Comber appears and old building, there is no tower or steeple. It is built like a common house with a small arch erected on its southern gable in which is a bell. There are some old monuments in the church’ (Day & McWilliams 1991, 35).

James, John, and Samuel Donaldson, were three brothers killed whilst serving with B Company, the 13th Bn, Royal Irish Rifles. They were from Comber, County Down.
Comber Bypass. Costing £4.9 million, this scheme was completed almost 3 months ahead of schedule and has provided relief to traffic congestion within the town centre.

Comber Abbey and Parish - a short history by Norman Nevin MBE
Christianity Comes to Comber
Tradition has it that Christianity came to Comber about 1500 years ago. Apparently, Patrick having visited his favourite convert, Mochaoi (pronounced Maughee, or by the English - Mahee) of Nendrum (the island of the nine ridges), travelled north on his way to Donaghadee and hence to Scotland. When passing through the Comber district, Patrick was badly abused by Saran, one of the sons of Caelbadh, the local Chieftain of the district. Conla, brother of Saran, hearing with great sorrow, how uncivilly Patrick had been treated, went to apologise for his brother's behaviour and to venerate Patrick. He consecrated himself and all his property to his service, offering to him a remarkable field called the Plain of Elom, for the purpose of erecting a church thereon. Conla's Church flourished and in the course of time became an Irish Monastery with many buildings for its many activities. Its situation was most likely on the plain across the river from the present Cricket Green. It was known locally as the Black Abbey, because of the black habit worn by the monks. The Abbey became obscured in later years by the fame of the Cistercian Abbey sited near the present Square, and it completely disappeared from history, the Cistercians taking over the townlands.

The Cistercian Abbey in Comber
The Cistercian Abbeys of the twelfth century are all remarkably alike in layout, as the plan was dictated by the rules of the Order. The architect was to strive for utility and simplicity and all unnecessary decoration was to be avoided. In Comber, the present site of St. Mary's Parish Church (in the Square) was the site of the Cistercian Abbey. When it was built it was a virgin site with no buildings in the vicinity and it was the angle of two rivers - the Enler and the Glen. These rivers were essential, not only for fishing but also for sanitary purposes, as even in those days they had a crude but efficient type of flush toilet called the reredorter or necessarium. When the foundations of the new Hall were being dug out, traces of the bed of a fairly broad stream, in the form of a smooth damp clay, came to light. This came from the direction of the Glen River, which passes down the side of the Upper Distillery and can be seen from the present Car Park in Killinchy Street. In the Cistercian Abbeys it was customary for the highest building - the Church - to be built on the north side of the Cloister, which was the centre of the Abbey complex. This enabled the monks to work or read there, profiting from the sun and sheltered from the wind; the Cloister also linked the various buildings that were sited around it. In Comber the present church probably occupies the site of the Nave and Choir of the Abbey Church and beyond the east end of the present church would be the Transepts, each with two chapels and a squat tower in the middle leading to the Presbyter containing the High Altar and the Abbot's Chair. In the south Transept, that is towards the present graveyard, a doorway led to the Sacristy, where the Holy Vessels were kept and opposite would be the Night Stair leading to the Dormitory.
In Comber, an abbey for the Cistercian Order was built in 1199 and it is generally believed that the man responsible for it was Brian Catha Dun, head of the O'Neills of Claneboye (notClandeboye). In 1201, the founder had the misfortune to cross swords with de Courcy and perish in the conflict. The Abbey was occupied by monks from Caermarthernshire and it flourished until such establishments were dissolved by Henry VIII. In 1543, the last Abbot, John O'Mullegan resigned the Abbey and its possession to the Crown. It has seven townlands - Ballymonster, Carnesure, Cullintraw, Cattogs, Troopersfield, Ballynichol and half of Ballygowan. In previous years, when the Augustine Abbey closed it had taken possession of the townlands of that Abbey and later got possession of Ballyaltikilligan, where there had been a church and also claimed the tithes of the quarter "Kilmud". So, by 1543 it was quite prosperous and a wealthy foundation.

