Newtownards Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town in County Down, Northern Ireland, UK
About Newtownards
"New" means from 1226 AD, when the Normans founded the "New Town of Blathewic". The old town was built from 540 AD around Movilla Abbey but was torched and razed in the 1570s, by Irish clans trying to keep out the English. What they got instead was the Scots, especially from Ayrshire, who settled in large numbers during the 17th century Plantations. At the dawn of the industrial age, places called "new town" were springing up all over, so this one became specified as Newtownards. It was a large market town but growth was hampered by lack of a port — the lough was too shallow — so goods had to be lugged to and from Donaghadee. But in 1860 the railway connected it to Belfast and the population increased rapidly, sharing the ups and downs of Northern Ireland's economic heartland. The counties
Top Attractions in Newtownards
Explore the best things to see and do in Newtownards:
- ★Grey Abbey
- ★Mount Stewart
- ★Scrabo Golf Club
- ★Scrabo Tower
- ★Somme Museum
Where to Eat in Newtownards
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Chef and Manager
- 🍴Hickory's Smokehouse & Grill
- 🍴Molly Brown's Eatery
- 🍴Tuk Tuk
Where to Stay in Newtownards
- 🏨Edenvale House
- 🏨Strangford Arms Hotel
Newtownards Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: