76 Castle Street

November 2023

Project Attributes

Project:

Ballycastle Museum

Owner:

Ballycastle Museum

Date:

12th November 2025

Address: 76 Castle Street

Listing: not listed

Construction date: 1740 (plaque)

Year	Owner/lessee	Business name	Building use	Notes
1740	Charles Gray			Datestone built into wall rear of yard reads ‘THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT BY CHARLES GRAY 1740’. Originally built into the front(?) of the building, it was moved to the yard during renovations. Charles Gray is mentioned as a creditor in “Account Book of an unnamed Ballycastle Merchant 1751” PRONI Ref T1044/1. Gray must have been a person of some social standing, as he is referred to in old documents as “Esquire”. His daughter Mary, married John McGildowny of Ballycastle, great-great grandfather of the late Major Hugh Cameron McGildowny, of Clare Park, Ballycastle. A John Gray is mentioned in the 1669 Hearth Money Roll, and a Basil Gray Esq is listed as the recipient of a game license in 1813 (Belfast News-Letter 22/10/1813) but no Grays appear in Slater’s directory of 1846 or in the censuses of 1910 or 1911. By the 1860s until 1926, no.76 appears to have been divided into two properties – both pubs – here noted as a) and b). Based on the census household numbering, a) is likely to have been the property to the left/west; b) to the right/east. JMcC research notes the pub has had three names: the Classic Hotel, The Antrim House Hotel, and the Glenshesk Bar.
1834	Mrs O’Heal (Neal?) and William McCurdy			PRONI VAL/1B/135
a) 1864	Anne Jolly, then Patrick McHenry			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
a) 1864-1876	Patrick McHenry			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
a) 1877-1901	James McHenry			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
a) 1901	James Mc Henry		Refreshment house	Census – building no.85 James Mc Henry, 80, head of family, RC, refreshment house keeper, married Catherine Mc Henry, 60, wife, RC, married
a) 1902-1911	James McHenry			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
a) 1911	Unoccupied			Census – building no.89
a) 1912	James McHenry			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
a) 1913-1925	Mary J McKendry			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
b) 1864-1869	Edward McCambridge		Spirit grocer?	SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers. JMcC research.
b) 1870-1895	Anne McCambridge			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
b) 1896-1900	Francis McAuley			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
b) 1901	Mary Mc Auley		Public house	Census – building no.86 Mary Mc Auley, 29, head of family, RC, publican, widow Mary Mc Auley, 4, daughter, RC, scholar, not married Bryne Mc Auley, 3, son, RC, scholar, not married Anne Mc Auley, 2, daughter, RC, not married Francis Mc Auley, 0, son, RC, not married Mary Mc Connell, 66, mother, RC, farmer, widow John Mc Connell, 34, brother, RC, farmer, not married Annie Mc Connell, 32, sister, RC, dressmaker, not married Elizabeth Mc Kellin, 14, servant, RC, general domestic servant, not married
b) 1901-1911	Mary McAuley			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
b) 1911	Mary McAuley		Public house	Census – building no.90 Mary McAuley, 41, head of family, RC, spirit dealer, widow Mary McAuley, 14, daughter, RC, scholar, single Brian McAuley, 13, son, RC, scholar, single Anne McAuley, 11, daughter, RC, scholar, single Francis Patrick McAuley, 10, son, RC, scholar, single Mary McConnell, 82, mother, RC, widow John McConnell, 47, brother, RC, shop man, single Annie McConnell, 45, sister, RC, single
b) 1912-1925	Mary McAuley			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1926-1930	Mary McAuley			SMcM research based on Griffith’s Valuation registers.
1963?	Alex Hamilton and Gretta Hamilton (nee Black)			JMcC research states that the Black family bought the pub from Mary ‘McConnell’ in 1963. Presumably this is Mary McAuley (nee McConnell) who would have been 91 if this was the case.