Ballywalter

Ballywalter (from Irish Baile 'homestead' and Walter) is a village or townland (of 437 acres or 177 hectares) and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland.

The park plays host to the Northern Ireland Game Fair, which has attracted nearly 40,000 people over a single weekend.

Ballywalter Park is a Grade A listed stately home, deemed to be of exceptional architectural importance.

On the morning of 10 June 1798 (known thereafter as "Pike Sunday"), a force of United Irishmen, mainly from Bangor, Donaghadee, Greyabbey and Ballywalter, attempted to occupy the town of Newtownards.

They were met with musket fire from the market house and among those killed was James Cain, an 18-year-old male from Ballyferris outside Ballywalter.

The extent to which the people of Ballywalter were involved in the 1798 Rebellion is illustrated by an announcement in the Freeman's Journal on 11 August 1798, which stated: "...the magnitude of the punishment of many districts of County Down may be conceived from this single fact-of the inhabitants of the little village of Ballywalter nine men were actually killed and thirteen returned wounded, victims of their folly.

A number of Presbyterian ministers in the Ards were deemed to have taken part in the rebellion and were tried, found guilty, and executed.

It is said locally that some Ballywalter men escaped capture by spending days at sea, hiding behind the Long Rock.

Ballywalter Orange Hall
Ballywalter Presbyterian Church