Hilltown is a small village within the townland of Carcullion in County Down, Northern Ireland. Hilltown is the main village of the parish of Clonduff which contains the village and the rural areas around it at one end, and the rural enclave of Cabra at the other end of the parish. It had a population of 899 people in the 2001 census. On 27 March 2011, the usually resident population of Hilltown was 1,709.
History
Hilltown sprang up within the townland called Carcullin, later Carcullion (whose name is derived from the Irish Carr Cuilin). The town was named after the Hill family. The Hill family were English politicians who also gave their name to nearby Hillhall and Hillsborough. The Hills founded the village in 1766 so that people living in the area could find employment in the linen industry. In early 1853 the constable in charge of the local Royal Irish Constabulary station, A Dunlop, exchanged posts with the constable in Rostrevor, A Morton. Morton remained in charge of the Hilltown station until after 1869.[2]
On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Hilltown Settlement was 1,709 accounting for 0.09% of the NI total.[3] In Hilltown Settlement, considering the resident population:
99.94% were from the white (including Irish Traveller) ethnic group;
93.56% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 4.86% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion;
11.76% indicated that they had a British national identity, 57.40% had an Irish national identity and 32.24% had a Northern Irish national identity;
21.85% had some knowledge of Irish;
2.04% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots; and
0.96% did not have English as their first language.
Places of interest
Goward Dolmen is a megalithic monument two miles from Hilltown on the road to Castlewellan in Cabra. It is also called Pat Kearney's Big Stone or Cloughmore Cromlech. The huge granite capstone has slipped from its original horizontal position.[4]
St. Patrick's Primary School, Hilltown – a large primary school with over 320 pupils, most of whose leavers further their education in Newry, Castlewellan or Warrenpoint.
St. Paul's Primary School, Cabra – a smaller school located in Cabra which is part of the Clonduff parish, most leavers attend schools in Newry, Castlewellan or Warrenpoint.