Editing Comber (section)

== History ==
The confluence of two rivers, which gave the town its name, is that of the Glen River and the Enler River which meet here.
[[File:StMarysComberExterior.jpg|thumb|St. Mary's Church of Ireland]]
[[File:StMarysComberViewFromChancel.jpg|thumb|Interior of St. Mary's Church of Ireland]]
During the influx of [[Scottish people|Scots]] in the early 1600s (see [[Plantation of Ulster]]), a settlement grew up at Comber, although it was focused about {{Convert | 1 | mi | spell = in}} further south than at present, in the townland of Cattogs, and there is evidence that the settlement was a port used by traders and fishermen. By the 1700s, however, the focus of the town had moved to the area of the present main Square and Comber became established as an industrial centre with several mills.

The Andrews family made Comber a centre of both linen production and grain processing by the second half of the 1700s. Whiskey distilling was a prominent industry by the mid-1800s, the most prominent of the distillers being John Miller, uncle of William James (Lord) Pirrie and Eliza (wife of Thomas Andrews Snr.). One member of the Andrews family, [[Thomas Andrews (shipbuilder)|Thomas Andrews]], was the designer of the {{RMS|Titanic}} and lost his life when the ship sank in 1912. By 1841 the town had 1,400 inhabitants. The 20th century saw Comber lose much of its industry but re-establish itself as a commuter town for the Belfast urban area, swelling in population from 4,000 [[1961 United Kingdom census|in 1961]] to 8,933 according to the [[2001 United Kingdom census|2001 census]].
[[File:Gillespie and St Mary's.JPG|thumb|The Square. The Gillespie Memorial and St. Mary's Parish Church can also be seen.]]

In Comber's square stands the statue of Major General [[Rollo Gillespie]]. Gillespie was a local war hero from the 19th century, famous for his heroic exploits in India. It was constructed under the oversight of John Fraser, the first [[county surveyor]] of Down, and was unveiled on 24 June 1845 (St. John's Day). Fifty lodges of the [[Freemasonry|Masonic Order]] were present, in what is believed to be the biggest Masonic gathering in [[Irish history]]. It was calculated that 25,000 to 30,000 people crowded into the town to witness the ceremony. The column is 55 feet high. At the foot of the column are many Masonic symbols and his famous last words "One shot more for the honour of Down". The Square also has a memorial to those who died on the [[Titanic]], which has strong links to the town. The town has its own "Comber Titanic Audio Trail which guides you to special places of interest throughout Comber that relate to the Titanic story."

In 1978, the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] [[La Mon restaurant bombing|bombed La Mon restaurant]], killing 12 people.

The Enler River in Comber has flooded many times. As a result, the Comber [[flood wall]] was built along the river through the town which has held the water back since.