Ways Of Seeing Ballymena
Discover Ballymena's Towers
Test your knowledge about the fascinating history of Ballymena and its iconic towers! From the majestic Old Parish Church Tower to the impressive All Saints’ Church, this quiz will take you through the architectural treasures of the town.
Challenge yourself with questions about:
- The Seven Towers of Ballymena
- Historical architecture and notable figures
- Fascinating facts about local landmarks
What do you do when you want everyone to know how important your town is? You give it a fancy name! That’s what Sir Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, owner of the Ballymena Estate, did in the mid-1850s. The story goes that Sir Alexander was walking with friends on high ground overlooking the town when he looked back and pointed out that he could see seven towers. From that time on Ballymena became known as the ‘City of the Seven Towers’ even though it’s not a city and only three of these towers are still standing today! Which 3 of the 7 towers around the outside of this picture are still standing?
Ballymena Castle
Ballymena Old Parish Church
St Patrick’s Church of Ireland
Old Town Hall
All Saints Church
First Ballymena Presbyterian Church
The Braid Water Spinning Mill
In 1865 Sir Robert Alexander Shafto Adair started to build a new home in a Scottish baronial-style on the Ballymena Estate. The first Ballymena Castle, built by the Adair family in the seventeenth century, had burned down in 1740 so this was the second castle built on this site. How many years did it take to build?
2 years
22 years
10 years
The Braid Water Spinning Mill was built in 1865 and demolished in 1998 and a retail park is now in this location. What was unusual about its ‘Tower’?
It's a chimney
It's unfinished
It's a folly constructed for decoration rather than practical use
The present Town Hall stands in the historic centre of the town of Ballymena. The Duke of York (later George VI) laid the foundation stone for this ‘New’ Town Hall in 1924. It was completed in 1928. This replaced the ‘Old’ Town Hall (pictured) which was one of the Seven Towers but it was destroyed by fire in 1919. Before both Town Halls existed, what was built on the site by the Adair family on 1684?
Railway Station
Ballymena Castle
Market House
All Saints’ Church is a Victorian Gothic Church. Father John Lynch oversaw its construction and Father Alex McMullan was responsible for completion of the tower and installation of which feature?
A Bell
A Clock
First Ballymena Presbyterian Church can trace its roots back to 1627. It is said that the congregation had to build the church among themselves, each arriving at the site with the building materials in their own carts. When it was finished the building had such a low ceiling that tall men could reach into the eaves. Reverend. Dobbin (Minister between 1837 and 1853) decided to rebuild it. The tower on the First Ballymena Presbyterian Church was built during this construction. Why was the tower removed in the late nineteenth century
It fell down
It was too costly to maintain
Storms made it unsafe
The Old Parish Church Tower is one of three towers that is still standing today. It was built in 1707 and used until 1855 when the congregation became too large. The Tower was added in 1822 but how much did is cost?
£32
£320
£3200
St Patrick’s Church of Ireland was built to replace the Old Parish Church. The land for the Church was given by the Adair family in 1853. The bell Tower was described by the minister of the time as being how high, making it one of the highest points in Ballymena?
95 ft
25ft
50 ft
This street looks very different today. Do you which building is now on the left side of this street?
Tower Shopping Centre
The Braid
Railway Station
Which of the Seven Towers did the famous Victorian architect Sir Charles Lanyon’s firm Lanyon & Lynn build?
The Old Town Hall
Ballymena Castle
The Braid Water Spinning Mill
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