The cont ents of thes e volumes l a belled Armachiana are simply notes for t a lks to local and visitin g societies in search of material relating to it s histor ic a l b a ck ground and an cient monuments . They a re not of any great i mportance but may p rovide a gu i de to studen ts seek ing d a t a on the county g enerally or on their own distri ct s i n particular . TGF Paterson
Armachiana Volume 10
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Armachiana Vol1 (Armagh County Museum ARMCM.28.2014.39)
LOUGHGALL.
It is usual when dealing with the history of a district to begin with the story of its geological formation, and to carry on from that point to the first proof of human settlement in the area. Tonight, however, owing to the lack of time at our disposal, we must omit the geological survey despite its bearing on soil and plant life. For the same reason we cannot discuss the legendary events associated with the region, nor relics within the Barony of 0 1 Nailland that may be ascribed to ·pre-Christian times - we shall, therefore, begin with a brief survey of the parish.
Loughgall is one of the older parishes of the county - the place-name actually appears in its present form in the Annals of Ulster in the year 802. The earliest name for the parish seems, however, to have been 0 1 Neillan, which pre-supposes the district to have been originally the home or headquarters of the Ua Niallan; the tribe or family that gave name to the barony. At anyrate the name is so shown in a taxation of 1302-1306 relating to the parishes of our county. In ancient documents the church is also described as Levallyeglish, a name with which no doubt you are all familiar. It simply means the uchurch half town", and is the townland\in which the old parish church and graveyard are situate.
The parish in pre-Reformation days was held by the Prior of the Culdee Abbey of Armagh, a body responsible for the choral services in Armagh Cathedral, some of whose endowments still help to support the present choir. Lists of rectors and vicars from the year 1450 onwards survive, but there are many gaps in the succession between then and the beginning of the 17th century. From that date to the present they are complete. Those of you who may care to read short biographies of past rectors will find Leslie 1 s 11 Armagh Clergy and Parishes 11 a useful and fascinating source of information.
The parish seems to have been greatly neglected in the reign of Elizabeth I - that was·largely due to the wars with O'Neill. Following the Plantation 0£ Ulster the parish church was almost immediately rebuilt. The Regal Visitation of 1622 records the fact that the rector was then resident and the church well repaired. It also mentions a sufficient parsonage house with an orchard and necessary housing. The then rector was the Rev. John Richardson, whose brothe~ Zachary Richardson came to. Ireland about that time, settled in the parish, and was the ancestor of the Richardson's of Moyallon and Bessbrook. The Rev. John Richardson died in 1634 and his widow afterwards married his successor, the Rev. William Fullerton.
In the Civil War of 1641, Mr. Fullerton was murdered though he had a pass or certificak of safety from Sir Phelim 0 1 Neill • .According to a deposition made by his widow, Sir Phelim owed her late husband'a sum of £600. A number of parishioners met a
similar fate at that time, amongst them John Richardson, son of the previous rector. .Another member of that family, a cousin in fact, one Jonathan Richardson, was imprisoned in "Gregg's Mills 11 • He, however, was subsequently set free. The depositions of that unhappy period have been preserved, and are extremely interesting especially when checked against the Muster Roll of the Cope estate for the year 1630. In passing I should perhaps mention that the number of people reputed slain during that tragic episode has been grossly exaggerated.
The parish church was used as a prison in 1641 and later burned. In 1657 it was still out of repair but it is evident that many of the tenants on the Cope estate had by then returned, as an Inquisition taken in that year by Cromwell found "Loughgall to be a fit place for a schooln - there was, to use the words of the investigating parties, "a great want of a schoolmaster". We can, however, be sure that the lack of educational facilities was quickly remedied. At anyrate the church was soon afterwards repaired and remained in use until 1795, in which year the present church was erected. That church has, of course, been enlargeda gallery was added in 1822, and in 1863 a chancel and transepts were built. But to return to the older church - unfortunately we have no evidence as to how much of the earlier churches may have been incorporated in the present ruin, but what remains is medieval. No architecturaJ. features remain and the interior is now used for burials. The small bell-tower surmounting the west gable bears a date-stone inscribed 11173411 • That, however, must
refer to repairs or renovations.
Friar O'Mellan in his Journal states that Loughgall was burned in May 1642. A list of the inhabitants of the parish, or rather of those people who paid Hearth Money in 1664, survives. It is a useful guide to the older families, native and plantation, though amongst the latter there are then many new names indicating settlers of the Cromwellian period.
During the time of the Williamite War a party of thatmonarch's army was quartered in the village and accounts due to the inhabitants for provender, et~. supplied in the years 1689-96 survive. The chief treasure of the parish, a fine old silver chalice and paten inscribed Loughgall 1683 predates the Williamite army by six years. The parish is fortunate also in that registers beginning in 1706 are still available. It is true that there are some gaps, but from 1779 onwards they are, I believe, complete.
The churchyard contains many interesting stones, one of the oldest legible memorials being . that erected in 1706 to the memory of Richard Taylor, a descendant of one of the original settlers on the Cope estate. Near the Taylor memorial a slab commemorates Patrick Sheals who died in i848, descendant of a very old native family who gave name to the townlands of Ballyshielbeg and Ballyshielmore in the adjoining barony of Orior. Longevity seems to be a feature of the parish - for instance, Andrew Wilson died in 1926, aged 100 years, and James Mc_Crea in 1928, aged 109. Such records suggest a healthy parish or it may be that certain
people disliked leaving it, even for a better world.
There is one stone in the churchyard with a pathetic historical interest. It bears an inscription to the memory of William Marshall of Derrycrew, Private in the Loyal Company of Loughgall Volunteers We are told that he was ua youth of unexampled piety and sweetness of disposition, who on Thursday, 27th July, 1780, exchanged this frail life for a blessed immortality in ye 21st year of his age 11 • That is a reminder of
a critical period in our history -a time when Britain was involved in war with the French, Spaniards and Americans, and when fears were entertained that Ireland might indeed be invaded. Volunteer Corps were then formed in almost every parish, and Loughgall was in the forefront in raising a force for local security and indeed for the defence of the country in general.
The last quarter of the 18th ~entury was an exciting period in the history of the village. It saw the rise of various associations of disaffected persons - Hearts of Oak, Peep of Day Boys, Defenders, etc. Some of the affrays between the different parties began at cockfights, were continued at wakes, and ended in pitched battles. The closing days of that century saw the formation of the United Irishmen in 1791, a local battle at the Diamond in 1795, and the formation of the Orange Order in the same year. Those, however, are matters that we cannot investigate tonight.
The parish at one time contained a considerable Quaker colony. Many of them refused to pay tythes for which we cannot blame them
unduly as we stopped doing so ourselves at the first opportunity. Humphrey Pett, rector of the parish from 1658 until 1667, is said to have come to a sudden end in consequence of having imprisoned a Quaker preacher - but possibly he would have died then anyhow. The Quakers thought otherwise. than a Christian. Probably he was more of a Quaker
I forgot to mention that the Cope family was granted a licence for fairs and markets in 1629, and that a Friday market
was held weekly in the village down to the beginning of the 19th century, besides two fairs annually. The troubles, consequent on the disturbed state of the district towards the end of the preceding century, resulted however in a gradual disappearance of those amenities. In 1795 the fairs were much disturbed by the Defenders whom we are told 0 brought great injury to the town and danger to the persons and property of those who attended them. 11 And speaking of fairs and markets, I should say that on or before --1671 Edward Bennett of Loughgall issued a token, specimens of which are still extant. The latest Loughgall token that I know anything of was circulated about 1885. It is inscribed "one pennyworth of refreshment at Loughgall Coffee Tavern Mrs. Cope, the then owner of the estate, upon mature consideration,felt that the thirstiest of mortals might find enjoyment in so fair a locality without the added pleasure of the products of brewers or distillers, so she endeavoured to test the truth of her opinion by buying up the vested rights of the village publicans and setting Up a coffee Tavern as a substitute. Tradition says the die-hards" walked out to Eagralougher each night and after suitable
refreshment returned to the village strong in their conviction that coffee was unsuitable to a Loughgall palate, and ballad singers were to be heard in the village declaiming a ditty of which we have now only one verse -
"The street of Loughgall has a very steep fall, An 1 the trees at its side are brave an' tall, But the divil a drink there's now in the town at all, at all,
An 1 it 1 s all because of the boul Mistress Cope Who in her oul brain had a crazy wee hope That mortals with water should only use soap, should only use soap. 11
I should now like to devote a few minutes to a brief sketch of the Cope family. Anthony Cope of Hanwell in Oxfordshire was created a baronet in 1611 and in the same year he acquired the Manors of Derrichreny and Drum.illy by purchase from Lord Saye and Sele, the original grantee. Carew' s 11Report 11 of that year informs us that a fair castle of freestone and other hard stone was then in process of erection, the stone of which had been , prepared some four or five miles beyond Armagh. Timber for the building was obtained some eight miles from the place. That castle is the ruin we now know as Castle Raw. It was situate in the Manor of Derrichreny in the townland of Ballyrath, so called, we may assume, from an ancient earthen-ringed fort nearby.
The castle was built by Sir Anthony's second son, Anthony, and seems to have been of the fortified manor-house type. It was very unusual in design, being cruciform in shape with four arms of equal width and length, and was enclqsed by a square entrenchment that could never have been very defensive. It offers a great contrast to Drumilly of which later. The builder of Castle Raw
died in 1634 and in the Civil War of 1641-42 the castle was taken by native troops who damaged it considerably. It does not seem to have been repaired, or, if so, was deserted before 1670, in which year probate of the will of Henry Cope, eldest son and heir of the above Anthony, was granted to his widow. In it he was described as of Loughgall instead of Ballyrath, the designation given to his father in like documents.
Sir Anthony Cope, Bart., of Hanwell, the father and grandfa~her respectively of the two members of the family whom I have mentioned died in 1614, leaving issue:-
1. William, who succeeded him in the baronetcy and the English property as well as an estate in Co; Tyrone.
2. Anthony of Ballyrath or Castle Raw, ancestor of the Cape's of the Manor, in which branch when the English line of the Cope 1 s failed in 1851, an heir to the baronetcy was found in the Rev. William Cope, a direct descendant of Anthony Cope above.
3. Richard of Drum.illy, whose descendant the late Mr. R.O. Cope 1 s widow lives in the ancient mansion of Drumilly the older portions of which are believed to date back to about 1664. This Richard acquired the Powell estate at Portadown by purchase but sold half the property almost immediately to Michael Obins.
I am sure most of you have visited the Drumilly Bawn. pynnar in his "Survey" of 1619 describes it as a building of lime and stone, one hundred and eighty feet square, fourteen feet high, with flankers. He states that in three of them there were good lodgings, three stories high. By that time two watermills and one windmill had also been erected, as well as fourteen houses of timber, all of which were inhabited by English families. Those old timbered houses have, of course, long since disappeared but the present village is believed to occupy their site.
It is probable that this bawn was erected by the builder of Castle Raw but it may have been constructed by Richard Cope, the ancestor of the Drumilly branch. The Bawn is situate on the side of the lake that gives name to the village and in the townland of Ballytyrone. It is an interesting example of such enclosures and is now in use as a garden. The entrance is by a gateway and the bawn is enclosed by a ramparted walk defended by a trench. Richard Cope, the first Cope of Drumilly, suffered severely in the troubles of 1641, and with his wife and two sons was imprisoned in Carrickmacross Castle. His son, Walter, is said to have been residing within the Drumilly Bawn in 1673, in which year he was visited by Archbishop Oliver Plunkett. The account survives in a letter from Cope to his father-in-law, the Very Rev. James Downham, D.D., the then Dean of Armagh. He found the Archbishop Na man of gentle birth and much learning" and was so impressed With his excellent qualities that he toyed with the idea of sending a "dull son" then at the Armagh Royal Sohool, ~s a pupil to tbe .Arohbishop's famous academy at Drogheda. We are left in
doubt as to which of the sons the 11 dull boyu was and, incidentally, there seems to be a consf'erable amount of variance regarding the actual house to which the visit took place. If the family tradition is correct as to the building of a house in 1664, on the site now occupied by Drumilly House, the Archbishop could not very well have been a guest in the bawn. To that branch of the family belonged the Right Rev. Walter Cope, D.D., Bishop of Leighlin and Ferns, who despite powerful family influence was for twenty years a curate before he obtained promotion in the church. When a curate he sported a coach and four splendid black horses and was known far and wide as "the proud curate 11 , a title that caused the then Primate, when his attention was drawn to the matter, to say11 Yes, and a curate he shall be so long as I am in power 11 • Primates do not, however, reign for ever so eventually the curacy became a bishopric. The Bishop is buried in Loughgall churchyard with his wife, Anne Acheson, daughter of Sir Archibald Acheson, Bart., and sister of Archibald Acheson, first Viscount Gosford. There are portraits of the Bishop and his wife at Drumilly.
Robert Cope of Loughgall, M.P. for Co. Armagh 1713-1714, 1727-1753, through his associations with the famous Dean Swift, is perhaps the best remembered member of the Loughgall family. He married Elizabeth Fownes, daughter of Sir William Fownes, Bart. Both she and her father were also friends of Swift. The Dean is supposed to have first visited Loughgall in 1717. In 1720 he wrote •you need not take so much pains to invite me to Loughgall. I am grown so peevish that I can bear no other country place in
this kingdom. I quarrel everywhere else and sour the people I go to as well as myself 11 • Mrs. Robert Cope and her father also appear frequently in the Swift letters. Cope and Fownes Street in Dublin commemorate the connection of Robert Cope and his father-inlaw with that city.
Another member of the Loughgall family, Robert Camden Cope, was a Member of Parliament for Armagh, and Lieut.-Colonel of the Armagh Militia. In 1782 he raised a troop of Volunteers for whom his daughter made a flag of silk, embroidered with the Royal Arms. Some fifteen years later this became the banner of a local Orange Lodge. Unfortunately the banner cannot now be found.
The old Manor House 11 in which Swift stayed is believed to have been situated on the east side of the present house -a modern structure erected less than a century ago. There is a very magnificent yew-tree avenue remaining, a relic of the older house, along which no doubt Swift and his host often passed in conversation, gay or serious according to the humour of the eccentric Dean.
In conclusion I should like to briefly discuss two features in the local landscape. I wonder whether any of you have ever visited the crannoge in the lake. The water level was at one time considerably higher and the island was approached by a causeway of brush-wood laid upon logs below water lev~ access by wading being comparatively easy for those who knew the path. Now the space between the crannoge and the mainland has become a marsh consequent upon the lowering of the water, with the result that in the summer months it is pQssible to get across dryshod by carefully selecting dl'J patches, oon11wt1ng of tufts of rushes or grasses and hopping
from one to another.
Certain excavations were carried out on the crannoge by Colonel R.G. Berry in 1921. Holes were sunk in different parts of the structure and the log and brushwood foundation on which it rests were exposed. Layers of ashes a foot deep in places, where cooking fires had been in use, were also uncovered during the excavations. Amongst the many things found whilst the work was in progress were the bones of wild boar and antlers of red deer. A bronze pin was also discovered - it is now in Dublin. Mixed with the bones were many fragments of pottery, both plain and ornamented. Curious stone walls, almost like foundation walls were found winding through the crannoge but their particular function was not determined. Other stones iri little circles seem to have been foundations for mud and wattle huts. A short account of the digthe only one published appeared in the "Armagh Guardian 11 of 14th October, 1921.
George Littlefield of Loughgall took refuge on the crannoge in May 1642 but was captured and made prisoner. His captors received £19 from him for safe convoy towards Dublin but when they got the money refused to let him go. He, however, escaped out of their hands that night. That is the only historica+ reference we have to the crannoge.
The same townland contains a fine single-ringed earthen fort, trom which there is an excellent view of Drumilly, the Manor House and two parks. If you have not visited that particular earthwork You have indeed a great pleasure before you, and I shall let you
into a secret. In the adjoining townland within a very short distance of the fort you will find the oldest and largest apple tree in the north and, incidentally, receive a very warm welcome from its owner who is well versed in local lore.
I have mentioned a Muster Roll of 1630 and later, if time permits, I may read a few depositions made by Loughgall parishioners following the Civil War of 1641. I shall, however, here and now devote a few minutes to a survey made of the parish in 1657 by order of the celebrated Oliver Cromwell.
In early times the parish was of much greater extent than at present. The earliest list of its townlands that I am aware of occurs in a Cromwellian Inquisition of 1657 preserved in the Armagh Library. It is, in reality, a survey of the parishes of the county and by it the parish of 11 Loughgall alias Levelleglysh 11 was found to consist of the undernoted townlands though in actual fact some thus shown were in adjoining parishes.
