Former Harbour Wall, Mary Street, Ballycastle, Co Antrim

The former harbour wall, constructed between 1740 and 1759, is a remnant of Hugh Boyd’s 18th-century efforts to create a sheltered harbour for ships in Ballycastle. It now forms part of a recreational area and is situated within the town’s conservation area. While not granted special architectural or historic designation, the wall exhibits industrial archaeological interest.

The wall extends between Mary Street and the tennis courts, rising to approximately 3 metres in height on the tennis court side and 1 metre high on Mary Street. It is built of random rubble sandstone and features a coping constructed from stones laid on edge. The wall continues from Tow Bridge to the junction of Mary Street with Quay Road, where it turns to partially enclose the north-west side of the bowling green opposite the Marine Hotel. A pedestrian opening has been created in the wall to provide access to steps leading to the lower level of the bowling green and tennis courts.

The wall and associated bowling green and tennis courts occupy the site of the former harbour established by Hugh Boyd in the 1740s. Following a grant of £10,000 from the House of Commons in 1737 to create a harbour capable of accommodating 30 ships of 30 tons burden, Boyd undertook the work at his own expense, not receiving the grant until completion. Work began in spring 1737 and continued until 1738, involving stone quarrying, transportation, and forge construction. The harbour and pier were completed by 1744, with a total expenditure of £30,000, although shipping traffic commenced in 1742. Boyd also established glasshouses for bottle production, one of which reportedly remained standing in 1831. The pier was subsequently lost to storms, and the harbour became silted and derelict. In later times, the harbour’s base was drained, and the area was laid out for recreational use.