Vol. 2 No. 1 - 1971
The monuments of County Armagh
by George Robinson
Historic Monuments, as they are now officially described, fall into three categories, those in State care, County Council care and Scheduled. State care means the Government are responsible for care, maintenance and presentation for public inspection. County Council care is similar. Scheduled roughly means the owner of a monument after being notified he is the holder of a Scheduled monument cannot thereafter add to or take away any part of that monument without permission from the Historic Monuments Branch, of the Ministry of Finance.
In this county there are 52 recorded monuments 10 are in State Care, six to County Council Care, and 53 Scheduled, all of them I list under their three classes. First entry is the townland and is not necessarily the local name of the monument. Map references. Popular and third Series Abbreviations are:
- P - Popular Series
- TS - Third Series
- SC - State Care
- CC - County Council
- S - Scheduled
ANNAGHMARE HORNED CAIRN
S.C. P11.TS8. Grid. Ref. H.905.178.
A horned cairn with well preserved infilling between orthostats.
The finest example of building we have. Situated in Annaghmare
Bog and locally known as Black Castle.
ARMAGH FRIARY
S.C.P9 TS8 H.876.447
A Franciscan Friary thought to be 13th Century. Situated in the grounds
of the Primate's Palace Armagh City.
KILLEVY CHURCHES
S.C. P11.TS8. J041.221
Thought to be, West Church 9th or 10th Century. East Church 15th
or 16th Century.
Situated near the village of Meigh overlooking the valley of Meigh.
BALLYKEEL DOLMEN
S.C.P11.TS8. 11.996.214
A dolmen and calm taken into care in a collapsed condition, was excavated
and dolmen repaired and re-erected in 1965,
Situated not far from Ba!lykeel old corn mill.
BALLYMACDERMOT CAIRN
S.C. P11.TS8 J.066.240
Situated about two miles from Killevy Churches on the road to Newry
Road known locally as the Bernish.
MOYRY CASTLE
SC. P11. TS8. J.058.147
Built in 1601 by Lord Mountjoy to defend the Gap of the North, features angle loops and rounded corners. Situated a short distance from Kilnasaggart inscribed stone,
KILNASAGGART INSCRIBED STONE
S.C. P11. TS.8 J.061.149
Probably the oldest datable standing stone in Ireland. It stands in
the Gap of the North.
CLONLUM SOUTH CAIRN
C.C. P11. TS8 J.046.206
Excavated in 1934 and yielded a fragment of pottery and a perforated
stone bead now in County. Museum. Situated about half mile east of Killeavy
Churches.
NAVAN FORT
S.C. P9.TS8. H.847.452
Traditional name Emania. Entire monument covers approx. 18 acres.
Outer bank about 40' wide situated just off the main Armagh Caledon
road two miles from Armagh.
SLIEVE GULLION CAIRNS
S.C.P11. TS.8 J.024.203.
South cairn Neolithic approx. 100 feet in diameter enclosing a passage
grave. North Cairn much smaller and considered Bronze Age. Situated on
top of Slieve Gullion mountain(1893 ft.)
An interesting natural feature between the two cairns is a mountain
lake called The Calliagh Birra.
CLONLUM NORTH CAIRN
C.C. PI 1. TS8. .J,046,206
Situated convenient to Killeavy Churches.
CLONTYGORA CAIRN AND DOLMEN
C.C.P11. TS8. J.098.195
Situated one mile S.E. of St. Michaels R. C. Church, Killeen.
LISDOO FORT
C.C. P11. TS8. J.081.210
Situated Kileen, Newry.
LISBANEMORE FORT
C.C. P11. TS8. J.078.201
Situated Kileen, Newry.
CASTLEDILLON OBELISK
C.C. P9.TS8. H.909.494
AGHMACANE CASHEL
S.P11. TS8. J.021.253.
Situated on Slieve Gullion, side of Camlough Lake.
ARDGONNELL CASTLE
S.P9. TS8. H.738.375
Situated 2 miles S. of Middletown near Mortin's bridge.
