The Duke of York is Baron Killyleagh in County Down, Northern Ireland. His Royal Highness visited Killyleagh in 2002 to unveil a statue to of Hans Sloane.
Hans Sloane (16 April 1660 – 11 Jan 1753) was born and educated in Killyleagh before becoming physician to Queen Anne, Kings George I and II and President of the Royal Society.
Hans Sloane was a collector of immense standing and left his collection to the City of London. His collection is credited with starting the Chelsea Physic garden, the British Museum and Natural History Museum. And so it is that Sir Hans Sloane gave much to the City of London and to the United Kingdom.
The village of Killyeagh also boasts another famous son of this era. The Reverend Edward Hincks (19 August 1792 – 3 December 1866) M.A., D.D., an Anglo-insh clergyman, best remembered as an Assyriologist and one of the decipherers of Mesopotamian cuneiform. A blue plaque on the walls of the former Rectory commemorates his achievements.
Killyleagh is in an area of outstanding natural beauty and of environmental importance renowned for the rare flora and fauna of Strangford Lough and its surround.
Decline over a number of decades has seen the few remaming Georgian buildings fall into disrepair and vacant state. The Killyleagh Development Association has helped to bring about conservation status for the town but much work must done, with the support of the district council, to bring prosperity to the area through a much needed regeneration programme.
Our aim is to set up the Sir Hans Sloane Centre in honour of Sloane and make it a focal point for the regeneration of Killyleagh.