Cookstown

Market town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, 21 km/13 mi north of Dungannon; population (2001) 10,600. Cookstown is named after Alan Cook, who founded the town in 1609 during the plantation of Protestant settlers, and mainly consists of one high street, 3 km/2 mi long, which was laid out in the 18th century by its subsequent owner, William Stewart. Wellbrook Beetling Mill, Cookstown's 18th-century water-powered linen beetling mill, has been restored to full working order by the National Trust. The beetling process, powered by its great wheel, hammered the cloth and gave the world-famous Irish linen its final sheen. The process of manufacturing linen from flax is explained on placards on the walls.

Adjacent to Cookstown is Killymoon Castle, now a golf club. It was designed by John Nash for William Stewart.

Cookstown

Administrative region in central Northern Ireland, serving part of County Tyrone bordering Lough Neagh; area 514 sq km/198 sq mi; population (2001) 32,600. The towns under the council's remit include Cookstown, Ardboe, Ballyronan, and Stewartstown. The principal sources of employment include engineering, agriculture, agribusiness, retail, and local government.