copelands islands

Biggest of the three Copeland Islands to the north east is appropriately, Big Isle, a mile offshore. Beyond it is Cross, or Lighthouse Island where there was once a rogue lighthouse - a beacon that burned over a ton of coal a night. It was suspected of actually contribution to some of the many wrecks in these waters. The present lighthouse is on Mew, the outermost island. Cross Island is now RSPB bird observatory visitable with National Trust permission. Garden herbs growing there are thought to have been part of a kitchen garden established by monks from Bangor Abbey. On Big Isle in the eighteenth century, there was a thriving fishing and farming community of 'God fearing Presbyterians' who rowed across every Sunday to attend church in Donaghadee. By the 1860's the population has fallen to about forty but they had a church and a school. The new teacher had to sleep in the classroom until people got to know him. Then he lodged with each family in turn, a month at a time. The last islanders moved to Donaghadee in the 1940's.