Annaghsauery
Annasamry
Clevaneden Cloven Eden
Causonah Causanagh
Derycrewe Derry crew
Ardresse Ardress
Ballemaghon Ballymagerny
Tullyard Tull yard
Drummulley Drum.illy
Turkharry Turcarra
Druminsough Drumnasoo
Mullanesilly Mullanasilla
Drumeny Drumman
Deryall Derryall
Naybegbeg FoyFoybeg
Farragh Farra
Roughan Rough an
Camunell Canoneill
Cannagolahbeg
Cannogola Beg
Deryletty Derryletiff
Clemayne
Agrilogher
Corah
Taunagriver
Annaghmore
Drumheriffe
Ballyturone
Ballygassey
Mullabane
Roderam Greenay
Alturke
Ballymuckery
Nayvore
Breagh
Taunaghkile
Temulcany
Cannegolahmore
Drumheriff
Drumlellan
Clonmain
Eagralougher
Coragh
Fernagreevagh
Annaghmore
Drumharriff
Ballytyrone.
Ballygasey
Mullagh bane
Rathdrumgran
Altaturk
Muckery
Foymore
Breagh
Timakeel
Timulkenny
Cannagola More
Drumharriff
Drumlellum
Ballygasoone
Drummahor
Drommenah
Kinkon
Creenah
Tyrnascope
Raonealane
Killymeny
Ballygassoon
Drumogher
Drummenagh
Kincon
Creenagh
Tirnascobe
Ardray
Dromart
Tullamore
Greenan
Ballyknick
Deryloghan
Claghan
Clantegola
Ardrea
Drum.art
Tullymore
Greenan
Ballyknick
Derryloughan
Cloghan
In the above list three townlands appear - Raeonealane, Killymeny and Clantegolan - whose identifications I have been unable to decide satisfactorily.
At this time it was decided to erect certain townlands into a proposed parish of Charlemont, some of which were undoubtedly to be taken from Loughgall. There was a chapel attached to the Fort of Charlemont which, previous to the Civil War of 1641, seems to have been under the jurisdiction of the rector of Loughgall. It probably remained so as ·the then plans for a new parish did not materialize until 1830, in which year a Perpetual Curacy came into being, an arrangement whereby the rectors of Loughgall had the right of nomination during the period of the Perpetual Curacies. The parish became united to Moy in 1925 and thus ended the link with the mother church of Loughgall. An abstract of valuation of the parishes of the county compiled in 1897 shows Charlemont as part of Loughgall and recites its townlands. They.were:-
Aghinlig
Corr and Dunvally
Kishaboy
Tirmacrannon
Annaghm.acmanus
Keenaghan
Lislasly
Borough ·of Charlemont
Kinnegoe
Mullaghmore
None of them was listed under Loughgall in 1657 but tlreY, are, of course, shown in that Inquisition under the proposed new parish of Charlemont.
This connection binds Loughgall up with the foundation of the famous Fort of Charlemont in the opening days of the 17th century, and provides the parish with the distinction of having had at one time within its borders a Borough sending two representatives to the old Irish Parliament.
Loughgall lost further townlands at the founding of Kildarton in 1840 and Annaghmore in 1854-.
Sources for parish history are plentiful, one of the most useful authorities being Leslie's Armagh Clergy and Parishes, the first of a number oS such Diocesan histories compiled by the late Canon J.B. Leslie. In his Armagh you will find lists of prebendaries of Loughgall from 1456 down to the Disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 18 , after which the rectorship became separated from the prebend - both offices now continuing separately. The book in question also contains a very informative summary of data relating to the story of the parish.
Registers survive for the period 1706-1729 and 1779-1785.
Records for 70 years are, however, missing.
The Vestry Book gives - Churchwardens 1773 to date.
Townlands of the parish in 1774.
Lists of seatholders 1775.
Lists of seatholders 1803.
A Presbyterian Church is said to have been founded in the parish in 1704 but I must confess I can find no confirmation of that particular assertion. The first note of it that I can discover appears in the minutes of the General Synod of Ulster, under June 19, 1711, in which year a supplication from "Venni Cash 11 was presented.
Vinecash came into being shortly after the Battle of the Boyne and its first minister was the Rev. Alexander Bruce, a lineal descendant of David Bruce, King of Scotland (1331-1370). He was installed in 1697 and married a daughter of the Rev. Thomas Kennedy of Carland Congregation, Co. Tyrone, nephew of the then Earl of Cassilis one of the lay assessors sent by the Church of Scotland to the Westminster Assembly that compiled the Confession of Faith and the Shorter Cathecism. Her father came to Ireland originally as a chaplain to General Munro's army and was present at the Battle of Benburb in 1646. Royal blood in her veins. Like the Bruces she also had
In 1701 during Mr. Bruce's ministry some members of the Clare congregation applied for leave to join Vinecash but Clare objected on the grounds that it would weaken the latter congregation. He died 16th April, 1704, and I have a feeling that it was immediately after his death that the idea of a new congregation at Loughgall was first mooted, but as I have said before we have no direct proof as to that. Vinecash was without a minister from April i704 until the ordination of the Rev. William McKay on 25th September, 1707. He retired from active
Let us consider the
duties in 1726 and it was during his charge in the year 1711 that the formation of the Loughgall congregation actually too~ place. We may with profit look back upon the days when English and Scotch immigrants settled in Co. Armagh. countryside then.
Roads were few and those that did exist were almost impassable in wet weather. There were few bridges and such as were in being in the area were probably primitive structures made by placing tree trunks across streams and building upon them a surface of branches, stones and clay. All the lower lying lands were marsh and bog and great tracts were c.overed by dense woods, in which dishonest men hid by day and sallied forth at night to raid the possessions of the newcomers. There were then no fences to keep the farm stock from straying. Cattle had to be herded, or if that was inconvenient, spancelled or tethered. Stock was grazed more or less in common when the last of the crops were gathered in and field enclosures as we know them did not mature until the beginning of the 18th century.
Spades were more common than ploughs and such ploughs as did exist were clumsy wooden affairs and mostly dragged by oxen. The sickle was still the chief cutting implement and the flail and hand-stick the only threshing tools available. Carts were solidwheeled and only capable of carrying small loads. They were not so common however as the slide-car, a vehicle then and long after in common use, and indeed still to be found in the Glens of Antrim.
Houses were an immediate problem and those erected were mostly mud-walled. Practically all the household utensils were
of wood though horn was used for many purposes also. The more well-to-do had a certain amount of pewter. For fuel there was wood and turf. People in those days were very self-supporting. They bought little and sold little and what trade there was, was mostly barter. The really important people ' then were the blacksmiths, millers, carpenters and shoemakers.
The landsoape was very different then. Woods have disappeared and hedgerows arisen. Gone are the great oaks for which the county was once so notable, but the thorns and whins remain. The latter were indeed encouraged in those days and for long afterwards. They made tpe best d:cying bushes for the family laundry and had a utility -value as well. The young shoots crushed and fed to stock produ~ed glossy coats ~ng were also considered a tonic. Stone mortars or troughs made for that particular purpose may still be found about the older farmhouses.
Communication between friends was somewhat difficult with the result that they seldom met excepting at the market, fair or church. It was usual ·for the women to ride pillion and for neighbours to aecompany each other when going farther afield than their own immediate neighbourhood. Their first years on the estate were hard and dangerous years with, from almost the beginning, the threat of civil war before them.
Following the civil war of 1641 and the Cromwellian occupation the Cope estate was praotioally replanted with fresh tenants. Very few ot the original families remained. Many lost their lives in the uprising others fled the eountry and never returned. The Hearth Money Rolls of 1664 verify that point and provide
locations for each person paying the tax, and thus for the first time we have a picture of the tenants with particulars as to the townlands in which they were resident.
It is not possible no~ to compile a complete list of the tenants who perished in the dark days of 1641-1642, but the names of quite a number survive in the depositions of the period. Many of them were people of substance who farmed their lands profitably and well. At that ttme the potato had become established in Ireland. It later became a staple food and more quiekly appreciated by the Irish than by either the English or Scotch.
Of the state of the Cope property between 1643 and i657 we know little excepting that new tenants were being encouraged to settle on the estate. The mixture of three nationalities, Irish, English and Scotch, has· influenced the folklore of the district. It was, for instance, the English settlers who introduced May Queens, cockfighting, the Christmas Rhymers, Wren Boys, harvest knots, long bullets, etc. Their ceremonial method of reaping the last stocks of oats in harvest time was different to that practised by the Irish and Scotch.
At that date, and indeed for many a long day after, oats, barley and wheat were threshed by flails on earthen barn floors, and the grain winnowed on suitable days on nearby hills that have in some places retained their names of 11 Shilling Hillsu to this very day. Flax and wool were spun and woven in the various households and the travelling tailor and shoemaker went about the countryside vorking in the houses in which their services were
required. Much of the furniture was made on the spot. The carpenter of those days was able to build a cart as well as fashion chairs and dressers and the blacksmith produced rushlight candlesticks and toasters of artistic design besides shoeing horses and making ploughs and other farming implements. The forge was in those days the news centre of the district and, therefore, a place of importance in the social life of the neighbourhood. Lime kilns began to make their appearance on the property and windmills were erected. Water-driven corn mills and windmills had, of course, been functioning from shortly after the arrival of the first tenants.
In the 17th and 18th centuries when the owner of an estate filled the office of High Sheriff of the county he was in a position to secure many personal advantages. He could obtain improvement of old roads on his property and bring new thoroughfares into communication, linking up his lands with neighbouring estates, markets, fairs, etc.
After the wars between James and William times became more settled and farmers began to enclose their farms with thorn hedges, afterwards breaking them up into fields with similar fences. Times were still difficult as regards farming and indeed it is only within living memory that land cultivation became easier and farmhouses more comfortable. Machinery at first was only thought of in terms of rail, factory and steamer. Now it is on the roads and in the fields and life is easier for all of us. There may indeed come a day when the farmer can, by atomic energy, control from his bou•e, plough, sow, plant and reap without stirring from his
fireside chair, and spend holidays on trips to other planets.
Apple culture in the district
We know that the crab-apple in its wild state is widely distributed throughout Europe and Western Asia and is actually found in high latitudes in Norway. It is, however, a somewhat different ty-pe of tree to the apple. Its branches spring upwards whilst those of the apple spread outwards. One of the old legends relating to the apple-tree states that its shape is due to it having been given long branches because it bowed with its fruit to the Blessed Virgin.
Unfortunately there is little information in old Irish literature relating to the care of fruit trees. There is some evidence that apples had been cultivated in England from at least the time of the Roman occupation, a theory that assumes an introduction to Ireland about the same period. The first record that I know of regarding the planting of an apple tree in this district carries the story back to the days of St. Patrick who is credited with having planted an apple tree at Ceangoba east of the city of Armagh. Later, in the Annals of the Culdees, the monastic order responsible in early days for the choral services at .Armagh, we learn that during the great festivals the brethren, though not permitted to increase the quantity of bread at meals, were allowed certain condiments as an indulgence - among them apples. In those days apples when gathered were hoarded up as long as possible and so far as is known were usually eaten uncooked.
The next local reference crops up in 1155, in which year the head of the Macans,later the ruling sept of o•Neiland but then still on the other side of the Blackwater, died. His obituary has been preserved and in it he is praised for the strong drink made for the use of his tribe from apples grown in his orchards. That is the first actual historical evidence for orchards in 0 1 Neiland. Between then and the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century there are very few references, a fact due no doubt to the county being in a continued state of unrest.
There are notices in Plantation settlement papers regarding "the setting of fruit trees in orchards and gardens circa 1611, but such plantings were very likely confined to the free-holding tenants of whom there were a very limited number on each estate.
Unfortunately we have no early rentals for the estates granted by James I to undertakers in 0 1 Neiland. Such leases would have given particulars as to the properties on which apple-culture was being encouraged. We do not know, for instance, whether in the destruction caused by the Civil War of 1641-42 the apple-trees escaped felling when farmhouses and property were being destroyed. One fact, however, emerges and that is the abundance of apples some forty years later.
The earliest oounty leases that we are aware of compelling tenants to plant fruit trees, are preserved in the records of the Brownlow estate. They date from 1666 and the largest orchards consisted of 20 apple, 12 plum, 12 cherry, and 6 pear
trees. The leases covenanted that the fruit-trees should be enclosed by a ditch and quick setts of white-thorn. Smaller leaseholders planted a lesser number. Later in the early 18th century on the same estate orchard clauses were still in being and new tenants of the larger farms were being required in some instances to plant forty -trees.
'Whether Cromwell's troops sampled the apples of o•Neiland I know not. The Rev. William Brooke who was rector of Drumcree from 1679 until his death in 1700, wrote an account of the barony in 1682, from which we learn that good cider was then available in Portadown at 30/- per hogshead. Some people were manufacturing from 20 to 30 hogsheads per season, and larger quantities might be expected when their orchard and new plantations came to perfection. From the same source we gather that the farmers of that district were compelled by their leases to plant apple-trees proportionable to the quantity of their land. Seven years later he was attai nted by James II, and in the following year King William's cider-maker, a certain Paul le Harper, arrived in Portadown with the necessary equipment to make cider for the army.
Lord Drogheda who commanded a regiment stationed at Tanderagee, part of which seems to have been quartered in Portadown and its neighbourhood, has recorded that there was much cider there in the spring of 1690. I hesitate to ascribe the victory at the Boyne to Portadown cider or the apples of O'Neiland, but those are factst
The beginning of the 18th century was remarkable for the introduction of linen weaving and the consequent neglect of agriculture, a feature of local life that did not properly right itself until more than a century afte~wards when the major part of that particular industry moved from households
to factories. Leases for the year 1700 show new tenants on the Charlemont estate covenanting to enclose a plantation acre and plant it with fruit trees and similar leases were being executed on properties in the parish of Tullylish in County Down at about the same time.
A Survey of the See Lands of Armagh made in the year 1703 provides us with a detailed account of apple culture on farms held by the Archbishop's tenants. In Ballygowanoughtra, a townland in Drumcree parish now known as Ballynagowan, there was'~o the west of the John Atkinson 1 s farmstead a good orchard of his own planting and east of the house and stable a very pretty young orchard of ·above one hundred trees planted by him since the late wars, and to the north of the house a ve~y pretty young nursery of crab-trees His brother, Edward, in the same townland had two orchards, one old and the other young. The reference to the "late wars is somewhat puzzling as trees planted following the Civil War of 1641-42 could not very well be described as "young 11 in 1703. We must, therefore, assume that the orchards i? question arose after the Revolution of 1688-90. At that time, and according to the same authority, there were orchards attached to farms in 11 Cavan, Ballytrue,
Ballyossone, Money, Ballywilly B 1 ., w... a BallyhaganRoghan, Killmakente etc. in O'Neiland barony, and at various places around Armagh city suoh as "Drumsallan, Ballyrath, Farmacaffley, Dromard, Ballyrea, Tyra, Cabragh, Tyross, Ballybroll, Drumbee, Balliteren, Knockacone Ballyherclan II t T , v an, e c. he latter townland now commonly called Ballyheridan was then held by the Graham family and it is recorded that "there had been a good orchard, near an acre of ground, but it was destroyed in the wars and the tenant has again planted it with near one hundred trees but they don•t thrive well though all care imaginable be taken to preserve them". That particular re.ference is of special locaI interest. The Grahams were settled there before the Civil War of 1641 - 42 and their homestead (since several times rebuilt) and now the property of Mr. Menary has still an orchard, which despite many re-plantings refuses to produce an average quality or quantity.
It is a pity that the survey in question should only deal with the Archiepiscopal lands, for apart from information on orchards it provides descriptions of farm houses besides much traditional material.
In the beginning of the next century, in the year 1804, Coote published his "Survey of County Armagh 11 • In his report on the county he suggested the planting of crab-apple trees in fences and the use of the fruit for cider. This was quite good advice as crabs when mellowed are excellent when used with sweet apples.
We are i:Ai'ormed by the same authority that "in the centre of the oounty the houses were remarkably comfortable
and surrounded with Recently whilst orchards and neat enclosuresn. working on Place Name Books in Dublin I noted that in 1835 there were large orchards at Derrycrew, Ballytyrone, and Lissheffield and that in Kincon every house had five or six acres of orchard. Ot her apple townlands were Dresoga, Bocombra, Knock and Ballynaghy. I was not making a search against orchards ' considered defective. however, so the list must be
Thackeray, the novelist, visited Armagh in 1843 and drove from the city to Portadown there to join a train at the newly opened railway station. He paints a very pleasant picture of the countryside and mentions a group under the trees of an orchard which •~pretty adjunct to a .farm was very common11 in the district through which he passed. A few years later Mrs. Hall and her husband, visiting in the same area, found the farmhouses neat, cleanly and comfortable and few of them without orchards. They also allude to the continual click-clack of the shuttle as betokening industry and affording humble luxuries to those within. They were not.as observant as other travellers in regard to the neglect of tillage by farmers who with their sons and daughters maae money more easily sitting at their looms.