BALLYTYRONE DRUMILLY BAWN
S.P9.TS5.H.911.513
AUGHNAGURGAN STANDING STONES
S.P11. TS8 H.863.287
Situated near Tullynawood lake.
AUGHNAGURGAN CAIRN
S.P11. TS8. H.872.286
Situated half mile E. of Tullynawood lake.
AUGHNAGURGAN DOLMEN
S. P.ll TS8 H.872.286
Situated near Tullynawood lake.
BALLARD STANDING STONE
S P11 TS8 J. 016.234
Situated N.E. of Daly's Bridge
BALLINTAGGART CAIRN
P9.TS5. H.974.521
Was in danger due to Quarrying operations, and had to be dismantled;
has since been reassembled and presented for inspection at the Ulster Museum
Belfast.
BALLYBROLLY STONE CIRCLE
S.P9.TS8. H.845,462
Situated S. of Ballybrolly Railway bridge
CARNAVANAGHAN CAIRN
S.P9 TS8. H.913.397
Locally known as Vicar's Cairn.
Situated Quarter mile E. of Outlack bog.
CARRICKANANNY SOUTERRAIN
S. P11. TS8. H.994.228
Situated quarter mile S.W. of Carrickananny Bridge
CARRICKBOARD CAIRN
S.P11. TS8. J.039.148
Situated on Carrickboard mountain
CASHEL, CASHEL
S. P11. TS8. H.904.367
Situated half mile S. of Segahan dam.
CASTLERAW CASTLE
S. P9. TS5. H.927.529
Built about 1620. Situated near Red Lion just off Portadown/Loughgall
Road.
TYNAN CROSS
S.C. P9. T.S.8 11.765.429
No definite date can be ascribed to it. Repaired and erected against
Church Wall almost opposite to where it now stands; was moved to its present
site in 1956.
CHARLEMONT FORT
S. P9. TS5. H. 854.557.
Erected 16 0 2. Visited by King James 16 8 9. was in use up to 1858
CLANROLLA MOUND
S. P6. TS5 J.075.626
Situated near Lurgan Waterworks.
CORFECHAN ISLAND CROSS & CORFECHAN TERRACE CROSS
S. P9. TS8. H.758.428.
Situated both in Tynan Abbey demense.
CORLISS FORT
S. P11. TS8. H.893.168
Situated one and a half miles from Crossmaglen near Lough Ross.
CORRAN STANDING STONE
S. P11. TS8. H.908.353
Situated quarter mile East of Primates Bog. Locally known as the Grey
Stone.
CREE VEKEERAN CASTLE
S. P9. TS8. H.785.371
Built before 1531. Situated N. E. of Hanslough.
DERRYWARRA CASTLE
S. P6 TS5. H.929.644
Situated on Derrywarra Island, now connected by bridge beside Maghery.
DORSEY MOUND
S. P11. TS8. H.946.193
Situated one mile N. of Silverbridge.
DUNDRUM FORT
S. P11. TS8. H.870.349
Situated half mile S. of Tassagh Mill. Locally known as Gordon's Fort.
LATBIRGET DOLMEN
S. P11. TS8. H.995.217
Situated not far from Ballyheel Dolmen.
LISGLYNN FORT
S. P9. TS8. H810.393
Situated half mile E. of Norton's Cross Roads.
LISLETRIM FORT
S. P11. TS8. 11.904.207
Situated N.E. of Lisletrim Lough on which a crannog exists.
MULLYNURE STANDING STONE
S. P9. TS8. H.879.467
Situated S.E. of St. Lukes Hospital, Armagh City.
RATHTRILLIC FORT
S. P11. TS8. H.758.378
A treble ring fort. Situated half mile S.E. of Middletown.
ROCKMACREANEY FORT
S. P9. TS8. H.935.458
Situated S. of Hamiltonsbawn N. of Thorney Fort.
TRAY FORT
S. P9. TS8. H.838.455
Situated half mile N.W. of Navan Fort.
TULLYARD MOUND
S. P9. TS8 H.875.477
Situated half mile N. of St. Lukes Hospital, Armagh City.
