Diocesan News29 May 09

Belleek Pottery launch basket for Church's Bicentenary

Belleek Pottery launch basket to mark Church’s Bicentenary

After the opening service of Belleek Flower Festival on Friday 22nd May 2009, Mr John Maguire, Managing Director of Belleek Pottery launched a new Belleek Pottery basket, commissioned specially to mark the bicentenary of the Church of Ireland Parish Church in Belleek. The basket is designed on the William Henshall basket, the man who brought the art of basket making to Belleek and who is buried in the Churchyard at Belleek Parish Church.

The exquisite basket has several unique design features; the centre of the basket has a plaque showing the church’s newly unveiled Potter’s Wheel stained glass window, the edge of the basket has a combination of Bluebells, Roses and Daisies, all found in the local area and symbolically representing the people of the parish. This limited edition basket, of which only a few hundred will be produced, is available to purchase until mid summer.

Belleek Parish was formed in 1791 by separating a section of townlands from the Parish of Templecarne. The parish church was completed in 1788 on a hill close to Castle Caldwell at Oughterdrum. Some years earlier in 1782 Sir James Caldwell owner of the Castle Caldwell estate, petitioned the then Bishop of Clogher to locate the Church in Belleek, which was the main population centre. The location of the Parish church continued to be a bone of contention with many of the parishioners, that eventually in 1875 the schoolhouse in Belleek was licensed for public worship. The Caldwell family built the schoolhouse in 1809 to educate the children of the locality. On March 24th 1909 the former school was consecrated as a Chapel of Ease.

The association between Belleek Church and Belleek Pottery has existed since the Pottery’s foundation in 1857. The three founders were members of the Church of Ireland and one Robert William Armstrong worshipped at the Church and is buried in the churchyard at Belleek.

William Henshall who brought the craft of basket and flower making to Belleek Pottery in 1867 is commemorated in the Churchyard with a plaque unveiled during the 150th anniversary of the founding of Belleek Pottery in 2007.

Proceeds from the sale of the Basket will go to help the fund raising efforts of the Church and will be a very unique and collectable basket for the many Belleek collectors worldwide.

ENDS