Bassett in his "County Armagh published in 1888, states that fruit-growing was an extensive feature in the districts of Portadown, Loughgall and Richhill, and that Scotch and English buyers came over every season. That was just before I was born but when I was a boy I remember the great apple market in Portadown with lines of carts on both sides of the
street from the church down almoS t to the Post Office. There were then considerable quantities of ti ea ng apples available and by the aid of friends I can.supply you with a list of the "worth while 11 apples of th ose days:-
Widows 'Whelps
Canes
Red Russett s
Barn Hills
White Annetts
Sugar Sweet
Gillyflowers
Beauty of Bath
Strawberry Cheeks
Half-plums
Honey Combs
Codlings
Dockneys
Lilyfingers
Winter Glories
Quince
Foxes whelps
Red Stroke s
Green Russetts
Golden Pippits
Black Annetts
Marygolds
Angels Bites
There were a few apple customs that lingered up to about half-a-century ago, such as drinking a toast to the apple trees, a practice usually carried out under the best bearing tree of the year. It does not seem to have been of native origin and is now quite obsolete. There are still certain apple customs observed, but only in the houses in which there are children.
At Hallow E'en, for instance, apples are 11 dipped 11 for, in other words you extract an apple from a tub or crock of water by the use of the mouth only and by the same method apples suspended by a string from the ceiling. The hands must not be used to secure the apple in either cases. Another apple custom in O'Neiland was the saving of apples for the last night in January, commonly kno'Wil as St. Brigid 1 s Eve, on which occasion oldfashioned griddle apple-cake formed part of the Feast following the tashioning of the Brigid's Crosses. Apple dumplings were sometimes made tor that festival also but they as a rule appeareQ
on Hallow E'en on whi h ' c evening allowed a flavouring of whiskey.
the man of the house was usually Sometimes the apples were roasted, sweetened with sugar, flavoured with nutmeg, and served with the same beverage in th f f e orm o a sauce. On that night apple-peelings were thrown over the shoulder by boys and girls desirous of discovering the initials of the person they were likely to marry.
There was, and probably still is, a superstition to the effect that if at the time of the pu+ling of the apples there is a tree bearing fruit and flowers together then there will be a death in the family before the next gathering of apples, and, of course, there is the old belief that a wet St. Swithin's Day indicates bumper crops of really large apples. Some of you, I am sure, know of apple cures. I can only think of one at the moment. It is an old and well-known treatment for an ulcerated wound. Sorrel was gathered and crushed, then mixed with apple juice and plaeed on the wound. It was usually most effective, so also were crab-apple poultices for certain injuries.
Abhall or Ubhall now signifies both an apple and an apple-tree and the word enters largely -into townland names. In Wicklow there is a place called Aghowle or the field of the apples, in Fermanagh Aghyowle, and in Leitrim Aghowla - meaning the same thing. In the north generally, however, 11 Abhall 11 is used in the sense of orchard and thus we have Avelreagh, County Monaghan, the gray orchard .Annahavel, County Tyrone, the
marsh of the orchard, and in County Armagh Derrylisnahavil, and Drumnahavil, the oakwood of the fort of the apples and the ridge of the orchard or apple tree. The more proper form of the word for an orchard is Oulart which also appears in County Armagh as the name of a house outside the city.
In conclusion I must say that I feel sorry that the apple growers of County Armagh refuse to produce a percentage of decent eating apples so that we might test the old proverb "an apple a day keeps the doctor awayu.
Samuel Pean, Joseph McKee, Alexander McKitterick. Alexander Hayes and Thomas Ryan. Col. Graham.
Thomas Peel, William Wier, Thomas Filly.
Dr. Disney. In 1776 Dr. Woodward. Henry .Hall, James Robinson, James Woods. James Mcclatchey, Thomas Orr, James Trelford. John Hardy.
William Compton and Robert and Joseph Compton. James Todd, Humphrey Todd and Samuel Hutcheson.
Mr. Clarke of Ardress and Mr. Clarke of Anasamery.
William James and· Henry Preston.
Sir Cape~ ·Molyneux.
Arthur Cope, Esq.
Bishop Gope.
Newtons and Marks.
Thomas McDowell and John Carrick. George Spencer.
James Corry.
.
William McDonald, George, Robert, John and George Davison.
William Brothers, Joseph Jackson, McConnells and Cherry's and Richard Allen.
The -Clarke's and Thomas Cardle.
John · Elliott and William Wilson.
Robert Cherry and Richard Taylor.
Isaac Robinson, Thomas Robinson, James Brothers, John Kertland and Thomas Robinson, Jun • .John Mehaffey and Mark Barnes.
William Robinson, John Richardson, Robert Kidd.
(Note: There is an account of a dispute relating to Seat No.2O in Vestry of 8th December, 1774, regarding which an affidavit was sworn by Letitia O'Neil alias McDonal and Mary Bridget before Mr. Simpson, Curate, and - Alford, Parish Clerk).
(AboTe dispute was the cause of above List of Seat-Holders being entered.)
16. 17.
N.A. Cope, Esq.,
John O'Donell, Esq., ·wm. Hardy, Esq.
George Ensor, Esq.
Wm. Gray, Thos. Peane, Jas. Sloan, Jas. Kilpatrick, Simon Hazelton, Joseph Hall, William Winter.
J.A.M. Cope, Esq., Drumilly House. Thomas wr ight.
lot.b April, 1871.
As in 1868.
William Hardy. Jacob Orr.
As in 1870.
1st. April, 1872. J.A.M. Cope, Esq., F.J. Walker.
14th April, 1873. As in 1872.
6th. April, 1874. Capt. Robinson. Thomas Walker, Ballytyrone.
29t.h March., 1875. Falls Walker. Capt. Robinson.
17th. April, 1876. Sergeant Beattie. Capt. Robinson.
2nd April, 1877. Edgar B. Cope. Allen Taylor • .
22nd April, 1878. John Walker Capt. Robinson.
14t.h April, 1879. · J.A.M. Cope John Walker.
22nd April, 1880. As in 1879.;
17th. April, 1881. T. Hall. George Cope.
lot.Ii Apr 11, 1882. Arthur Cope. Thomas Hall.
26th March, 1883. Samuel Orr, J.unior. Thomas Fowler Hall.
14t.h Apr 11, 1884. J.A.M. Cope. George Albin.
6th .April, 1885. J.A.M. Cope. Thos. Hall.
Books 1774-1885. Northern Karch 1929.
' lo~•; Thi• liet should be checked against signatures as I only ab•tracted the names of the c h~rcb. · wardens chosen at
eacn Easter Vestry and it is probable that a cnurchwarden may have died in hie year of office or as sometimes happens have refused to Act.
Dublin Gazette No.1541 for March 27-30, 1742.
Dublin March 30.
Sunday evening last arrived here the "Cope of Lough Neagh 11 Simple Master with 50 tons of Irish Coals from Newry being the first ship leaden the·re since the new Canal was finished.
On her coming into this harbour her guns were fired thereby giving a joyful notice to the inhabitants of this city of the supply of our own kingdom's produce brought in her. The Coals are said to be as good as any brought from England and as they will come much cheaper will n~t only relieve the consumer, but will also save vast sums of money annually carried out of the Kingdom for that commodity.
Dublin Gazette No.1551, for May 4-8, 1742.
News of a fire at Omagh, Co.Tyrone, which consumed whole town except the public buildings as Jail, Corthouse, Church etc. Damage £20poo.
MQIJ,AYU,Xit,
MullavillJ 11 a daughter of the ancient parish of Kil.Dlore and tor that reason you must forgive me it I devote a few minutes to the venerable ecclesiastical foundation of that name.
rradition asserts that st. Patrick visited Kil.Dlore on his way to Armagh in the year l+ltlt- A.D., but there is good evidence t'hat the saint approached Armagh from the south- west. We must, therefore, assume that Patrick's excursion to Kilmore was ot later date, possibly contemporaJ7 with the establishment or a church at Maghon, a townl.and near Portadown where he converted a well of pagan origin to Christian usage. rb.at church has, of course, long since d11appeared, but the spring, commonly called "St. Patrick's Well", remained a plaoe ot pilgrimage to recent times and 11 still in existence.
It has been said that Kilmore was 1n being before ArmachJ that as a religious centre it dates back to the year lt22 and was the first church erected in Ireland. It is quite \ true that Christianity had penetrated to Ireland before the da71 ot st. Patrick, but the story ot · its tounding by st. Moohta in that year and 1t1 dedication to his triend st. Aidan \
lacks aonv1ot1on. It is very doubtful. whether either of those saints had anr a1Sociation with the parish and much more probable that in reality it was consecrated in honour ot St. Aidan ot Doi~ Bl't\cha1a1 1 a native of the illlllediate district. Conaequentl.7 we must suppose a church sub1equent to Armagh rather than betore, a theory borne out bf the taot that the earlle st entry in Irish Annals relating to the death ot an Abbot of Itilmore occurs in 7'+,. .From then onwards its h11tor1 can be traced in datable sequence to the pre sent day.
The little Christian settlement was one ot the County Armagh religious houses raided by the Vikings who seem to have reached the parish 1n the year 872, considerably later than in Armagh city where they ravaged the churches, abbeys i and schools many times ' in that and the succeeding century.
Kilmore is one ot the best documented parishes in the county. Lists ot its abbots begin in the first halt ot the 9th centurJ and records ot vicars and rectors exist from 1367 to date. It . was earl}' linked with Armagh, the reotorahip being vested 1n the Dean and the vicarship 1n the Chancellor, two dignitaries of the Cathedral ot st. Patrick ot Armagh. In 1627 the parish was attached to the Chancellor-
lhip and :notor1 of Killllore became Chancellors ot Armagh by
Yirtue ot their ottioe until 1871, but f'ollov1ng the DiH1ta'blilbment that practice was discontinued. Untortunatel.7
1paoe does not pemt a study in detail ot events trom the coaing ot -the Anglo-lormans in the 12th centuey down to the Reformation.
The present church 11!1 believed to ocaupy the old site • . Like other County Armagh churches it had its Holy Well, possibly assigned to st. Aidan but aoco:rding to the Ordnance survey Place-name ·Books ot 1835 then associated with a St. Kl"Jlle-na-gort. A church is shown on the - Plantation Maps of l'°9t and in 1622 a new edifice was built. It did not sutter to 8.DJ great· extent in the Civil War ot 161+1-1+2 and did not require rebuilding until 1811+, at which time the old ohuroh was taken down with the exoept1on of the tower, a massive medieval structure with walls nine feet thiok enclosing a spiral staircase leading to the belt?7. In 1825 a handsome octagonal copper spire ( since dismantled) was added that greatly enhanced the charm of the church and was a most -¥ pleasing feature in the landscape.
ln pa11ing we should perhaps mention that though the church escaped destruction 1n the Civil War the reotor and a number of parishioners lost their 11ns in that tragio period. Shortly afterwards Cromwellian soldiers arrived and on an 8111nence on the road trom Vineoash to Stonebridge that famous or infamous commander is still OOIIID8II01'ated by Oliver's Hill. le became Comaander-<hm•nl in Ireland in 16lt9 and in 1657 he (~ {a.:,Gt.q rYWf\,U.,~ 17~;.,"·sWll:I~Cf YYl 1" ~eh.
authorised a Commia~1on to examine the working and incomes ot parish•• 1n the county, a body whose findings are of interest trom the local point ot view. It was then decided that the church shoUld be removed f'rom ~lmore to Leggacorry (now R1chh111) as it was f'elt that such a change would be more convenient for the parishioner•• At the same time it was suggested that Leggaoor17 was a tit plaoe for a school and that "Robert Smyth be appointed sohoolllaster". '.rhree years later came the Restoration and Cromwell's plans tor uniting and dividing Armagh parishea oame to nought and so K11more still sta~ds proudlf on the hilltop site it has oooupied for roughly 1;00 rears.
As a parish Ul.Jlore was at one time of' great extent, comprising the present parishes of' Mullavilly (formed 17;0), Richhill (1837), ~t. Savi.our•s (18;6) and Diamond (circa 1867). We shall now investigate that part of' the parish which we know so well as Mullavi.117, bearing in mind, ot course, that as the eldest daughter Mul.lavill.7 demands the respect due to her plaoe 1n the list.
%he first allusion to a church at Mul.lavi.117 of' which I am aware 11 contained in the Vestry Book of ltilmore under date 3l'd-Oct ober, 1750, wherein there is a note regarding the Hpairing "of' the road f'l'OII Br,an . reran•s to the great road the new church". J'rom that we may take it f'or granted that the building wa1 then in being or at least nearing OOllpletion. the same souoe we learn that "Bl•ents",
that 11 bread and wine tor communion, ware charges against •the new church" in August 1752. niat presumes a church in being in the previous year, a tact confirmed b7 a rather quaint old font dated 11,1, which I hope still survives - I saw it last in 1927. nte ancient tont is no longer 1n use, it was replaced by a new one 1n 1885, 1n which year the church was re-coloured and restored externall7.
Mullavilly church wame into existence as a Chapel ot Ease to Kilmore, and 1111st haYe been 1111ch appreciated by the people ot the eleven townlands concerned, In the middle ot the 18th century transport tacillties were of a simple type, It was a long ~ourney by indifferent road.1, from say Mullahead or Vnshinagh to Kil.more, so the new ohuroh 111Ust have been a welcome addition to the amenities ot the district under oonsideration.
At that time the rector was the Rev. John Brandath, M.A., a fol'1111r Dean ot .Armagh, who had resigned the deanery 1n 1736 tor the Chanoallorship ot Armash and the parish ot Kil.more, both ot which he held until his death 1n 1764. Be was the founder ot Mul.laY:1111 and according to a Rural Deanery Report built the ohuroh at his own expense.
Vntortunatel7 we have no knowledge ot the first pastor ot Mul.laVilly but we can be certain a curate ot Kilmore was appointed. Lodge's Obituarie1 give the death ot the Rev. ldward SiDCleton, Curate ot Mullav1117, 1n June 1767. He Hc1 to haft been ,uoaeeded b7 the Rev. William Campbell.
BJ an entry in Killlore Ve1t17 Books he appears to have been curate ot MUl.la'fi.117 tor some tim.. previous to .ru111769.
Leslie's "Armagh Cle:r17 and Parishes" gives a complete list ot the Perpetual Curates trom 1807 to 1872 and Incumbents from 1872 to 19lt8, but I shall not worry 7ou with their names and dates interesting though they may be.
We shall now br1etl7 consider the church itself• The first reference crops up in 17;0. Frc:a lilmore Vestry Books
we learn that in 1769 root troul)le had dnelopedt and by 1773, owing -to inonas1ng Wol'shippers, a gallery became necessary and was erected. fhe same authority tells us that in 1778 the root was of shingles, some slight renovations being nece11ary in that and the follo~ year. '.L'he church exterior was originall.J white-washed and indeed stqed so tor another hundred years at least.
ln 1790 the Rev. wa, Lodge became Chancellor ot Armagh and Rector ot Ul.Jlore. A manusol':lpt in his writing is preserved in the Armagh Public Library, It is thought "to have been compiled between 1795 and 1800, but po181bl7 in 1796•, but u.7 be a1 early as 1790 in which case it would agree with the information in the Kilmore Vestry Book in
17SO to the new church at Mullavill.J. It 1s a rather curious dooaent and emphasises the luit7 that then existed in P&l'Oahial attairs. ror instanoe, the ground on which the lbuoh had been built bad never been legallJ impleunted,
nor the church oonseorated though in use tor near]¥ forty 7aara. lt does, however, describe the church as it was then, stating that • ·
11-fhe seats are open and in good order as is the entire church, tower, etc. with eveey necess&1"7 tor cliVine aemce • The bUJ.71ng ground contains about 3 rood • and is well fenced and has wooden gates hung on brick piers. The curate resides at Moyallan in the county ot Down, about 2 miles t:rom the churah, not being able to procure proper aoo01111lodat1on in the parish, but having latel7 taken a tal'lll trom Lord Sandwich proposes to build and settle there without dalq". You will notice that the crurate is not named. It seems probable that he was the same person as the author ot tvo pamphlets published 1n Newey 1n 1794 one ot which I have brought along to show 7ou.
In 1809 the matter of the church and burial ground not hav1ng been entrusted to the Churchwardens tor the use ot the parish was legalized bf a oonve7ance tram Jerome Count de Salis, ot whOIR and his predecessors in the manor ot famnaghTamnavelton X shall have a taw words to sq later. In the following 7ear the ~uroh was at long last consecrated by the Lord Primate, Al'chbishop William Stuart, brother ot the then Earl ot Bute but so tar as ia known it yet awaits 4e4ioation. In 1812 a glebe-houae or nctoey was built 1n .Bal.l.tJa»oJc an4 oont1me4 in use until recently. Eight
)'ears later, in 1820, the ohuroh was again enlarged, and aopper beggars badges inscribed Mullavilly Precinct• were adopted tor regulating vagranta in the pariah. At the same time it was decreed at the relevant vestry that licences bearing desoript1on1 or the persona receiving suah badges '
5'3 . should be issued. Parishioners were requested not to assist beggars unless they were thus equipped and possessed or such certitioates ' ot poverty, signed bf two ot their respeotable neighbous.
