Laurelvale

Laurelvale is a village in the heart of County Armagh, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom which includes the adjacent small hamlet of Mullavilly and is located seven miles north–east of Armagh and 3 miles south of Portadown. In the 2001 Census Laurelvale had a population of 1,256 people.

Laurelvale’s facilities include Mullavilly Primary School, a petrol station, small shops, designated open space and a nursing home on the village’s Portadown Road.

An Ulsterbus service operates between Portadown, Tandragee and Newry via Laurelvale.

History

Laurelvale was founded in the 1850s by Thomas Sinton JP (1826-1887) to house the workers in his linen mill, "Thomas Sinton & Co. Ltd", which was located in the village. At its height Sinton's Mill employed over one thousand people. The mill building, as well as the large residence built by Thomas Sinton, has since been demolished for development. The company remained in family ownership until 1945 when it was taken over by the Ministry of Defence and operated by "Hoffmans" (who produced Ball bearings for Gun turrets). The Sinton family also ran mills and bleach-works in Tandragee, Killyleigh, Tullylish and at Ravarnet outside Hillsborough, County Down. The village has also a strong Unionist tradition as around the villages location is a large number of Orange Halls.

Thomas Sinton also built a large house in the village, "Laurelvale House", which, following the Second World War, was the home of Michael Torrens-Spence, Lord Lieutenant of County Armagh. Laurelvale House has since been demolished to make way for housing development.

Education

Mullavilly Primary School

Churches

* Mullavilly Parish Church
* St Mary's Roman Catholic Church

Sport

Laurelvale F.C.'s ground is found in the Laurel Park area of the Village. The Villages Cricket Grounds and Social Club is located on the Mullavilly Road.

2001 Census

Laurelvale is classified as a Village by the [http://www.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)] (ie with population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,258 people living in Laurelvale. Of these:
*25.0% were aged under 16 years and 12.7% were aged 60 and over
*49.5% of the population were male and 50.5% were female
*9.2% were from a Catholic background and 90.8% were from a Protestant background
*2.1% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed

For more details see: [http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Neighbourhood Information Service]

External links

* [http://www.laurelvalefc.co.uk/ Laurelvale Football Club]
* [http://www.lnisc.co.uk/ Laurelvale Northern Ireland Supporters Club]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
]
* [http://www.bob-sinton.co.uk/ft_main.php?rin=202 Geneaology of Thomas Sinton]
* [http://www.bob-sinton.co.uk/headstones/all-names.php?id=21 Headstone Inscriptions at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church]

See also

*List of villages in Northern Ireland
*List of towns in Northern Ireland