Ballyhalbert is a small village on the Irish Sea coast. Its name seems to be a corruption of Ball- Thalbot or Talbotstown derived from the Talbot family which occupied this area after the conquest c. 1300. The parish paid tithes to Black Abbey in 1615. In 1659 there were 12 English/ Scots & 10 Catholic families. There is an ancient Anglo-Norman motte just behind the village.

In 1836 it was described as being without any importance and not being a post town. The inhabitants were mostly fishermen. The other trades were 4 spirit dealers and grocers and one smith. It is an ancient town but has been diminishing in importance. It had 45 cabins, 18 of which were slated and eleven 2 storey houses of stone with small windows which would not have admitted much light. There weren't any fairs or markets held in the village. The people were described as respectable and industrious with no decided cleanliness about them or their houses. They used turf as fuel for their fires.

There was a court held in the village every 9 weeks and a leet court held every year in April. There wasn't a police constable but there were 8 coastguard men & one chief officer. No illicit distilling, no smuggling, no houses were insured & no dispensary. There were two corn mills here in 1836. There is an ancient standing stone nearby. There is a village graveyard.

27 May 1848 a public works program was instigated for famine relief with the upgrading of the road from Portaferry to Ballyhalbert (FCD p8). There was a Coastguard Station here in 1863.

Click here for information about churches in the town & parish.
Click here for information about schools in 19th century.

Newspaper articles from Northern Star;
political meeting of freeholders 19 Jan 1793 & 16 Dec 1796 ;

Newspaper articles from Down Recorder;
;glebe lands ‘in Chancery’ 29 Mar 1845: parish notes 24 Apr 1847: incendiarism 13 Apr 1850; Patriotic fund. Names of contributors 20 Jan 1855; fishery pier 2 Aug 1884

Newspaper articles from Newtownards Chronicle;
horse races 6 May 1876 ; lifeboat crew rescues 25 from shipping disaster 12 Mar 1881; fishery pier 25 Jul 1885; fire at the corn mill 7 Jan 1888; foundation stone of new Orange Hall 8 Apr 1899