In 1823 it was decided to build a new gallery at the vest end ot the ohuroh - possibly the earlier gall•1"1 was taken awa7 during the enlargement ot 1820. By 182lt- it was in use. Jlurther 1.Dlprovements took plaae 1n 1812 and, ot course, . great aah1evements haft been accomplished within the last century resulting in Mullavilly becoming one or the most beautitul and best turnished churches in County Armagh. Hours could be spent on the Vestry Books ot the parish. In the days when it was first carved out ot ICilmore, vestries vare responsible tor the up-keep ot roads, the nliet ot the poor, the care ot toundlings, etc. Mullan.117 Vestry Minutes are onlJ available troa 18llt but Kilmore records go a long war to tilling the gap 'between that date and 17~0.
Ve 11111t now discuss the earlier historical background ot the parish. It 11, aa JOU know, chiefly sited in the
anoient baZ'ODf ot Orior, heritage of' the O'Hanlons Lords of Orior, a family descended trom the princely Daire who granted St. Patrick, over 1~00 years ago, the site on which the old cathedral ot Armagh now stands, »own the oenturie s trom that date until the plantation of' Ulster they were supreme in Or1or - now, alas, they are al.most torgotten. The parish is not of great interest archaeologically There are no prehistoric burial places ot the Neollithic or Bronze Age. A tev weapons ot the latter period have been found and are in private possesaion - like a ,wo~d &Del spear-
head found in Brackagh townland and long cared tor at Carrickblacker blacker and still in the ownership of' the present head ot that family,
rhere are a number of rather badly damaged single-ringed earthworks ot the type commonly called forts still surviving, some of' which may date from about 3SO B.~. to as late as • edieval times. Bxamples are easily traceable still in Ballyknock Mullahead, tamnaghmore, Tamnaghvelton Braakagh and Lisavague, and mal'J1 ot them are traditionally associated With the fairies despite the tact that in reality the7 were tort1t1ed homesteads1teads, I well r811811lber an aacount of' tairy reve11 at Lisavague tormlng the basis ot an interesting article in the Portadown iiae1 of Haroh 1930, Rad it been Vl'itten earlier in the daJ• when there ware st~ll eleven public hou1e1 betwen Mullavilly rums on the Portado'IIDTandragee TanderageeRoad and Derl'Jhal• Gomer and whiskey three
half•penoe a naggin, it would have been even more entertaining.
~• lands that comprise the parish were .tortei ted bf the O'Hanlon in the alosing yeara ot the reign ot Elizabeth the first and were granted in 1610 bf James the First to Sir Jchn Bouchier, knight who a couple ot years later purchased the ad~oining Manor ot Clare from Sir Francis Cooke, another local grantee. Sir John Bouchier died 1n 1611+ (having been elected M.P. tor County Armagh in the previous year) without issue, 'Whereupon the two properties passed to his brother, Henry Bouchier Earl ot Bath
Lord Bath died in 16s>t, but betol'8 his death conveyed the two manors to his wlte, Rachel Countess ot Bath. She died 1n 1680 and by will bequeathed them to her brother, Sir Henry Fane third son ot Francis Fane, Earl of Westmoreland, Sir Henry died 1n 110; lea't'ing an only son Charles Fane who was created Viscount Fane 1n 1718 and died 11"- having had iasue •
l, aharl••• 2nd Viscount Fane, who died without issue 1166, 11. Dorothy who married in l'AO John, Earl of Sandwich, lU, Jlary who married 1n 173; Jerome, Count de Salis, by 11ho• she had an elder son Jerome who, in 1807 1 moaeeded his tather as Count de Salis and in 1831 obtained a Royal licence pel'lllitting him to u1e the DalD8 ot ,ane in addition to de Salis, as the 1Dller1tor ot 1lhe e1tates and being the next 11&1• npl'81entative ot Charles, last Viscount Fane.
Jerome, Count de Salis (1807-1836) and his son Peter John Fane de Salis, Count de Salis (1836- ) were the two members ot the family most interested in Mullavilly
The former had a lease of Tanderagee Castle for a short period but his son built a cottage at Ballyknock which was in use occasionally up to the end of the last half of the 19th century. Both served as High Sheriffs of County Armagh, the former in 1810, the latter in 1a,3.
Carew'ss Survey ot 1611 narrates that Sir John Bouchier had then provided material tor building a bawn or castle on his Manor ot Tamnaghvelton, but it is evident that his successor looked upon the Manor of Clare as a more convenient place of residence. At anyrate DJ 1619 a castle enclosed by a bawn and a mill had been erected there - laoth are referred to in the Depositions relating to the Civil War ot 161t-1-1t-2, in which unhappy time certain British settlers were imprisoned therein. The castle and mill were later destroyed but afterwards rebuilt.
I fear I have been very tedious - there 1 s still much that I would like to discuss with you. For instance, a Muster Roll ot the British tenants on the two Manors for the year 1630 and with it a Poll Tax of 16;9 giving the numbers of the Irish and English tenants ot the various tovn1aru11. More interesting still is a Hearth Money Roll ot 1661t, the 1arlie1t oensus we have ot the names of the illbabitant1 ot the townl.ands toning the present parish.
811111&1" uterial 11 extant tor the 18th and 19th oentun•••
I had hoped to deal with the st. Johns ot fanderaa•• and their linlal vith Mullavilly but that 11111t wait until a later ocoaaion, daapit! the taot that Hullahead formed part ot the Manor ot ·Ballymore and w1 th the re 1t ot the at. l chn Irilh estates de1cended through the Sparrow to the Montague Duke s ot Manchester~tar•
Bov the pariah fared 1n the war between Willian and James can onl.7 ·be gue11ed.. We know that W1111am1te troops wera quartered 1n Tanderagee, Portadovn, etc. A century later, 1n Deoember _17911-, 1n the dqs ot the Peep of day boys and the Defenders a bod)r ot the latter all armed appeared at night neu Portadovn, 1n whieh ~ovn the Royal Publin , Militia were than stationed. 1'he7 nad and were pur,ued. bJ the ailitia, a p&J't7 ot vbioh came within range ot tha the nut aol'D1ng at Mullavillyhere .mere ther had ~ed some ·houna, The J)etender1 tirad tl'OII the conoealllent ot a wood . and again took to ~t. Sffa, ~wver, cap~4 and ocaaltted to Armaghprison
lD oonolu11on I vo1114 like to re111nd you that the school w an • et 1n this evening 11 ot reapeotable antiqu1t7 in the U1t ot oount17 1ohool1 1n CountJ Armagh. It vas eatab11ahe4 in the 1•u 1818 an4 1n an aooount turnilhed. b7 the then rector ot Kilmore Rev Edward Chichester 1n Apr11 1821f: ve aft 11YeD a _.17 qt ~·-~• D081 tor the 7ear1 between · ._. elate•• the deoaent lhov1 that 1n 1818 there vaa a
ve•k17 attendance ot llt-9 and that by 1823 it had 1noreaH4 to a,S.. In the latte:r yau the 8uDdq 1ohola:r1 numbered 339. At that tille · th• school oolll11te4 ot tvo ,eparate apanaent• . . to:r •al•• .&1_14 ~•male, ~th a _ 11a1ter and 111,treH paid £30 and £20 per annma napaot1vel.J. I should pe:rhap1 1&7 that the ooapilei• ot the return vaa the tather ot the Rey. Willi• Chichester ot Mullavilly (1838-181,.,.) co, upon the death 1D ~SSS of h11 Jd.D.aan Viscount O'Neill ot Shane's castle Co. Alltl'11l 1 vithou, 11ne 1 beo•e heir-general to the 01 1e111 1atat11, a11'Ding the 0 11e111 name and u,u. Later, 1n 1868, he va• o:reate4 BaronO'Neill Be d1e4 1n 1883 and va1 anoe1tor ot the prennt LoJ'd O'Neill • • I , A P&l'Umentuy Repo:rt on lrilh B4uoat1on p11blllhed 1n 1826 1.1n1 the naae ot _ 11he ~•ter a1 William McAlister and ahov, that h11 aal.&17 vaa tha Oto with a Ns14enoe. !be
\ I aS.1tn11 1 ElizaHall al" ha4 an 1DoJ'8aH and vaa then ill ' .. noeipt ot 1,27. ~• boys Sohoo1 va1 then aa4e up ot 93 Churah ot . Ireland p11pll1 1 1 Presbyterian pupU 1 and 21 Roun Catholics the Gil'1•• school had a 1911 ot 'J7 C1burah ot :tnlu41 It, Pna"7teriau 17 Roaan catholics the _ , ... IOIU'N w lean .tha, tu 1ohool-hou• eod doo and. va1 • I t ! llaUt bf Jerome Count de Salis JI VOl&l.4 N iDl1:reniD1 to 411ru• tile other • ohool1 ot ' . . lhl11aY1117 Pariail of Ill• •- pll'io4• la 1826 tlaer wn '/ • lidN u to11n'I ·•• I
Tamnavelton • a thatched oabiD., lt1t pupil••
Mullahead • a poor cabin, 21t- pupil•• A good 1ohool later built bJ LadyMandeville.
About that tiae there va1 al10 a good school in Ballylisk with a salaried Master and Mistress, !be clevelopment ot the sahools from those d&J• to the pre • ent would in it selt keep u1 here tor ho~•, an4 I have alreaq detaimd 7ou tar too long-.
Ballyknock
Hearth Money Roll 166lt.
thomas Watson
Conn O O'Dogherty
Edmond McCann
Gilreagh o Lagan
Fort site on !arm formerly belonging to Audley Collen.
Fairly well preserved single-ringed fort known as Thornton's s Fort".
Both shown on Maps ot 1835.
Ballylisk
Hearth Money Roll 1664.
Tirlogh McDeele
Tirlogh Duffe McDeal
Thomas Marcus
Robert McJennett
Patrick McGee
183,. 1839.
A tine commodious school. Master £30, Mistress £22. (o.s. Memoirs).
General Valuation ot Co. Armagh - Ballylisk Schoolhouse and land.
Brackagh alias Unshinagh
Poll ra:a: 16;9. Brackagh 10 Irish.
Hearth Money Rolls 1664.
Ralph Trueman
Mr. Croxwell
Henry Ogles
John Betty
John Horton
Francis Chapman
Ralph Stringer•
Brackagh fort 1n Reagh Bog - also known as time Kiln Port.· ln low-lnng ground and ma7 have been a crannoge ~t coUld be the site ot Knockballybrian Bo7.
182~. A good school. Number of pupils ui 7ear 1823 on Sundays 135. During the week 61t. Profits ot tuition and £2 per an. tram incumbent tor teaching gratis on Bundqs. (Return ot 182lt).
William Demott Master, Establlsllad Church. Pay :£1~.11.~. Thatched cabin. 60 Established Church, 1 Presbyterian and 3 R0111an Catholics. (Irish Education Report 1826).
Sunday 8oholars in 1823 - 339, School consists ot two separate apartments tor malea and females, Master ~0 par annum, Mistress £20 tram Erasmus Smith funds - besides an acre ot land to the master •with the exception of a anall garden to the mistress"• · Also £2 trom incumbent tor teaching on Sunday gratis, (Return ot 1821t compiled bJ Rev. Edward Chichester Rector ot Kilmore3 April, 182lt).
1826. William McAlister master, Established Church. Pa7 £l+o and residence. Eliza Hall, 1111.stress, Jutablj,shed Church. P9Y £27, Good school. Coit £600. In Boys• School 93 Established Churoh! 1 Presbyterian, 21 Roman Catholioa. %n Gir •' School 'J7 Established Church, It Pr••bft•nan, 17 Roman Catholics.
Cornascreeb Poll Tax 1659. 10 Irish.
U@ertb Money Ball J664,
Edmond Murphy
Patrick Oge O Calter
Shane O Calter
Donnell O Calter
Neale O Crony
feige O Connellan
Irish Education Report ot 1826. John O O'Neill,Roman Catholic. Pa7 £2. No school or house. I Bstablished Church, 12 Roman Catholics.
Lisavague Ami Cabragh
do.
Lisavague 6 Irish.
Cabragh 8 Irish.
Hearth Mone7 Roll 166lt-.
Rory TooleMcCorrye O Mulcraane
Bryan O Sleane
Darby o Flannagan
James o Flannagan
182lt-. Lisavague 1oho9l eatablished in 1823. 100 pupils on Su.nd&.71 • 16 during week. Pro.tits o.t tuition and £2 per an, trom incumbent .tor teaching gratis. (Return ot 1821t-).
1826. Martha Bond Mistre11. Preab)'ter1an. Pay £2.5".6. A mud walled hovel. 2lt- Bst1bliahed Churah • .(Irish Education Report 1821) •
Lisavague corn millmilt 183lt- on site ot much earlier aill. (Sea o.s. Memoirs of 1835') •
Mullahead
Poll ru: 16;9 Mullahead 20 English.
Hea,rj;b HPPU: RplJ 1664,
John Bamer
Alexander Weilly
James
EdwardCockrogerThornberry
Widow Hales
Widow Conway
John Clerke
William Bartrum
Collowe Mccann
William Duke
Babe's Port - very much destroyed but still traceable. See o.s. Maps ot 183;.
1821t Mullahead School established 1n the yoar 1823. 162 pupils on Sllndayst 13 during week. Master has profits ot tuition anci £2 per an. from incumbent. Return ot 3 April, 182lt•
1826. John McDonald Master, Bstablished Church. Pay about £6 - a poor cabin. 1; Protestants 1 _ 9 Roman Catholics. ·(Irish Education Report 1~6)
1835. A school supported by Lord Mandeville (o.s. Hemoira).
Tawnaghmore
Hearth Money Roll 166lt.
Laughlin O Hanlon
James O Hanlon
Henry Chapman
Christopher Hodson
John Kearan
Bryan McGee
Widow McGee
Fort site on Moffett tan. Sbape still traceable. Maps ot 1835' suggest it was in good condition then. On same tarm there 1a a tradition as to an ancient burial ground but the spot has long been cul.t1Tated.
1835'. Corner'ss Grave. Meeting ot tour roads on the s.w. side.
Tamnaghvelton
H@artb Money RgJJ 1664,
William Hughston
Ardle o Mulcreene
John Apleby
Robert Haselton
William Barneston
Fort much disturbed but still very easily traceable (see o.s. Maps 1835).
1826 Michael Patterson, Master, Established Church. Pay about £6. A thatched cabin rented at 2~/- per an. 29 Est. Church 12 Pre sbyteriani 3 Roman Catholics. (Irish ~cation Report 826).
The chapel ot Tamnaghvelton built in 1717 and rebuilt 182~, holds ,oo (o.s. Memoirs ot 1835).
PARISH HI STbRY I
Introductory,
St. Saviour's is a daughter of the ancient parish of Kilmore and for that reason our introduction must of necessity take some notice of the venerable ecclesiastical foundation of that name.
Kilmore,
Tradition asserts that St. Patrick visited Kilmore on his way to Armagh in the year 444 A.D., but there is good evidence that the saint approached Armagh from the south-west. We must, therefore, assume that Patrick's excursion to Kilmore was of later date, possibly contemporary with the establishment of a church at Mahon, a townland near Portadown where he converted a well of pagan origin to Christian usage. That church has of course long since disappeared, but the spring, commonly called 11 st. Patrick's Well", remained a place of pilgrimage to recent times and is still in existence.
It has been said that Kilmore was in being before Armagh; that as a religious centre i~ dates back to the year 422 and was the first church erected in Ireland. It is quite true that Christianit7 had penetrated to Ireland before the days of St.
Patrick, but the story of its founding by St. Mochta in that year and its dedication to his friend st. Aidan lacks conviction. It is very doubtful whether either of those saints had any association with the parish and much more probable that in reality it was consecrated in honour of st. Aidan of Doire Bruchaisi, a native of the immediate district. Consequently we must suppose a church subsequent to Armagh rather than bef&re, a theory borne out by the fact that the earliest entry in Irish Annals relating to the death of an Abbot of Kilmore occurs in 74,. From then onwards its history can be traced in datable sequence to the present day.
The little Christian settlement was one of the County Armagh religious houses raided by the Vikings who seem to have reached the parish in the year 872, considerably later than in > Armagh city where they ravaged the churches, abbeys and schools many times in that and the succeeding century.
Kilmore is one of the best documented parishes in the county. Lists of its abbots begin in the first half of the 9th century and records of vicars and rectors exist from 1367 to date. It was early linked with Armagh, the rectorship being vested in the Dean and the vicarship in the Chancellor, two dignitaries of the Cathedral of St. Patrick of Armagh. In 1627 the parish was attached to the Chancellorship and rectors ot Kilmore became Chancellors of Armagh by virtue of their ottice until 1871, but following the Disestablishment that practice was discontinued. Unfortunately space does not permit
a study in detail of events from the coming of the AngloNormans in the 12th century down to the Reformation.
The present church is believed to occupy the old site. Like other County Armagh churches it had its Holy Well, possibly assigned to St. Aidan but according to the Ordnance Survey Place-Name Books of 1835 then associated with a St. Kryne-na-gort. A church is shown on the Plantation Maps of 1609 and in 1622 a new edifice was built. It did not suffer to any great extent in the Civil War of 1641-1+2 and did not require rebuilding until 1814, at which time the old church was taken down with the exception of the tower, a massive medieval structure with walls nine feet thick enclosing a spiral staircase leading to the belfry. In 1825 a handsome octagonal copper spire (since dismantled) was added that greatly enhanced the charm of the church and was a most pleasing feature in the landscape.
