▁cl an , ▁who ▁controlled ▁the ▁Cle w ▁Bay ▁area , ▁then ▁known ▁as ▁U ma ill . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁village ▁of ▁C ath air ▁na ▁Mart ▁existed ▁somewhere ▁around ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁front ▁( east ) ▁la wn ▁of ▁West port ▁House . ▁It ▁had ▁a ▁high ▁street , ▁alle ys ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁river ▁and ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁around ▁ 7 0 0 . ▁A ▁small ▁port ▁also ▁existed ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Car row beg ▁river . ▁Ro ads ▁lead ▁from ▁the ▁village ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁( West ▁Road ), ▁the ▁south ▁( S andy ▁Hill ▁Road ) ▁and ▁the ▁east ▁( Old ▁P add ock ▁Road ). ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁its ▁present ▁site ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 8 0 s ▁by ▁the ▁Brow ne ▁family ▁of ▁West port ▁House ▁to ▁make ▁way ▁for ▁their ▁gard ens ▁and ▁was ▁renamed ▁West port . ▁ ▁West port ▁is ▁designated ▁as ▁a ▁her itage ▁town ▁and ▁is ▁unusual ▁in ▁Ireland ▁in ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁planned ▁towns ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁A ▁feature ▁of ▁his ▁town ▁plan ▁is ▁the ▁tree - lined ▁bou lev ard , ▁the ▁Mall , ▁built ▁on ▁the ▁Car row beg ▁River . ▁ ▁James ▁Wy att ▁finished ▁West port ▁House , ▁the ▁stat ely ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁Mar qu ess ▁of ▁S lig o ▁and ▁designed ▁its ▁d ining ▁room . ▁West port ▁House ▁was ▁originally ▁built ▁by ▁Richard ▁Cass els ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁Richard ▁Castle