Kilkeel (Down)

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Kilkeel Workhouse on 1930 OS map
Kilkeel Workhouse on 1930 OS map

The Kilkeel Poor Law Union was officially declared in 1839. The Workhouse was opened in 1841 at a cost of £4,817. It was built to house a maximum capacity of 300 inmates. The Kilkeel Workhouse was built to accomodate people from the areas of Ballykeel, Bryansford, Fofanny, Green Castle, Kilkeel, Killowen, Meghera, Mourne Park, Mullartown, and Rosstrevor. 

The graveyard attached to the workhouse was on a very steep sight behind the building. Anne Moore and her grandmother were residents there.  Annie was born in Cranfield on 22 Jan 1833.  After the death of her parents she was cared from by her grandmother until she was unable to do so.  The grandmother (name unknown) died in November 1848.  Four months before Anne had sailed to Adelaide, South Australia aboard the “Roman Emperor” as part of the Earl Grey scheme.

The Kilkeel Workhouse site has been repurposed as the Mourne District Hospital which still uses the original Fever Hospital buidling. It would appear only a brick wall and the cemetery remain of the original site.  

The graves were not marked.

References

For more information see here Ireland VIEW SOURCE
Public Records of Northern Ireland Northern Ireland. Great Britain. VIEW SOURCE

Type of Building:

Workhouse

Some communities associated with this building

Some ancestors associated with these communities

Some buildings associated with these communities