In passing we should perhaps mention that though the church escaped destruction in the Civil War the rector and a number of parishioners lost th eir lives in that tragic period. Shortly afterwards Cromwellian soldiers arrived and on an eminence on the road from Vinecash to Stonebridge that famous or infamous commander is still commemorated by Oliver's Hill. He became Commander-General in Ireland in 1649 and in 1657 he authorized a Commission to examine the working and incomes of parishes in the county, a body whose findings are of interest from the local point of view. It was then decided
that the church should be removed from Kilmore to Leggacorry (now Richhill) as it was felt that such a change would be more conveient for the parishioners. At the same time it was suggested that Leggacorry was a fit place for a school and that uRobert Smyth be appointed schoolmaster". Three years later came the Restoration and Cromwell's plans for uniting and dividing Armagh parishes came to nought and so Kilmore still stands proudly on the hilltop site it has occupied for roughly 1500 years.
As a parish it was at one time of great extent, comprising the present parishes of Mullavilly (formed in 1755), Richhill (1837), St. Saviour's (1858) and Diamond (1867). We shall now investigate that part of Kilmore we ~know so well as St. Saviour's or the Dobbin.
st, Saviour's the Sacheveralls and Richardsons,
St. Saviour's was at first a district curacy of Kilmore but was elevated into an incumbency in 1871. It then, as now, consisted of the six townlands, Ballintaggart, Bottlehill, Clonroot, Derryhale, Drumnahunshin and Mulladry, all but Cionroot part of the two proportions of lands granted to Francis Sacheverall by King James in 1610.
By the terms of Sacheverall's patent the property was diVided into the manors of Mullalelish and Leggacorry and bavns constructed, one in the townland or Mulladry, the other
in the townJ.and of Leggacorry. The grantee was born at Reresby in Leicestershire in 1574 and died before 1641. He was the father of four sons and two daughters. The eldest s~n, Francis, inherited the two manors and was living in Mulladry Castle when the Civil War broke out in October 1641, and was kept a prisoner there until the following frfay. When the Irish burned the house he was forced to flee with his wife and children but was again captured and imprisoned, first in Monaghan and later at Charlemont Fort where after being held for nine months he was liberated by Lord Conway exchanging some prisoners in his stead.
Francis Sacheverall, the younger, died in 1649 leaving an only daughter, Anne Sacheverall, then aged 17 years. About the year 1654 she married Major Edward Richardson who shortly after 1664 built the mansion in Leggacorry, now commonly called the castle, from which circumstance the place became known as Richardson's Hill, a form later shortened into Richhill.
The Richardsons were descended from an old family long settled at Perthore in Worcestershire who from the middle of the 17th · century played an important part in the affairs of the county. Edward Richardson, the first to reside in Armagh, filled the office of High Sheriff in 1655, 1656 and 1665, and M.P. for the county 1660-1666. In 1688 he proceeded with a
party of his tenants to the relief of Derry - many of whom were later at the Battle of the Boyne. Some months after the renowned battle the Major died, leaving a son, William, born in 1656, M.P. tor Armagh 1692-1693 and 1715-1727. He was High Sheriff in 1690 and died without issue in 1727, whereupon the estate passed to his brother John wo was High Sheriff in 1715 and died in 1744 leaving -
l. William ot wom presently.
2. Henry, High Sheriff in 1720 and ancestor ot the branch now settled at Rossfad, Co. Fermanagh.
3. Hester, who married the Rev. James Lowry in 1745.
4. Mary who married in 1740 Sir Archibald Acheson, Bart., of Markethill, created Baron Gosford in 1776, Viscount Gosford in 1785, father of Arthur 1st Earl of Gosford, and ancestor of the present Lord Gosford.
William Richardson the eldest son and heir was born in 1709. He served as High Sheriff in 1737 and was M.P. for the county from 1739 until 1758, in which year he died, leaving (with three daughters) a son William, then a minor, who succeeded to the property about 1770, was High Sheriff 1n 1773 and M.P. for the county from 1783 until 1797 - whose first Wife was the celebrated beauty Dorothy Munroe. She died in 1794, and he married as his second wife another Co. Down lady Miss Louisa Magennis, daughter of Richard Magennis of Waringstown. He died in 1822 having had by his second marriage three daughters, co-heirs.,-
1. Elizabeth who died unmarried in 1859 bequeathing her third share of the estate to Lord Gosford.
2. Isabella who in 1858 conveyed the site for the church and died unmarried two years later.
3. Louisa who married in 1832 Edmund Bacon, eldest son of Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart., and died in 1881 without issue.
Following Mrs. Bacon's death the property was disunited, two-thirds passing · to Henry Mervyn Richardson of Rossfad, the other, which included the house park and village, going to Lord Gosford, the respective acreages being 5,540 and 2,210. The three sisters were deeply interested in the welfare of their tenants, were generous benefactors to the community and excellent landowners.
The Townlands of the Parish.
These can only be dealt with briefly. The earliest map we possess is the Plantation Map of 1609. There are, however, various sources of information as to the inhabitants tromabout that date onwards, the most important being a Muster Roll of the Sacheverall tenants in 1630. For 1659-1660 a Poll Tax is available but it only gives the numbers of British and Irish in each townland. A Hearth Money Roll survives for 1664, and turnishes us With the actual names of the then householders. Similar knowledge is easily obtainable for the next century. A tythe tithe Payers List tor Kilmore Parish drawn up in the year
183~ gives us a detailed list of the inhabitants of all denominations then resident in the parish and is of special interest as regards the six townl.ands that now comprise St • . Saviour's as it supplies the names of the families whose sons and daughters formed its first parishioners - for that reason we publish it as an appendix.
The six townlands have other claims, traditional and historical, so we shall notice them in alphabetical sequence from that particular aspect.
Ballintaggart,
Henry Sacheverall, 2nd son of Francis Sacheverall the elder, too~ up his residence in Ballybreagh, a townland in his father's manor of Mu.llalelish, but in the Civil War of 1641-42 his house was seized and the contents carried away, with all the stock of horses, cattle, corn and hay. When peace came he forsook Ballybreagh for Ballintaggart and was the ancestor of the Sacheveralls of that townland.
Henry Sacheverall,above, left a son, Henry. He died in 1725 leaving. with other issue -
1. William who married and left two daughters.
2. Thomas, the Rev., Rector of Donaghmore, Co. Down.
3. Lattice who married in 1722 Thomas Wolsey of Portadown from which union the Atkinson and Sloan families descend.
The Sacheveralls built a mansion in Ballintaggart immediately after 166~. It was situate where the present Ballintaggart House stands on a portion of the ground now occupied by ~he yard though it is also asserted that the outoffices cover the site of a later house built by the Bolton family from whom the place derived its secondary name of "Bolton's Folly Ballintaggart was leased to John Bolton by Henry Sacheverall .in 1711. The Bolton ownership was however of short duration. In 17~9 the property passed from the Bolton'sto the Blacks, a Belfast family who had been engaged
in the wine business at Bordeaux. Whilst the Boltons lived there the immortal Dean Swift was ·occ.asionally a visitor. Local tradition records that the Dean was invited to preach at Kilmore. He consented and in . due course Sunday came and he arrived at the church and proceeded to the vestry to robe, but no bell tolled to indicate the intended service. He became impatient and eventually sallied forth to discover the reason for the delay. Having delivered a reprimand to the sexton, that worthy informed him that the bell was never rung until the Richardson carriage topped Anna Hill. · That put the Dean in a rage. He quickly disrobed and retiring from the church told the astonished parishioners 11 that if the bell of Kilmore was to hang on the wheels of Willie Richardson's carriage .... you can find another preacher", whereupon he returned to Ballintaggart where he was waited upon later by a somewhat chastened William Richardson.
The Blacks seem to have been succeeded at Ballintaggart house by the Todds. James Ruddell inherited the place from his uncle Charles Todd in 1814. Ruddell was born in 1738, was an indigo-planter and afterwards made a second fortune as a wine merchant in London. He died in 1852.
Another family of interest ·connected with the little estate was the Bredons. Dr. Bredon•s eldest son, Sir Robert Bredon, succeeded Sir Robert Hart as Inspector-General of Chinese Customs and was brother of Hester Bradon, later Lady Hart.
ego.
The townland was a place of human occupation and settlement in the Middle Bronze Age and the proof still exists in the form of a burial monument locally kno'Wil as the "Giant• s Grave" - in reality the remains of a four-chambered cairn with an imperfect forecourt attributable to about the year 1000 B.C. Covering stones are said to have been removed from it for building purposes by the Sacheveralls and Boltons with dire results to the families concerned, both of whom suffered from the ill-luck attributed to interference with such structures.
The town:Land contains one of the older Presbyterian Congregations of County Armagh, known locally as 11 Vinneycash 11 but now spelled 11 Vinecash 11 , a corrupt form of the word Minnakesh and referring to a bog kesh or causeway leading from Ballymackeown to Ballintaggart. Established about 1697 its first minister, the . Rev. Alexander Bruce, was a descendant of - King David Bruce of Scotland.
It has been suggested that this townland once contained a small church but we fear the assumption is based on the fact that Ballintaggart means "the town of the priest".
The Ordnance Su rvey _Map of 1835 shows a school on the Loughgall-Portadown road. It is not referred to in the Education Commissioners Report of 1826 so it may be ascribed to a date between then and the publication of the Ordnance Survey. Like Derryhale and Mulladry it owed its origin to
Richardson family. After a century's use for educational purposes it became redundant over a quarter of a century ago, about which time it was purchased by Lodge No.395. It is now in use as an Orange Hall.
The earliest school in the townland that we can discover was one held''in the retiring room of the Vinecash Meeting House" by Terence Duffy, a member of the Established Church. It is said to have ·been founded in 1823. A roll for 1824 survives showing that it had on Sundays 60 pupils and other · days an average of 40. Besides salary the master received a special grant from the rector of Kilmore for not charging fees to scholars on Sundays. Two years later the school had a total of 46 made up as under - 37 Established Church, 1 Presbyterian and 8 Roman Catholics.
The old name of this townland was Ballykedymore - the town of the big causeway. In 1655-56 it was shown in certain documents as Redimore alias Battle Hill and there is confirmation of a ba ttle having been fought here between a party of Cromwell's soldiers and an Irish force under Bryan Toole McCann which is said to account for the name. The assertion is, however, doubtful as it appears in records ot equal date under its present designation - for instance, in a manuseript in Trinity College Library entitled the "Progress or Lord Conway's forces aginst the rebels 11 October 1642° we learn that a "fore troop" of Conway's s Foot "were commanded to go four miles to Bottle Hill and there to stand to make good the retreat of the Horse".
Francis Skelton, grandtather of the celebrated Rev. Philip Skelton, had a lease in 1688 of a farm of 100 acres, mostly in this townland, but partly in Ballintaggart. Later in 1711 the · Bolton . s acquired the two townlands. In the deed the description given is Redimore alias Battle Hill alias Cromwell's Hill".
Previous to 1826 it boasted a school and an Education Report of that year alludes to Isaac and Rose Ann Robinson as Master and Mistress, salary £20 with one acre of ground. It was then described as a good school; and had a roll ot •;7 Chui-eh, lt, Presbterians, 6 Roman Catholics and 2 other denom1nat1ons•. It may be that the school being a parish
school was used for religious services previous to the building of St. Saviour's, but folk memory is not at all clear on the subject.
We know, for instance, that in 1824 the rector of Kilmore paid a grant to the Robinson's so that its pupils might have free education on Sundays and that the average number of pupils on that day was 336.
A hill in this townland known as Hoop's I s Hill has a link with the early days of the Christian Brothers Schools. A junior branch of the Hoops settled in Ballyleny, of whom the representative in 1821 was a Thomas Hoop aged 42 years, rather by a first marriage, or Alexander aged 17 and or Joseph Hoop aged 4, Thomas Henry aged 4 (both then at school) and Sarah Jane aged 12 months. Thomas Henry in his 14th year went to Dublin to take up a business career. Later he came under the influence of Roman Catholicism and in 1836 at the age of 19 entered the Novitiate of the Christian Brothers at North Richmond St. Dublin, subse,quently becoming the founder of the great school of Artane in that city.
Denyhale,
The inhabitants of the town.land have always had a reputation as sportsmen and the "Derryhale Hounds 11 were a club that once provided excellent exercise for all the surrounding townlands. Local lore, indeed, credits the hares of those days with being intelligent enough to lead the hunts to "Wright's Corner 11 , an unlucky place to pass. There the weary hare rested -0r disappeared whilst hounds and huntsmen refreshed.
Bernard Short in one of his effusions describes such a hunt -
"The sportsmen all are gathered, To raise the game they go, Poor puss she starts from cover, The huntsman cries - halloo, Off she goes through Derryhale, The hounds they hunt her fair And he that lives in Mulladry Can nearly run the hare".
The Richardson family organized a·school here before 1835. It is shown on the Ordnance Survey maps of that year and is still going strong. Tradition states that the founders were responsible for free meals therein in the famine years of 1847.
It replaced an earlier school established in 1823 in which there were then 39 week-day pupils and 79 on Sundays. The fees on the latter days were paid by the then rector of Kilmore, the Rev. Edward Chichester, who took a deep interest in education in the parish. He was the father of the Rev. William Chichester, curate of Kilmore (afterwards of Mullavilly)
who succeeded to the O'Neill estate in County Antrim, and taking that name by deed poll was created Lord O'Neill in 1868. According to an Educational Report of 1826 the school was held in a thatched cottage by John Girvan, a Presbyterian, and had a roll . of 23 Established Church scholars, 28 Presbyterian, 8 Roman Catholics and 2 11 other denominations".
The name Doire -h-aill suggests "wood of the cliff 11 and up to comparatively recent times both wood and cliff were noticeable on the Lappan farm in the south-west corner. Cox's s Meadows" now Carson's s Meadows" were also at one time covered with timber extending from that point up the rocky hillside towards "Rountree Hill 11 •
Drumnahunshin.
Why this townland should h~ve been named the 11 ridge of the great ash-tree" can only be guessed. Ancient "lone trees 11 were held in great veneration and affection. Indeed chieftains ;= were often inaugurated beneath their branches and games played ·around them, and one of the greatest triumphs that a tribe could achieve over its enemies was to cut down their inauguration tree. Such outrages were keenly resented and where possible visited the speedy retribution.
The hamlet of Stonebridge is a well-known landmark and appears under that designation on Rocque's map of 1760. At that time cottages were grouped on each side of the little stream whose bridge gave name to the cluster of houses - now they are mostly on the southern side in the adjoining townland of Ballyleny.
In 1826 it had a small school and James Bartum "a Protestant of the Established Church 11 was master. It was a free or pay school kept in a mud-wall barn, brought him in a salary of £3 to £4 per year and was attended by 14 Church, and 1 Roman Catholic pupil. ,,.
It also contains a Roman Catholic chapel built over a century ago, and since renovated several times.
Mulladry.
The name in its present spelling is difficult of interpretation, but from some of its older forms it might perhaps be termed "Druid's Height" or "the hill of the Druid".
The Ordnance Survey Maps of 1835 show a partly destroyed earthen-ringed fort of a type common throughout the county. ~t is now, however, barely traceable. They also depict the spot on which stood the Sacheverall Castle, the home of Francis Sacheverall the elder, a building raised before 1622 and destroyed in the Civil War of 1641-42 • . Pulramer Meadows, an old sub-division of the townland, are also marked and provide a link with Bernard Short, a local poet.
Short, sometime before 1824, published a small volume of poetry under the title of "Rural and Juvenile Poems" and in the above year his "Rude Rhymes 11 - the latter inscribed to the Marquess of Wellesley, an old boy of the Royal School of Armagh and then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
"Rude Rhymes" was brought out by subscription and the list of · patrons is most impressive. It includes many peers of the realm - marquesses, earls, viscounts and baronsbaronets galore, military in great numbers, bishops and rectors in dozens, parish priests and Dr. Curtis the then Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, Fellows of Trinity
College, County gentry, amongst them Mrs. Richardson of Richhill Castle, and merchants and farmers over a wide area, the Mulladry subscribers being James Cullen, Samuel Clinton, Edward Fearon, Edward Kinney, James Rountry and Thomas Wilson. Later in succession he produced "The Harbinger" and "The Lover's Wreath 11 and in 1840 "The Cottage Harmonist 11 • The 11Harmonist 11 was dedicated to Viscount Lord Acheson, M.P., son of the then Earl of Gosford. In all his works Mulladry occupies a prominent place and there are man~ references to Pulramer Vale, Pulramer Hill and Mulladry - and we are told that -
Mary the maid of Mulladry Is so beautiful to see That ne'er a youth ere passed her by But wondered who was she 11 • A schoolhouse was built here before 1835 by the Richardson family and served its purpose usefully for almost a century. There was, however, an earlier school known as "Dobbin Bridge" school, of which there is a record in 1823. It was then under .the charge of John Brown (a Presbyterian) who held i~ in a thatched cottage. It had in that year an average roll of 50 on Sundays and 30 on other days, Sunday tuition being paid for by the rector. In 1826 there were 27 Established Church pupils and 6 Roman Catholic scholars. It should perhaps be noticed under Derryhale as there is no evidence now as to its actual location.
