Sir Hans Sloane Centre
KILLYLEAGH
How the Centre benefits the local community and tourists
Education
The Centre supports STEM education with STEM enrichment activities for all ages.
Tourism
The Centre provides access to the rich cultural heritage of Killyleagh and County Down.
Employment
The Centre plays host to small businesses and draws a new tourist footfall, bringing additional economic activity.
Prosperity
A community of communities have a home here, with significant social impact, educationally and economically for the area.
The aims of the Sir Hans Sloane Centre
- To generate an infrastructure that will bring renewed prosperity, opportunity and ambition for the village community.
- To create employment in the running of the centre and support neighbouring businesses.
- To increase the number of visitors to the village and enrich their experience.
- To boost recreational pursuit opportunity to help improve the wellbeing of the whole village population and to increase visitor time and spend in Killyleagh.
- To celebrate and make known the life and work of Sir Hans Sloane.
- To share his great contribution to London and to science with the people of his birthplace and boyhood home.
- To promote education in local history, science and the environment for school children in the area and visitors.
What’S inside the Centre
On the ground floor the Sir Hans Sloane Centre consist’s of a small museum, a science education area, a gift shop, rest area and coffee dock.
On the first floor there is an office available to hire, a gallery area which is used for exhibitions and a large room currently used for art classes. In time, this will consist of four work area pods, available for hire, as we develop the Centre as a Digital Hub and Innovation Centre. Adjacent to the work pods will be a video conference suite by day which will double as a local cinema for evening use.
Killyleagh highlights
Killyleagh Castle
Visitors are often heard comparing it to Hogwarts or a castle from Disney.
Photo credit: Mark Stronge
The Harbour
From 2017, Killyleagh harbour has been featured nationally by BBC One in their idents – the footage you see in between TV shows.
Hans Sloane Square
The statue in the centre of the square is a replica of one erected in Sir Hans Sloane’s honour in the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.
Kingfisher Craft Gallery
Owned and run by one of our Trustees, Lorraine Lawson, Kingfisher specialises in arts and crafts from Northern Ireland.
Edward Hincks
Edward Hincks, rector of Killyleagh Parish Church for the last 41 years of his life, was the world’s greatest expert in the translation of Middle Eastern hieroglyphics.
Dufferin Arms
James Joyce Pub Award: “This establishment remains an outstanding example of the tradition which Joyce immortalized in his works and is an authentic Irish pub which retains a genuineness of atmosphere, friendliness and presence of good company.“
Delamont Country Park
Within walking distance of Killyleagh is the Delamont Country Park with stunning views over Strangford Lough and over to the Mournes.
