Newry’s tradition of hosting markets and public assemblies stretches back centuries. A late 16th-century map of Orier identifies a market cross at the foot of High Street, likely the site of the town’s earliest trading activity. In 1613, King James I granted Newry a royal charter, formally establishing it as “The Borough of Newry.” This charter created a municipal corporation with the authority to elect two MPs to the Irish House of Commons and a local government led by a provost, chosen annually from twelve Free Burgesses on the Feast of St. John. The corporation was empowered to hold a weekly Court of Record, enforce local laws, and levy fines for breaches.
Plans for civic infrastructure date back to 1577, when Sir Nicholas Bagenal proposed a “Court Howse for Thassemblie of the People and Keeping of Lawe Dayes.” However, these plans appear to have been realised only during the tenure of his grandson, Arthur. By 1624, John Pynnar’s map shows the market cross alongside a large domed building at the foot of High Street - possibly a courthouse or dual-purpose market house. Some accounts suggest it may have served as a custom house or the King’s stores, which were raided for arms and powder during the 1641 rebellion. Though it’s unclear how regularly the corporation convened, its significance was acknowledged by Irish rebels, who appointed Michaell Garvie Gent as provost during the uprising, as recorded in contemporary depositions.
The 18th century saw the rise of three prominent market houses that shaped Newry’s civic and social landscape. The first, built between 1703 and 1737, was gifted a clock by Mr. Nedham and appears on Rocque’s 1760 map as the ‘Old Market House’ near Market Street. Despite its age, it remained a vibrant venue for auctions, meetings, and community events. Notices from the period highlight activities such as Patrick McKiben’s dancing lessons (1765), sales by James Maxwell (1766), and meetings of the Dundalk–Banbridge Turnpike Trustees (1756, 1766). In 1767, merchants and traders gathered there to discuss affairs related to the Newry Canal. The building was eventually demolished around 1785.
The second market house, constructed in 1750 on Boat Street (later Castle Street), featured a ground-floor market and an upper assembly room. By 1758, it had become Newry’s stagecoach departure point. The assembly room hosted political and social events, including a celebration of the Glorious Revolution (1764) and a banquet marking Admiral Keppel’s acquittal (1779). It also served as the meeting place for the Amicable Annuity Company (1778–1780), while the Newry Volunteers drilled on the ground floor. In later years, it functioned as a polling station for both Irish and British parliamentary elections.
The third, known as Liberty Market House, was founded in December 1752 in the Low Ground, funded by the Earl of Hillsborough and local subscriptions. Intended as a yarn and linen market, it evolved into a lively social venue. It hosted cockfights (1765), dance nights (1766), New Year’s celebrations with country dances and theatrical performances (1767), summer balls (1768), and musical evenings (1769). By the 1770s, it also accommodated civic and military gatherings, including drills by the Newry Volunteers and the Newry Fusiliers.
From the 16th-century market cross to the trio of 18th-century market houses, Newry’s public spaces have long served as vital centres of trade, culture, and civic engagement, reflecting the town’s enduring spirit of community and enterprise.