St. Saviour•s is situate in this townland in the vicinity of Pulramer Meadows and almost on the bank of the Dobbin Water, hence the alternative name of Dobbin Church.
The Building of the Church.
The foundation stone was laid on the . 7th June, 1856, and the first gift to the new church was a silver chalice inscribed 11 The Gift of Miss Harriett Ann Magennis 1856 11 • The donor was the sister of Mrs. Richardson of Richhill Castle, and aunt of Mi .ss Isabella Richardson through whose generosity the church was established. She was the youngest daughter of Richard Magennis of Waringstown, Co. Down, of the famous Co. Down clan of which the heads were formerly territorial Lords of Iveagh. Her mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Col. Berkley, brother of the celebrated George Berkley, Bishop of Cloyne. Her elder brother, Richard, married Lady Anne Cole, daughter of William, 1st Lord Enniskillen, and her younger brother William was Dean of Kilmore. Her sistes were Ellen who married Colonel Leslie of Tanderagee, Louisa married to William Richardson of Richhill, Emily married to the Very Rev. John French, Dean of Elphin, and Alice who died unmarried.
The builder of the church was Mr. Richard Cherry of Loughgall who was also responsible for the erection of Coalisland and Annaghmore churches - both built about the same time - the foundation stone of St. Saviour's being laid two days after Annaghmore was opened fo.r Divine Service.
Local tradition states that the architect was a Mr. Fulton Vho came out frequently from Armagh whilst the work was in progress, presumably William Fulton of Palace Row, Armagh~
The consecration took place on 8th April, 1858. From newspaper reports wherein it is described as "lately opened" we may assume that some services had taken place previously. The ceremony was performed by the Right Rev. Marcus Gervais Beresford, D.D., the Bishop of Kilmore, acting for his kinsman the Most Rev. Lord John George Beresford, Archbishop of Armagh, who was then indisposed.
A copy of the deed conveying the site for the church is preserved in the archives of the Church Representative Body. It is dated 6 August, 1858, and depicts a rectangular plot of ground bounded by the Armagh-Portadown road on the north, the farm of Lucinda Halligan on west and south, and John Boomer 1 s lands on the east. The document in question is signed by Miss Isabella Richardson, Lord John George Beresford, James Jones (then rector of Kilmore), and James Wright and James Stanley, churchwardens. Drawn up by John Stanley, solicitor, Armagh (father of Sir John Stanley, the distinguished Indian Judge) descendant of a family still represented locally, it bears his signature also.
Baptismal Registers and Preachers' Books are available from the year in which the church was consecrated. Burial Registers begin four years later in 1862, Vestry Books in 1870 and Marriage Registers in 1871.
APPENDIX
Tithe Payers Lists 1834, Ballintaggart
Thomas Donaghy
GeorgeHewitt
Mark Hewitt
James Cooke
RalphStanley
James Hewitt (Wood)
Joseph Murdock
Eliz Brownlee ( widow)
Benl7 Hewitt
John Lisk
Jame1 a. Todd &1q, William Briggs
Gabriel Burns
l••• White
Benl7 Ruddle
Archibald Ferguson
Peter McCann
Jae• Hewitt
lonph Hewitt
James McClatchey Wood
l obn Irwin ~un.
K1ohael. McKenna
Jaae, Lappan
John Weir
James Gates
horse Ansley
l••• Hill
John Watson
Jobn Parker
William Watson ~--
K•Dl'J Hare
lame• Boyd
Richard Morrow
J obn trotter
Ha1117
WilliamDougherty Craigan
OWen Kelly
James Hewitt Cricketty
John Chapman
William Finnegan
Will1am McCone
Samuel Morrison
William Tipping
William Ruddle
Richard Donaghy
William McClatchey
William Morrow
Samuel McKell
W1111am Watson, aen.
John Hewitt
James McClatchey (Road)
Robert McClatchey
Anne Duck
M&17 Hanna
John Kinney
John Turner
James Kerr
Thomas Gates
John Burns
Hamilton McConnell
Samuel Maxwell
Henry Jackson
John Tinman
Anne Joyce
!he l&r1e11: 1'1the-paye:H were James R. Todd Baq., John Chapman and Riohard Donaghy in the order named.
Bottlehill
Patrick Duffy
Edward Fee
Jobn Boyle
John Hewitt
Widow Robinson
James Hewitt
Dloma• Chapman
Robert Taylol'
Joseph Graham
Willlam Tapley
EdwardBoyd ·
Owen McKenna
John Ro'benKellyMcClatchey
Henry Hare
Wllllam CatherineGrayBurns
Richard Milhouse
Daniel Kelly
Redmond McCrory
Widow McCrory
Oven Kelly
John Couzens
George Hewitt
John Lackey
Michl. McParland
!rhomaa Wright
John MaParland
W1ll.1am Courtney
Edward McKenna
Daniel McKenna
John Timmans
John EdwardGrayaim,
James Hewitt
Thomas Arran
Daniel Boyd
Sarah McManus
Clonroot
Phoebe Hewitt
WUllam Irwin
Thomas Hewitt (Hollow)
lohn Hewitt (Bunting)
James Montgomery
Joshua Chapman
l'l'anois Harrison
George Harrison
Robert Hevitt, sen,
Robert Owens
James Hall
Robert Hewitt
Jaoob Hewitt
John Mulholland
George Ruddle
laoob Hewitt
Henr, Courtney
Richard Best
Joshua Hewitt
Edward Breen
Thomas Hewitt (Tamty)
Robert Hewitt
John Preston
John Harrison
Anne Harrison
Robert Hewitt
Robert Hewitt, 3un.
Joseph Hewitt
William Hewitt
James JosephFerguson Ruddle
Joseph Ruddle, nn.
Mark Hewitt
W1111am Pearson
Robert Hewitt
Ruth Hewitt
Derryhale
William Morrison
thC111a8 Cox
David Hair ~un.
Jo•ph McQuilland
J... a Robinson
Jae• Fitzpatrick
Sarah Fearon
Jues Duck
John Duncan
Robert Anderson
Pranois Preston
JamesWatson
Charles I Wright
Alexander Stewart
John Steenson
hanc1• Wright , Rebeooa Cox ( widow)
AlexanderLappan _,,,11,.. Cullen
fhou.1 Mettleton
Sarah Knipe
Nary Wright
Alexander Watson
RobertWright
Juea Wright
J obn McQuade
Saunders Watson
VUU• Graham
lobn 'Wright
John Haire
W11Ji• High
.r... Kidd
Francis Haire
lobn !~•Henderson Wright
...1'14 Cullen
~- Kelly
1.:=de:r Murdock
y McCarrison Joseph Haire
~-• Quin Quin
•aim Knipe
~cl Haire:,~= Cranston "-1. 1 Haire
John McFadden
Peter Mullen
J 81118 B
EdwardLappanCranston
George Corbett
Bernard Donnelly
~omas Cooney
William Duncan
Nicholas Haire
James Haire
:fhomas Stanley
Henry Stanley
John Wright
Clements Anderson
James Graham ~oma1 Bleakley
fh011as Tuders
M&l7 Anne Wright
Stewart Crawford
George Flavill
James Wright
Edward Hart
Henry Kerr
John Girvin
James Phillips
Riohal'd Cox
~omaa McFadden
Patrick McConnell
Jame, Doller
Eleanor Graham
Anne Watson
James Bane
I saa• Henderson
John Cox
John Truders
James Lappan
George Brown
Jame a Parker
Charla• Stanley
Joseph Wright
J' James Cullen
WUl1am Maxwell
Robert Watson
Thomas Nicholson
John Wright
Robel't Benison
Drumnahunchion
1-• Donaldson
William McBroom
Joseph Hartley
1.. , Lamb
1... 1 Walker
Peter Finnegan
HughMaAready
J••• Ruddle
!b011&1 Wright
V1ll1aa Hayes
lame• Watson
Henry Courtney
Lawson Wh1 Whitley
VUliam Robinson
George Callaghan aen.
!h011as Wright
George Finnigan
lliohard Hewitt
Andnv Connor ~un.
V1lllaa McBroom ~un.
Bobert Watson
Jame, Whitley
Andrew Sturgeon
Joseph Ruddle
Joseph Chapman
Andrew Connor aen.
John
EdwardHughesHewitt
James McAready
James Hayes
Jacob Pearson
John Timbrel
Isaac McBroom
George AlexanderRountry Lamb
James McBroom
George Hamilton
George Callaghan, ~un.
James Watson, ~un.
Riohard Sturgeon
fhomas Lamb
Phoebe Hewitt
Mulladry
.T_.• Halfpenny
George Weatheral
Jacob Cole
Andrew Wilson sen,
Andrew Wilson, ~un.
Edward Fearon
Joseph Hewitt
John Kinner
Samuel Clinton
Patrick McFadden
James Cullen
John WU son, jun,
William McDonald
Kera di th Rountry Rowntree
John Wilson
John Coonaghan
Joseph Jackson
William Rountry Rountree
Jacob Allen
John Ruddook
George Forker
John Cole 3un.
James H
Mark McFadden
Daniel Chapman
Michael Steenson
Thomas Chapman
Isaac Skeath
Edward Jackson
Anthony Hewitt
James Hewitt
Thomas Preston
Anne Ansley(widow)
Thomas Irwin
Willlam Pearson
Patrick Magee
John Walker
George Wilson, 3un.
Will1am Kinney
William Boomer
Wllllam Bentley
Jones Rountry
Mark Hewitt
Alice Short
John Murdock
William Pearson
·George Wilson
John Troughton
John Smith
Peter McManus
TIJI PW•, or. Tynan/HJ.
1he Parish ot Tynan11 of great ant1qu1tJ, and it is reaaonable to assume that its townlanda have bean inhabited tJ'DII earl,J tilDaa. :traaes ot suoh oaoupalion occur in the ton ot the stone axes ot leoli thic Nan, a pen~ that ended about ,,ooo B.C. and in the weapons and 111.pltments ot their successors, the people ot the BronzeAge. In the Count1 Museum we have varioua finds 1'l"Oll the pal'iah 1Uustrat1ng those tar-ott daJs and at Tynan Abbey a bronze nord ot oiroa 1,000 B.c. ls satel.J p!'esenad. It was found 1n the lake in the Abbe)' demesne.
fhe Bronae Age ended al>out 3SO B.C. and was tollowe4 bJ an Iron Age, the three groups taking their nm:ies tram tbe matenals trom."11oh their wapona darivecl. 1'he Navan Rath near .A.rrilagb, the ancient assembly place ot the kings ot Ulster, 1a sa-td to b~ve come into being then. It was a place ot gnat importance tor almost seven centuries but w cannot deal V1tb it 1n detail this evening. Its glories perished in the 1ear 332 A.D. About a oentul'J later in the year ltlt4 A.D.
h. Patrick unve4 1n Armagh and tounded ohurohes and a school. :to that great '111181ona17 we owe the 1ntro4uat19n ot Chr1st1anit7 to our eounty. Out ot that eventually grew the parishes as we lmov th• now.
!Jnan pariah does not, however, figure 1n Irish Annala until 101'.t but it wst have been ancient even then. For instance the Vikings reached Anagh 1n 832and ravagect 1t trequantl.y 1n the next two centuries and it seems probable that they mq al.so have raided f7nan in that period though the Irish annals are silent on the 1UbJect. End.enoe ot their pN&nce 1n the parilh 1st however, available in the lhape of a mall hoard ot viking Silver aoeidentall7 discovered about a century ago. 1'he earlJ churches ware 01'1g1nall.7 monastic in oharacter bllt tor some time prffioua to 1291 the minor foundations were graduall.J being formed into parishes. ln that year was first rated as a parish ohuroh. Later it beoame a Prebend ot A1"ll8gb Cathedral.
Rames ot the vicars ot :fynan are available f'1'olll lltJO to 1;3; and ot prebendariesot Tynan .tl"Oll lSl.7 to date.
1'be Preben41h1p and reotoHbip had tonaerlJ been Joined. %be lallt rector to bold both ottice1 was the famous scholar Dr. Reeves afterwards Bishop ot Down, Connor and Dromore. L1st1 ot rectors under the new arrangement now begin f'1'0lll 187,, and a list of eurates i'rom 1683 until 1883 8Ul'V1ves.
u Nlal'Cll registers Tynan 11 better plaeed than • on p01•••• It1 bapt11m1 are perteot trom 1686 to lT~a., bllrlala ham 1683 '° 1723, and aarn.111•1 tl'CGl 1683 to 1723. lben 11, howver, a gap between thole date• and oiroa 1806 flall miob 1ear tbeJ eont1me. vestry minutes 'be1in 1D 1700 and oontaln muell interens.n, utter relaUTe to roa41, the veltare ot the poor eto. In the opmnc page1 ot tbe f vestry Book there 11 • retennoe to the sum ot It/- be1DC pa14 ,o a pan.lhoner t• the JcU11ng ot lvo bi tab ton• and tm ea.bi. lt.• Sles- entr1e1 occur in 1103 and 1106 and lhov that 1"oze1 wre a1 pl.~ then as the, are to-da7. 1111 incleed a lline ot 1nto111&t1on on sooial aond1tion1 in the p&l'ilb. In 1:hoae earUel' an4 more ld.aple daJ• the Seleot '••11 41nbal'll4 the d.ut1e1 DOV d1T14e4 aaonclt the S8Tffal pll)>JJ.e bod1e1 of OIU' welfare state It p1'0Yide4 0Terseer1 ot highways roads •dodiam ot tbe poor, bw.lder1 ot schools -'•• 111, lo fflllftl to the eouer hiator, ot the pan.Ill. In • luatlon ot 1:lle pan.lb mde in· 1302-o6 the reotorahip va1 Yalue4 al ill•. la l,a.2 the Lord O'Neill enterecl the oburab and toek fl'OII Ut••• tbe goo41 ot·0ven O'Neill tor 11111eb bad lllbniou be •• N11Pelle4 to mue hll restitution. Uter •• plantationot Ulner (an nm that took plaoe 1610-11) a regal visitationlalioD w1 bel4 of all tbe pal1.lbe1 1D Ulster.
fh11 wa oamect out in 1622 at Vliab date it vas tound tba, the reotor was resident, the ohuroh now bw.lt (it bac1 probabl.J been in a Nined oond1t1on) and a par1onage ereCRe4 upon the glebe. In 1'99 the aburoh . was much out ot npdr and 1em.oe1 were N1ng held 1n a panlhon•J'•s ho\lN. a, 1702, hoWNr, the ohuroh bad been renovatad. In '11• prniou J•lll' 11: vaa decided to build a school house. CUiOUlly enough there ba4 been an earlier etton towards edlleat1onal amw,1e1. ln an 1nqu111t1on taken at Al'llalh on the 18th XOY. l6S'7 Cromwell s commisssioners tound tbe town ot 2Jnan to be a tit pl..- tor a eobool but stated that •• 7et there wa1 no plaoe tor a schoolmaster or mistress. Die tirn aaboolmaster ot !Jnan tor vbora we have 01 n14enc• va1 a Mr. cochrane Be was appointed in 1103 and died in June 1106. In 1708 it was decided to puroba•• a bell an4 1n the tollov1ng 7ear 1t was agNed that a lteeple be bm.lt llbiab to hang it. lot, hownel', until 1113 vas the ~••hl'J' £20 •••••e4• we know, hoVffff, that bJ 11llt lt bad been inltallad •• at the la.atn Ve,tr, the sexton •• allovad a,_ ot ho pence eaab time be tolle4 cl' rana the 1:Mtll. Po111'blJ it• use •• a O\U'tev signal caae into '-lDc abonl.J after.
Die vestry at '11111111• an4 1Ddee4 down to tbe tonation of Oouaty OounoU1 1n 1889 was l'elpOUible tor man, dutiet now ourle4 out l,J tha, bod7, suob aa roadmaldnc, Nbool1, oan of lh• poor, ba1141nc ot bndgea, eto. 'lor 111,tanoe
t.b• Cor Bridge •• N•lltailt i. William Carroll a stone mason ~t before l1'tlt undel' the lupeotion ot tbe then NGlo1" '11• lleY. DI'. john Stronge
ln pa111Jae I Id.pt aentton · that 1n 17'8 AN!lbilbop
Robinson lla4e an ap41111at llbenbJ an aahange •• made 'Ntwen 'Ii• anhld.lbop aD4 Dr. Averell the tilen reetor ot t,111111 tor l.aDt1 waereon to build a rectol'J. It do•• not ••, llnffel', to have be•~ tmti.l 111,;. It •• ....eqae,i, lapl'ONNI 1n 1811t. l>r. Averell nlli&De4 !Jmn
ID 1171 tol.lold.ng 1111 appoia-...t •• atlb.op ot Limerick
Be •• a ftl'J VMJ.tllJ man ad miln reotoi- res14e4 1ll .baqll ._" be llall' a ••17 baD41011e croup ot houses ~ol' bla NYeD sisters - a terrace dill tc:novn •• the Seven Houses lD Iba 18111 -tu, tbe l'O&dl ill the pU11b WN Yft1 pool' 1111, to11Ud11flle m4 ot the ftlmU7 illpnftll eoald.daa~. lla1a •• luselr 4M w the adflnt ot the ..U ooaebea. 1111 _,, net twa .llllqb to MonaghanbQan then m, •• ...,..._ t• a 11:aon '1a. !he oontimla1'1on vaa, ho'Wffu, n-...1 .,adD Sa J.809 ml the na4 oompletetl ouoa l8Jlt.
