Stranocum

Stranocum is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, about 5 miles from Ballymoney and about 1 to 2 miles from the next nearest village, Dervock. Armoy, the second nearest village, is about 2-3 miles away. According to the 2001 Census Stranocum has a population of 285 people. It is situated in Ballymoney Borough Council area.

The village is located west of the River Bush and is mostly on the gentle hill down to the river. Although mainly a commuter village it does contain some services. These include a SPAR supermarket and petrol station, a car, truck and tractor service garage, animal feeds mill, trout farm, Bushvalley Primary School and park. The village has a very active community association which holds an annual duck race (in the river) and barbecue (at Stranocum House), among other events.

The small but beautiful Bush Park is a picturesque picnic area situated beside the Stone Bridge over the River Bush. About a mile outside the village the Metal Bridge Walk leads up a leafy road past charming cottages.

Transport

Stranocum railway station opened on 18 October 1880, closed for goods traffic on 24 March 1924, and finally closed altogether on 3 July 1950. [cite web | title=Stranocum station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-10-27] It was on the Ballycastle Railway, a narrow gauge railway which ran for 17 miles connecting Ballycastle to Ballymoney, on the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR), later Northern Counties Committee (NCC), main line to Derry. [cite book |last= Baker |first= Michael HC |title= Irish Narrow Gauge Railways. A View from the Past|publisher= Ian Allan Publishing|year= 1999 |isbn= 0-7110-2680-7 ]

References

* [http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Neighbourhood Information System]
* [http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=16&to=345&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1 Culture Northern Ireland]

See also

*List of villages in Northern Ireland
*List of towns in Northern Ireland