St Mary's Windows We had these before Bill Gates |
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The Dorcas Window
 Detail of lower panel  |
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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