!be Ulster Canal oonn1n1ne Lough Neagh v:lth the r1'1V
lnl• wa1 hpn 1n 1832 and bJ 1831 had reaohe4 Middletown and "118Jo the Ulster Railway(later the a.x.a.) arrived at r,nu. Bow 'both railvaJ and canal are dereliot and. the roads haft NOGlle 10 clangeroua that timid people AN DOW 02nJdn, ••noul,J ot t1111rat1on to the aoon.
OJ:P Native lMXLJII,
I llboa.14 nov like to 41aauas some ot the older Irilh t1111U111 oonne$4 w1'11 the panlh. the O O'Cassalays were lrilb 1ent17 anct ftrn appear 1n 11t02 1n "11eb 1•a Lucas o O'Cassalay wa• a canon ot Anaa,h Cathedl'al. a., were still NtU.4 in tbe pan.lb in 1'°9 but are not now repNsente4. !baJ •• '° haY• cliaappeancl after the C1Y11 Wu ot 161t11n
llbitb UIIJ t,nan parilboDU1 lol't the11' 11•••• We are, a..w.w~, n1ll rem.n4e4 ot th• bJ the ~.,1an4 ot lnach
!mow unUl reoent ttmea •• Annagh Muinter cassaly - the IIUlb of •• tud.lT ot O C••-17.
Ano1ihel' nat1Ye t..U, ot note, the McCassids late McCaseys aD4 Casey..,. WN tnant• ot the ftYI tom• ot '1mn •• ..,11 •• lltltf an4 ao ,.••Sne4 untU the Plantation ot Vl.91•• 111.,- wr• a olerloal t'all1q. One ••ber, Matthew O O'Caseychancellor ot Anqh cathedral 1n 1287 and 1n
the same yeu beou1 Bilbop ot Clogher bei!Jg tollowd. 1n the 1-ilhoprlo 1n 1320an413611'y two otbe:r 11embff1 ot tile oJ.an.
1'he Mac in Tagairts are record.eel •• eul1 as 1138. ln the lnqm.11111on taken at A.aagb 1n 1609 th17 are deNl'i bed
•• the Sept of Clan Taggartand were Npre•ntecl on JU1'7 on that oooalion bJ HughMacIntaggart the surname 11 DOV VOY rare but doea OOCUr 111 fnona. the mos, notable t..u, oonneote4 w1 th the parilb WN the pJ'iDOll)' 0 O'Neill llbo der1 'lfed their SUl'name fl'OII
Niall Glundubh vho VIII llain 1'J tbe V1Jd.nga 1n the )'HI' 919 .
Ua Neill or o Reill gnndaon ot 1'1al vaa tirllt applied as a surname to Domhnall grandson ot NiallGlundubh wo tie4
1n 41'1lqh after e~o71ng a aov1l'1igni'7 ot twnt,'-fOIU' )'ea rs .
Die olan wa1 de101nded from Own, son ot B1all ot the._
hostages11iloaa otttp1'1.Dc held the terr1 torie1 of Im.a OW.,
nov Inishowen1n Co. Donegal and Tir Eoghan now 7yl"OD9. 7ol'llff].J oonfl.Ded to Inishowan th.,. began to extend \bail' ooaquen• aallwrds 1n the 1th centmJ. lust wien 1.1a., reaohecl Tynan 11 uncertain but earl.J 111 the lltth
._tu, Donnell o O'Neill who va1 oh1et t1a11 129S to 1307
•• 1a11pellacl to surrenderoenain ahul'oh lands ext•Dllinl
alcml lb• Blackwater ha the nonb pan ot lynan to 11.Dbult. !hen be ba4 UUped 1n 13o6, lftlt the oburab cad~ ooapella4 tiaeb return to eoole11aatioal ovae1'1h1p.
2beJ were one ot the moat flllOUI tam111ea in Irelancl ID4 one IUJ' Im~ • a, that nab ot the h1ato17 ot 1relan4 ma, toUDd 1n the no17 ot the tam117 anct 1t1 oonneelion vit.h the 11'11b nent1 4ovn the oent111'1••• ln ,u lahr generatiou the lllOR oelebrate4 tig111"e1 wel'e Hugh 0 O'Neill 111, Earl ot Tyronean4 .Genaal Owen Roe O O'Neill NapeOU.Yely Yieton OTfl' ~e Br1t11h Poroe1 at the Yellow Ford 1n 1598 and BenburbU. 1646 1'be t..U., 11 nov npnMnecl 1D Portugal
!he aod notol'iou 11aUw 11111117 1n the pal'ieh, the Clan O O'Hughsan "1U vllh u an4 4eaplt• theil" pad l'epate ue a fnall.1' 8114 kSndlJ people. !be aept Vlll 01'111nal lJ
1mow a, Na,er M4ha or .ia ot Hugh mioh auggests an O O'NeillMunter
InAedha
lnlall4 tail.1 nae1 HC to have 1-... benUtu, s.a tile 11th NdUl'J, ao we 11&1 aasmae that tile IUDae date• ...._ to about that t111e. 2boalh they are deaenN4 Sn _.i, 11'b oc'1117 doalllent• •• the Clan o O'Hugh .., ft.sue in~ depositions 1'8la'1ng to the Civil War ot lAl •• t1ae 1tJ oodJ ffPI of tile O Hughes In a aaba1c'IJ
Roll for the Count), 1n 16,11. the name 11 spelt o O'Hughand alao 1n the Hearth Money Roll of 166lt. BJ 17llt it was dlaJ)l7 Hughes In 1766 the pU'lah ot Tynan aonsistecl of 1,190 tara111es ot lihOlll Ult ware Hughes 1'be tllllilJ 11 -•orated bJ the '°1mland ot Curryhughes~iabCarryhugh u, be J'OUlbl.J t1"11D1late4 •• the raoe course ot the Hughes 1'be flllilJ pl'odueed m&IIJ eoolea1a1tio1 at hcme and abl'OA4 1nalu4• 1DC an utbbilllop. A ao8' 1JlteH8'1ng aag111h tllllily settled in the pan• 1n the reign of Blizabdh the First. !he7 t1r1t came over to Ireland in the tirae ot a..,. VII and settl.ed. in the 10U1:h of lbne Giles Hovendenthe tOIIDder / the lrilh branoh was a oapUin ot Bora• in 1;32 and 1n lSSlt va • appointed Oovnnor ot Connaugbt;. It 11 bellffe4 that Con O O'Neillgramtalba of 1:be Earl ot Tyroneva1 plaoect tor a t111e with tbi1 tau,. Ve t1n4 tbe t1rli looal lJ.nk in 1'83 1D the per1on ot Henry Hovenden then 4ee01"1be4 •• the to.ta-brother ot Hugh o O'Neill We lcnov that Hovenden •• 11Y1DC in the pal'ilb in 1595 in llbieh 7..r h1• hou•• vat bunt, and that in 16oo, ,00 cova 8114 1011• llor••• wr• taken flt011 him bJ LoM Mountjoy Be tl.94 Ille OOlllltl'J' 1n l.6o1 with the larl ot Tyrone but left Ill• vite and. abil4HD beh1nd. B11 son Robert Hovenden
a IIUl.l plantation grant 1n the parilh but: eeeu to bav• rel14e4 at KinardCaledon up until at leaat 1611t. Be bad. aame4 the widow ot Turlougho O'Neill the pN'l1aU
Jtar an4 diecl 1n KaJ 161t1. Be vaa thu1 apald the borror1 of the Civil War that broke out 1n the Autumn ot that JNI"~
111 vile va1 livinl •• BallynametaghWood Park durin, that tn,le period and proteoled •8117 ot the Br1t18b tamilie• tb• nlictent ill the J)Ullb.
lb-1. Hovenden va1 a daupta of Sir Turlogh o o'Neillot tile Fews an4 ba4 nffitd ts.r8'1J beton 16ol TurloghO O'Neill ,on ot au 18111"7 Oge o O'NeillBe died. ot wunda rece1Ye4 1111-ltle 1D 1608 IID4 lbe •• left vith tw aona Phelim and TurloghOge mo aped ,heil" l,oJlloo4 vith their ,teptalber.
2be el4er aon att•nud• Ill' Phelim becama 4eepl.J 1nvo1Ye4
1a •e Ci'fU War ot 1641 an4 •• a renl.1: ws eaoute4. Be bad been 1ent to IDcland lo be tduoated and .there ocmto111ed
lo••
Bna'bl18be4 CbuNb. Later, b.oWYn, he rnu1'D84 to the bm Calhollo Cburah.
a, ha noond. aarna,e ab.e had three aom BeJU7, Alexanderan4 Walter Hovenden Her el4e8' aon Hem')' 4184
lSU& llal'etl 1638 an4 b11 t•1»8'one aq atlll be seen 1n Tynan
~. a Be •• '1:le tattler ot/lOA Henry born 1D that 7ear.
&lUll'Mln and Walter were both involved 1n the 01'1.l Wu
et 16ltl wherein the, 11494 with theiJ' stepbrother Sir Phelim O O'Neill Alexanderwae killed 1n a 1Jd.1'1111 et near Benburb 1S'11 hpt. 1661t, 1-t hie brothel' Walter mo vas 11Yinl al Lissheagh now Mount Irwin in. 1661t recovered ..,,a1n land• 1n the pal'ilb. 111 168,. he manaced. ,o ••our• NllilWla of tbeN tor hie 1011 Charles. Be vas eleotecl N.P. fol' the toan,1 ot Anqb under James II II 1D 1689 mt n•t• al Ille Boyne in the tollov.lng 1881' pd an end 110 b11 pali•etu, alp1n'1oal. Be •• alao appointed a Burgess .. ot An.alh UD4a that monarctb. Zbe tllll11J nen'1aall7 left t,DaD and took 11p nl1denoe at Burt castle, Co. Donegal lbl7 aN IU1l ftpHHllW ill -land.
TU Plantation FllQ'.AP lfHIJeIP,
In the elodng 7eu1 ot the reign ot &Usabeth the fun ~•re •• muab 1111NR 1D Ireland general.11, par'181llulJ la Vlner, aoat ot that Pl'OYino• beOOlling tol'teited to the Gatova, 1ID4e hel' nooeaaor 11DC Jamesthe PJ.J'at. &state• wn 1nnled to aa,Ul1l aD4 Seotah 1ettler1 an4 the lan41 WN plamed vJ."1 tenant, troa tho•• two oountn••• !bi• '-- plaee ab&Rlt 1'°9. Baab grantee was ntpd.J'ecl to lluU4 a fenlfte4 nalUDO•, proamae Britiah tenant• an4 tan
the lan4• g1Ylll to hia. ln 1610 a IUl"'NJ was made tor ~• 1ntol'llat1on ot the state with regard to the tul!Ument of the 00Dd1Uona mereby the granta were made. l'urtha IUl'N)'I for that pul'poae were made 1n 1619 and 162, and 1n 1630 a MusterRoll vu COllp1led g1Y:l.ni the names ot all the men on the vuioue properties capable of bean.DC aru. !bi.I 4oamaenl aUll ailta and 11 a reoord ot the tamili•• then Nttle4 on the Plantation estate,. Besides na• 1n1 all •h• aen it 11••• partiaular1 ot their ums, the necesntr to-. llh1Gh 'became apparent vhen the civil War ot 1641 broke oat. Depositions made at that period still IUl'viTe and abov oleu~ tb• o:ru.elU•• an4 har41h1ps endured 1n the pa.nib at thal aoat UllhapPJ time. Later I ma, read JOU a tn aacte llJ Tynanpal'ilbomr1 1n tboae dqa.
Of the pUilbonffl in those dqa a cert&1n Limt. Robert Cowell neu to have been the most impoi-tan,. 1n l61J he leaaecl tOU'I ,o.ian4• from the Primate. Be al• o •• 1a Po••••iou ot acae land in County l>ovn and ot the Ga8'le lbane e8'at• 1D County Monaghan In the tollovina Jeal' he N811re& a patent tor a Friday Market at !Jnan.
1111 'ld.te Anne Cowelldie4 28th februa%7 1623 and was bm-184
111 Tynanchurchyardmere a atone ereotecl to her 1ne11017
IUl.l r•aSn1. Be clild. ill 1627 l••YiJII a son Benry then a lllnol'. Be penlhe« in tbe Civil war ot 161.1 bllt b11 a.Ito Maudlin nn1Ye4. She mame4 Hugh Echlin 7ounca aon ot Dr. Robert Echlin Bilhop ot Down and Connor. Bugh Echlin with h11 aon Robert then age4 l2 7ear1 alao lon a their l1w1 llat/10UDler son Bugh esoapect vith bit mothn and later inherited hit talbn• a lands with those hi• aa,e!'Dal grendta'thff. !he B11hop • s daughter MargaretEchlin un1e4 tbe Rev.Robert Maxwell rector of fJnan 1D 162$. Crearum Iler huband then rea14ecl at .. nµallf:. now FellowsHall am 'beoaae BilboP ot Kilmore1n 161t3. When he 41e4 1D 1'72 be vu dead of the Manor ot Farnham 1D County Cavan and vu le11ee ot Fellows Hall and othezi land• under Trinity'1 College Dulin. the Maxwellt..U, prov14e4 fOUI' reotor• ot frnu ltetwa. 1'2S and. 1813 and another m•ber •• Dean ot Ullqb baa 1610 mdil 111• 4eath 1D 1622 an4 anoanor ot the p~•aeat Lord Farnhamthe t.U, •• Scottish 1D or1c1a all4 ot peat antiqu1'7 1n lootlancl and bend•• aoquir1Dc tile lands1n Ccnm'7 .uu,h and Cavan that I haYe al.ftadJ aealion-4, secur.i·dan enate 1n Count, Monaghan Xn umap ~' one uae tb-, bad thNe re114aoe1, Fellows Hall College Hall an4 Elm Park hollle1 that I bop• to sq a tev w:tda allOllt la'8••
And n~v lllaJ l re"1rn to the Echlin tau.1 tor a tev aSmt••• Hugh Echlin 3um.or• a dauch1:er Elizabeth Echlin aon.94 Capt. JamesMansonabout 1690. :bier had no male 11111• laut their elde11: dauab1:er Elinor marr1t4 the a.v.
John Stronge vbo had been reotol' ot Derryloran t1'0II 1711
Udil 1739 1D 111h1eh rear he ,., appointed to the Pioeben4lb1p ot Tynan Be d1ed in 1745 and vat the anoeltor ot the t..U., now nttlect at TynanAbbey. Matthew Stronge the th1rcl aon ot the Bev. John Stronge bJ his wit• Elinor Manson beeae one ot Liverpool a merchant prinoes an4
Hffe4 •• Mayorot that c1'7 in 1768. Hi• aon James Stronge
•• ereated a baronet 111 1803 am died 18()1+. Be married Helen Tew dauchla of John TewLord Mayorot Dublin vbo1e
vlte MargaretMaxwell-val a 1rudniecte ot John Maxwellt1r1t
lu-1 ~t Farnham an 1i1tel' M&Jisaret marr1e4 1D 17Slt the an. William Jones Armstrongrector of Termonfechin in Oount1
Louth ,., ot mo•• 1oA1 utu.i in County Armagh. the •lden, WilliamJones Armstrongot Killylea sernd. •• Jl1lh
lbel'ilt 91 Golm'7 Allla,b 1n lSltO and was the tather ot the lale Henry Bruce Armstronga foaer ohai:rman ot the county council Alllap • Bia ~•lt1' 1 Lieutenant tor the Count)'
-.s one '11• taa4en ot 4J'UP county museum on the
committee ot Wllob h11 ion Mr, J ,1,1, Armstrong1>.L.,
Fellows Hall an4 b11 1rancl10ll Capt. Michael Armstrong D.L. ot Dean's I Hill are Yalued ...Nl'1.
ai, '° ntum lo the Stronge t•11J. Sir JamesMatthev Strongethe ,m baronet va1 bom ill 1785. He was .Deputy Lieutenanttor the OOW111•• ot .lraqb anct !Ji-one and a Oellll•~ ot the Privy chamber and •• IUOh atten4ecl tbe eonraa,1on of George the fourth In a 1-ook ent1tlecl An
Irish Beauty au'1 of regency 1• 1dJ.1 t1D4 plea,ant pictuns of 1111 ooullhlp u4 aania,e to '11• bNutital MissCalvert th~ Be ••1ra._ ot l1Jt 1 ... , Matthew stronge 3rd baronet vbo 4114 vilboul 1,.. , ot 11r John calvert ltth baronet, and ot ho olller •ons, one of wba11 Edmond Robert francis atronge
•• Ille ta'her ot 11.r walter lockart stronge 6th bal'OUI, 1114 ot llr charles edmond sinclair nron1e, 1th bel'onet.