TULLYMORE MOUND
S. P9. T S8. H.861.442
Situated half mile N.E. of Millford. Locally known as Niall's Mound.
TULLYVALLEN CAIRN
S. P9. T S8. H.914 .233
Situated to rear of Harrymount house.
DANES CAST
S. P11. TS8. J.059.209
Can be traced from Aghoyalloge through Seapin to Ballinliss and from
Jerritspass to Lisnagade.
This concludes the list of scheduled and in care monuments. Further information contained in two volumes of Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland, obtainable from H.M. Stationery Office Belfast. Volume 1. in State care. Volume 2. Not in State Care.
I now append a further list most of which are well known.
CHURCH OF IRELAND CATHEDRAL, ARMAGH CITY
An early stone church on this site in 839. The present structure began
in 1268.
ARMAGH PUBLIC LIBRARY, ARMAGH CITY
Built 1771 by Primate Robinson
DERRYMORE HOUSE
Built about the end of the 18th Century. National Trust property. Situated
Bessbrook.
ARDRESS HOUSE
A fine Georgian House with ornate plasterwork ceilings. National Trust
Property.
Situated near Annaghmore. On way to Charlemont .
SEAGOE OLD CHURCH
Date unknown was in use up to 1814. Situated not far from present Parish
Church.
LOUGHGALL OLD CHURCH
Possibly as early as 1300. Used as a Prison in 1641 rebellion.
W. Gable only remains. Situated in the village of Loughgall
TEEMORE CRANNOG, MARLACOO LAKE
Marked by a stump of wood which sometimes support a flagpole and :lag.
BANK OF IRELAND, ARMAGH CITY
A fine Georgian I louse reputed to be on the site of St. Patricks first
church, also reputed to be the burial place of St. Patrick's Sister Lupita.
ARCHBISHOPS PALACE, PALACE GROUNDS, ARMAGH CITY
Built 1770, by primate Robinson . Enlarged 1882.
THE ROYAL SCHOOL, ARMAGH CITY
Founded 1608 by James 1st and situated in Abbey Street present building
on Portadown Road built 1773.
THE OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ARMAGH CITY
Built 1722. Situated Abbey Street.
THE OBSERVATORY, ARMAGH CITY
Built 1790.
Much of this information extracted from the Preliminary Survey of Ancient Monuments of Northern Ireland 1940. Map references and other information supplied by Historic Monuments Branch Ministry of Finance.
Our Society can do a lot for monuments in general, but particularly for scheduled monuments, by acting as invigilators and reporting any damage by vandalism or otherwise.
Some damage is caused quite innocently by people lighting fires, at the base of field monuments (Standing stones etc.) This concentrated heat causes Spalling especially to granite. Other common damage innocently done is that by children continuously sliding down the steep slopes of mounds and banks of Ring Forts. Last but not least are the slogan writers and the name scratchers. This is a most difficult type of vandalism to repair, indeed can often prove impossible to erase.
Historic Monuments Act
Under the new Historic Monuments Act, people who damage or deface a monument shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not excluding £500 or to both.
Another way we as a Society can help is by reporting anything that may be found. Souterrains and inscribed stones are but two types of monument which can remain buried for centuries and are often discovered by the point of a plough or the blade of a bulldozer. A small quantity of worked flint can sometimes point the way to greater buried treasure.
How often have we heard someone relate "I remember my Father, Grand-father or perhaps an aged local telling about a tunnel they filled in or a hole that appeared in a field which took so many cart loads of material to fill up." These sayings should be recorded as they may contain the key to hidden monuments.
Hidden secrets
Bogland often contains hidden secrets, a stone standing solidly in uncut peat is well worth investigation. Beaghmore Stone circles were once covered by peat, more circles and alignments may still be covered. One day, who knows, this monument may be further excavated to reveal more interesting relics.
If you do find anything which arouses your curiosity remember two heads are better than one. Share your suspicion with someone and re-port your findings to the proper authorities, who are, The Museums or Historic Monuments Branch, Ministry of Finance, and someone will investigate.