The Abbey is Destroyed / A Church Arises
After 1543 Comber Abbey lay deserted and decaying rapidly. All the treasures had been removed and anything of any value or use had been plundered. So in 1606 came the Hamiltons to Bangor and the Montgomerys to Newtown to find the place desolate. The only shelter Montgomery could find was the stump of an old Tower House in Newtown and a few vaults in Greyabbey. In Comber about 1610 a portion of the ruined Cistercian Abbey was fitted up as a Church for the increasing population. This is the site occupied by the present Church of Ireland, the Montgomery Church being in use until 1840. Sir Hugh also built a bell tower and provided a bell to call the people to worship. In 1622 Sir Hugh Montgomery's eldest son, also called Hugh, married Lady Jean Alexander, daughter of Sir William Alexander, Secretary for Scotland. As a wedding present Sir Hugh built a large Manor House on a gently rising hill outside Comber for the happy couple and called it Mount Alexander. From this we get Castle Street and Castle Lane. The stone for the building came from the ruins of the old Cistercian Abbey. Not all the stones were taken and some of them are in the walls surrounding the present church. One at least has been recognised as it bears a Mason's Mark and it has been preserved. The same mark is on a stone in Greyabbey, showing that the same band of masons who built Greyabbey from 1193-199 also built Comber from 1199-1220 A.D.

Clergy of St. Mary's
The first minister in the repaired monastery church in Comber was James Fresall, appointed there by Sir Hugh Montgomery, who, as a supporter of James 1st was careful that ministers under his patronage adhered to prelacy. Nothing is known of the Rev. Fresall's ministry. Sir Hugh Montgomery died in 1636 and his son the second Viscount, who had married Lady Jean Alexander, died in 1642. His son also Hugh was very young when he succeeded to the title as third Viscount and his mother, the Lady Jean, succeeded in getting the Rev. James Gordon, a Presbyterian, appointed to the Church in Comber in 1645. The position of the early ministers of Down was peculiar, in that, while Presbyterian in Doctrine, they were admitted by the Bishops to the Parish Churches and received tithes. This period has been described as "Prescopalian", for they were not ministers of "Non-Conformist" congregations. The "Form" used for ordination was one that satisfied the Bishops but at the same time enabled the Presbyterians to assert that they had received Presbyterian ordination. Trouble was bound to come and it did over the years until at last in the reign of Charles the second in 1661, the newly appointed Bishop of Down - Jeremy Taylor - gave the ministers the option of conform or suffer ejection.
Thirty-six were ejected in one day and among them was James Gordon of Comber. His pulpit was given to William Dowdall and he remained until 1692. He met with much opposition at first, chiefly from women, whose attack on him in the pulpit led to prosecution. At the trial in Downpatrick one of the rioters boastfully informed the judge, "These are the hauns that poo'd the white sark ower his heid!" They were fined for causing a riot in the church. After Mr. Dowdall, came a succession of ministers. The first was David Maxwell in 1692 and seven years later he was buried in Comber on the 30th July 1699. In 1700 came the Rev. Edmund Bennett. A stone attached to the gable end of the Church, facing the entrance gates, bears this inscription, "Near this place lyeth the body of ye Reverend Mr. Edmund Bennet ye late learned and Pious Minister of this Congregation and Chaplin to the Earle of Mount Alexander; he died the 15th Febry 1710-11 very much lamented". James Montgomery came in April 1712 and was followed by Patrick Hamilton in May 1716. He resigned in June 1733 and was immediately succeeded by Annesley Bailie who was licensed the same day by Bishop Hutchinson. He died at Innishargie (his birthplace) in 1758 and was "universally lamented by all his parishioners for his many virtues". It was during his term of office that the Glebe House was built in 1738 and had eleven acres of land attached to it.
The minister to succeed Mr. Bailie was the Rev. Guy Stone M.A. of Barnhill, who had been Curate in Newtownards for five years. He came to Comber in 1758. His daughter, Jane, married Robert Mortimer, Curate of Comber, and he succeeded his father-in-law as Rector in 1783. They had thirteen children and the third son, born in Comber, in 1796 became Incumbent of Magherhamlet. He died in 1876. The Rev. Robert Mortimer and his nephew were killed in the ambush at Saintfield in the 1798 Rebellion. They are buried at York Island in the river near the scene of the ambush. The story is told that the York Fencibles, a cruel, rough half-trained regiment of Militia (they had two weeks training each summer) stationed in the Market House (now Town Hall) in Newtownards, marched under the command of Colonel Stapleton to Comber on their way to Ballynahinch, where the main force of the rebels under Henry Monroe was assembling. When Stapleton's force reached Comber they did not know which road to take for Ballynahinch, so they enlisted the help of the Rector of Comber, the Rev. Robert Mortimer, as the one they could trust. He saddled his horse and with his nephew conducted them on the way. The Mortimer Plate was lost in this rebellion, but was later found on the top of Scrabo Tower.The remaining Rectors of Comber with date of appointment are as follows: 1799 - Rev. George Birch and his son in 1828 - George Watson Birch. He died aged 30 years. 1831 - Rev. Robert Ferrier Jex-Blake, an Englishman who resigned in 1851. It was at this time that the church was rebuilt - 1840. 1851 - William Thomas Delacherois Crommelin of Carrowdore Castle, a relation of the last Countess of Mount Alexander. 1868 - The Rev. George Smith. He died in 1911 aged 76. A new Transept to the church was erected as a memorial to him with a Mural Tablet in 1913. IN 1911 came Charles Campbell Manning, followed in 1918 by the Rev. John Sheffield Houston, and in 1954 by the Rev. Richard Clayton Stevenson. 1960 - Rev. Robert Joseph Norman Lockhart, 1962 - Rev. Hamilton Leckey, 1979 - Rev. F.D. Swann and 1984 - Rev. Dr. J.P.O. Barry. The Rev. Manning became a Chaplain to the Forces in 1914-18 War and a new Rectory was built for him. Comber Parish are most fortunate in having a set of parochial records which go back to 1688. The Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials are frequently consulted by those researching their family history; and contain many interesting facts about Comber families. Perhaps the most unique is the entry for 19th March 1946 when our present Queen, then her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth acted as Godmother at a baptism in St. Mary's. We are also fortunate in having a set of Vestry records covering a similar period. These make fascinating reading and cast an interesting light on parochial life in a bygone age.
(It should be noted that the Parish records are not on display or available to the public except by application to the Rector. This is consequent upon a person removing and stealing a page from the register. His identity is known, we require the return of the page, otherwise his identity will be released onto the internet.)

