Ballygowan is a busy commuter bypass close to Northern Ireland's capital.
It is a village and townland in the borough within County Down that is known for the Olivet home. This imposing and austere building has dominated the village since 1886 and is the village's main feature.
The building was originally erected as an orphanage by Alexander Orr Reid as a memorial to his only son who was killed in a shooting accident. It was then purchased by Ballygowan Presbyterian Church in 1918. Until the 1980s, when the new Alexander Dickson School was built, it was used as the village primary school. Since then it is used exclusively as church halls.
The remains of The Baron Bannside (better known as The Rev. Ian Paisley) are buried in the graveyard attached to Ballygowan Free Presbyterian Church. Lord Bannside was a former First Minister of Northern Ireland.
Ulster-Scots in Killinchy and surrounds
Explore the influence of Ulster-Scots in Killinchy and it's nearby surrounds.