The Present Parish Church
By the early 1800's St. Mary's was getting beyond repair, so it was decided to build a new church on the same site. This was done in 1840 and is the building that exists today. The bell in the tower was made by Thomas Mears of London in 1840 and is still calling the people to worship today. The clock made by Robert Neill of Belfast, has a pendulum ninety inches long, giving a slow even beat and is driven by two huge weights suspended on cables which take them to the roof of the clock-room and then begin a seven day descent to three heavy wooden beams on the floor. There is a brass inscription as follows "Upon the completion of the new church, this clock and chandeliers were presented to the parish of Comber by Viscount Castlereagh, 1841". The chandeliers, holding many candles, illuminated the interior of the church in the evenings for many years.

Parish School
In 1813, a day school was established in connection with the Church and occupied the site of the present Hall. It functioned from that date until the new Primary School was opened on the Darragh Road in 1938. The school was built jointly by the Countess of Londonderry (her husband did not become a Marquis until 1816), and the executors of the Erasmus Smyth Charity. It was a single storey building, facing The Square and with a small playground in front. It had two rooms, one 40 feet long and the other 30 feet long and both 18 feet wide and 10 feet high. It had accommodation for 126 pupils. In 1837 the school had 233 pupils, 137 boys and 96 girls. They were all Protestant except 8 who were Catholic. The Master received £30 yearly from the Erasmus Smyth Foundation and one half-penny per week from such of his pupils as were able to pay it. In 1832 Lord Londonderry erected a house for the Master at the rear of the school. It has now been re-modelled as a house for the Curate. A new Church Hall was opened at St. Mary's Parish Church, Comber on Wednesday 8th June 1983)

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