Ill' john calvert stronge ltth baronet, va• the tather ot Ille llpl Bonlala. 811' laMI henrystronge Sth bal'OD411i, 1lbaa 11UJ of JOU 11111 NMllbn• He died 1Jl 1928 and va1 ,......... 1'J 1111 oai, IOll Lint. jamesmatthewstronge lbo fell 111 a.UOII 1D a,118', 1917• 21ae stronget...U, veN 11D tile maxwellsscottish 1D ol'S.liJI u4 wr• ..., .. at ballcaskie 1D &ootlaD4 •• eul.J •• l]6J. ttae, 414 .,, bow,er, reaah lrelan4 WllU tbe
••Ina of the l1'b o•nhl-J. Matthew stronge then ot strabane and. Clonleigh and Cap,. james stronge of croghan OOU'1 Donegal, wre prennt at the Siege ot Dem and weN llot!I at,a1nte4 'bJ Uq james II. Sir norman ha1 some intel'eat1111 ..-ent1 Hl.a'1nc to nenta 1n derry at that time.
ot!Mr english and scotch tam111ea aonneoted with the pal'llb 1nolude the hamiltonbaronets ot Mount hamiltonNtMr Jmom peJbap1 •• ardgonnel the bonds ot bondville Ille johnston burges .. , and St. Georgehol'I• tai.U•• ot Wood Park,
-· irwin ot mount irwin the cross and tenison tal111•• ot portneligan and Duton, the harris t..U, ot unshog 01' A.ah
Ashfort DOW the harris....mayneaJDe•, the young ot knockbane DI• close 1114 blacker douglas 1 ot Elm Park.
antiquities
l baYe alnaq aet1one4 tha, neolithic th1o and bronze age Cm10Ull)' enough no PNbinon.e burial plaeea aarnve thouah suoh aomment• are PlellUhl ln the slievegullion area and w haff a rather ideN8'1zll caaple a, ballintaggart DU,lfflt a to111'1l.U4 1D the •ao11a,e ne1111'7 ot '11• dobbin etnaoh, on the u1J1 road troa &N911t '° Pol'la4ollD. tynan t.a, bowner, nob in arthen-l'inpd forts._. ot w111• .., be •• eui, •• the eDI! of the Bron•
Al•• otii•r• •• late •• mt41nal time1. Bone ot them can bi mor• 4at1n1t•lJ dated until excavation take plaea. fbe tw moat 1nteraet1ne ot that tn,a ot earthwork are lisloony - "the tort ot the o O'Looney's 1" and rathtrillick •tba rath ot the tbrae standing stones both ot vbiah are treble ringed.
lislooney 4al'1vaa ite name trom the o O'Looney e, a Coan'7 Donegal ••pt \tio were lordt ot kinel Owen 1n 0o1mtJ Donegal. but weN expelled t'l"Clll there about the beg1nn1ng ot the 13th oentur, and uttlecl at munterlooney 1n CountJ !Jftaa. 8olU taii-17 important ••ber ot the al.an later dnftecl to Coml'7 Anlagb. and took up residence in the gnat toJ't w now knov as lislooney His descendant • later sea to ban been 4epriftd ot lislooney tor on 21tth Haeb, 1391 w t1n4 that nial Oge O O'Neillcaptain ot hi• nation had h11 reli.denoe than. Other O O'Neillhome • ot subsequent date 1n tbe panlb 1nol.Dde4 ardgonnel creevekeeran CREEVEKEERAN no. rathtrillick 11 an equailJ interesting earthwork. It 11 bellned to have been oeoupS.e4 a1: the OOllling of ft. St. Patrick 1'J the c,b1efta1n of a 41str1ot extending from keady to t,nen. B11 tribute 11 noted in the Book ot book of rights Be •• entitle4 to t1Ye purple cloaks tive swords ft•• drinking horns and t1Ye gNJ need•. Like lislooney
tl •• • plaM ot nl14enee ot the o 1•1111 pl'fl'iou '° takf.DI 11p their •'bo4• at the •nle1 ot Cnnekeel'an and Gal.ton. • ltronse au fOIID4 1n an Olltel' dltob of tbe ton 1111•8'• an eulJ elate tor 1,1 •nets.on. !be wapoa 11 aov pi-elffft4 ill the eomat, Mu-.
A mabo ot lmendtnc dllllt 1'iJII ton1 baN alllo anlftlll. ._. tcnmlaD41 1Jldel4 llaN tw aaple1 - nab
•• Ian 1D "'1ala then an ho apldMftl Jmovn reapecsli~
•• luantb "lbile n'1:I• and »ouaa, "ltl&ek rat:b" - •ratti•
like •u.,... 1-1111 uotha DIIII tn IUCllh 1'1uhl'••· ID lb• near neilb1'amtloo4 of lpa then 11 alao a ao11i
Sa llaape itl lllln1or •• re •«•1184 at ,_e later elate anc1 11 nov naplJ •cpau-e• Ille altaauon -, h&N tUIID p1aoe ia 1'o8. At -,nte nao:wu lbov that Bnu 01• llatMabon --84 lido s-•Mlllon witb Ill' GabU O DopnlJ aD4 othftl at 14•"1'D • lJtla lept_,_ l'°8 an4 •• lata lla1n at Ouaa&b Jlalb 111 ae .... --'7, uc1 1, 11 pit0bule that 111 a1..N4 11aape ..,., lo aat JIIU• Alon,114e it 11 a raiN4 IIOall4 of eutb ealle4 ••• Doemn" llld.all 11••• the nau ot lelalh, to tbe a4~oimDI w•Jen4- had1'1on 11iatea tbat • peat 1-ttie •i tc,qbt -•• lmt the plue name na•II•
a ,ia,u-P'aft rather than a flp,. In pa11iag I mould ,...,, 1ay tha, the11 ano11nt ton1 wn hoae1tead1 l'atber 111a11 tonn••••
Ve lball. nov pa11 on'° 'he ll'OUp ot 1cnalp~ oro11e1 lmoVD •• the trDan 01'01111. . It 11 dittiault to elate tb•• Non autbor11ii11 001ll1der that Roh IIODUIHDtl OUII into 'beiDI
toUoV1nl the T11dltc tnvalion ot Irllan4. · :tb.17 are an -,n•1oA 1D dOJM of the an ot illmSnal1on. Kam1onpt1 u4 tbueb plate WN 'be1lla •n1e4 ott bJ tho•• fill'OI 014 wnior1 11u., none oro1H1 oou.14 not eonveniatl.J be nolc
01' denM784. ln pfl"1o4 we oan ··-·a 9th aentul'J beg2DD1D1, du to Y1ld.Dc rai41 aD4 the Dt08al1'7 tor teaah1.D& the CbJ'i sts.an
•••• '1 tile Hl&lplun.DI ot 1onptunl nent,. !l:ae ~- tlbiet on• ... in A1"llalb l>iOOIHI are tbo•e
"'"• lonapeon aD4 KoaalUl'boiee, all tbrN elalN>l'aMl.J tuN4. !be latto -S.tb 11 pah&pa th~ most beautiful n 11• 1D all lnl.aDA 11 ot 1nat interest 1n thal it oan ..-.U, be da'-4. It •• •Nte4 bJ Hu.rldaGb, a toNH' ft• Allot of Aft11111 u4 Vien .t.bbot ot KonaatuboiM 'tlllo cli.. ill ,aa.
la ......,. lblll'I wn OIIOI a maber ot IUab Ol'OINI • .. ...... et ODI .u.u nns.v••· -· lbaft ot wuob beal'I
IUIU-.i ._.,. 1, 11 ,~••*"' 1n th~ DO~ 1111 ot tbe --....i 1111 vu ... liNJl¥ ll'84 1n the Kal'ltet lquan.
ln !Jnan the lo-O&lle4 tillage Cl'Oa • toJUrl.J stood ill Ill• lbmabya:rd. It 11 1&14 that it oollapaed about the Jed l8ltlt an4 •• than repaired. and N1i v.p on 1t1 preHDI nu. In "'11al taet the 110nu1aent as it nov stands 11 a -,011,e one, oona1n1nc ot the r9111n1 ot tvo, it not three on11nal oro••••. A ponion ot the mart 'bu.1'1 a Nff9II" pane1 lhovilll Ada am Br• 1D lb• Garden ot E4an. Allolber mob ia,e i.u., nr, elecm cro11 va• ati that '1•• NIIOVe4 '° t,nu AbbeJ tor preNnat1on. It stand• 1n a 1'ff1 pleaHD' antiDI on the tenaee and 11 · the moat IIOdam ottllepou.p.
ln aie 4-ane then an two other aro11•• both remoftCl ha llalaTb, a ll'aDI• of tb• &bbef ot ft. Petff an4 st. Paul ot &lllacb. lb-, nn both in a broken eondition and were ..._, imo the Dbq 1roun41 tor sate uepiDC. Both an YUJ -· wat1MH4. DI• Well Croaa hal a 'lllalliff aold.d
aa,-11-4 llllt the b ... ot the 18lan4 Cl'OII 11 p1enect. lben an tw ft1Dl4 tulle• 1n the pal'ilh, Cnnekeeru ... ....-..i, botll auoolat-4 'Id.lb tu o 1e1111. Crene....._ bJII• 1,. pNNld name tna lb• '°11111an4 1n llhiah 1, 11 lltaate, 111a, 111en 1• m.denee that Cl'effeknr~ an4 -.taSa ..joint DI towil,aad1 WI'• oripmJlJ ao--denom1nat1ou et ,.._.u,aa. a. date ot --'ion ot •• aaatle 18 ....n--. II •• NIS.•114 llr lallilb IIOOpl in lJJl
('"'1,lbt: tiiere bJ qu~nel1 •ong,, the riftl taot1on1 ot the 0 l1Ul1) bllt •••• to have been again made laabital.
lemJ Oge O Reill vaa re aldent ~•r• when pardoned 'bJ Queen &Uabelh in 1'°2 and it 11 show on the Plant&,1on mapa ot 1'°9 about wb1oh tille it wa, 4e • erted tor the castle of ltrnard •' Caledon. An 1nquia1t1on ot that year deaoribed it •• 1D a state ot Nin. Ollly a fl'agment v.lth wal.11 Dine feet tbiok now stand.a. It saecs to have eonsiated ot three
Ol' fO\ll' •'oNY• and in tbe Moond ator8)' there 11 a pa&1age la the thielm••• ot the vall. I bave an old photograph of the oa8'1• taken 1n 1867 'bJ Jane Countess of Caledon and g1 ven to me 1n 1927 'bJ ber daughter the late .Lady Jane Van Xouchnet, mmt of the pnaen, Lord Calec!on, and 1n the County Museum then 11 a bronsa tipn ot Obrin, ron.el'lJ pu11 ot a nuifix. It was found in the oaatle in 1810 an4 11 "11ffe4 to be earlJ 16th. oen~. 1he onlJ other rello • that I Jcnov ot were a pail' ot Ml'-rings ot like 4ate fo,md 1'J ~• late La4J Cale40D and later loat troa her house 1D loMon 1n a luralal-7•
AN.coan•l •o oooupie1 the ait• ot an O le1ll residence. lbe PNND' rtllaiu ton pan, bowever, ot a oastle built '1 S.1117 Jlall1llon o1:raa 1668 1D vhioh :,ear he aoquirecl lam• la tilat 411t~1ol. lt bad to1'11•rl.J belonged to Sir Turlogb O leui -., va• torte1te4 1n 161t1.
!be BeSltona N•llllle4 11: and it was known ctom '° the 1114•19th oentuyy aa Mount Bamilton. !hey were oonneote4 with 'b• Buail\ona ot Bailton• I Bavn throup UJ'rlAI•• John Haailton ot Hmllton' s lam, tbe original grantee or tba.t propeny 41414 1n l6]C). H11 eldeat son Ilana was created a baronet 1n 1662 and d1e4 1681. Bia daugbtff Sal"ah manied Robert Bmlton ot Mount Haailton. Be was oreatecl a 'bal'onat 1n 1682 and died 1n 170c leaYine a aon Bans, seoon4 and last baronet ot the Baailtona ot Mount Ham1lton wbo tbua beoame heir ,o the paternal and maternal ••'-•• both ot lldliab were 1'1nano1all.J 1naeaure.
Sir Hana ot Mount Jlalllilton diacl 1n 1731, and v1 th hill the baoneta, ap1N4. He bad told the Haailton• a Bavn estate to Sir Anhur Aabeaon, Bart., ancestor ot tbe larla ot Goatord, 1n 17alt and 1n 17S0 the Mo\ld: Hamilton estate vaa aoquind bJ the same taail.J. ~• Mount Baa11'on 1-:ranab 11 nov extinct in the ulA Un• wt tbe preaem
Loz,ct Bolapatn.ok 11 the dinot daaceDdant ot Jcbn JlailtOA, the grantee ot the Hamilton• s Bavn estate 1n 16u.
AJtc11onnel Bride• ,till t1gure1 in looal tollt tales ot t~e d11tr1ot ov1DI ,o a 4uel fought there 1D 1826 bJ
Col. Madden ot 811 ton and Lor4 Bos 1110re tollovinl a Pu11aaenta17 eleotion ot that year. Lord Ros•ore wa•
lbol 1D the toot bu.11 tbe bullet va, mnotn bJ DI'. lnple *o •• preMnt to attent auob aao1dent1.
Mr. Hadden eeoapect unhurt. lhtn was a ooolne•• betwea lh• '"° t-.Ue a fol' • ome time after but aooorcU.nc to tn41t1onal aooo1mt1 tbe pnnnt r~reNDtat1ve1 ot the flld.17 40 no, DOV N1'J7 &JIU•
lov 1 lball l,Jietl7 apeak about some tbing1 1n 1eenl Iha, interen •• peraollllllJ. All pal'ilhonera ot IJnaD JOit will no doubt be able to tell•• 11bJ the auvn oballn 111 JOU pariah ahvob lboul.4 be 1m01'1be4 "%he lift ot Am Clulllbft1 lo the aburch ot !,nan 1691t", an4 a MU• /IUYO hall auk that 414 not come into beiDC until 1130, llaa tile oballo• 1'epail't4 Ol' n-made. the other paule 1n the olmNb plate 11 a lil.Ytl' pate bea1"1Dg an SUor1p,1oa .,.,1111 Ulat "!hi• pawn-· ude t1"all a IUYO ebalS.N wbieb vaa glftll 1'J Mr1. llulafft Maxwell to the Clmnh ot !pa. One wul4 like to lt:Dov 1lbJ the VtSUJ . aci-•94 to a ebal1•• that had been 4e41oatt4 and 1D use "1111 • elhd down aD4 uanlfonae4 into a paten. Ami Clllllbel'I -· a 11 "91' ot the Rff. Rtn1'7 Jlaxvllll ot lpa an4 pl'OllaltlJ ti. vite ot !bc:aaa Cb•ber• H.P. was IOI' tbe lonlllb ot AIIUlb 1D 1661, whose mother/.11.iaNlll
4a111hter ot 11:r la1U lroou, Enight, anoeator ot the pre,_. Yiioount »rooltel,ol'O\&lh. One ot the oldel' nreets ot the C1'1 ot .&:rlDagb •• named 1n hia honour.
I cannot be aenaio •• to 111biab Xagaret Haxwll preNDte4 the lll-unt ohalioe. 1'h• YeJ'J Rev. Robert lluvell, Dean ot .blla,h 1'10.1622 had nth NYeral daughters, 181\le tbl'ee IODI
1. Boben, Beetor ot fJnan bom l62S'-161t3 1n wbieh year be 111a1 oon1eorate4 It.shop ot Kilmon.
a. Be1117 of ftlmebl'Ogue, County Dom.
J. lame, ot Mullagbtinny, DOW 11.m Park, WO lett 1w 1on1 of whom the elder Bemy married Marcaret, daughter ot his unole the Bishop ot ill.more and lett tw daughter• his eventual oo-beii-a. Of theH the ycnmger, Margaret 11U1'1e4 81.r Robert Kazvall of Orohardtown bJ whom ehe had DO issue an4 HCond.lf Capt. I••• Butler (ot the~ ot 0rmonde 1 s tamiq) 'bf waom ahe had a daughter Gatherine lbo marl'ied the Rn. Samuel Clo8!1 Reotor ot J>onaghenry, Coun'7 fJTone 17~-1?1+2. fh~ tbia marriage the Blm Pal'k pr9pert7 puN4 to the CloHI and nentual.17 to the BlaokeJ'•l>o\11lal t-11,J.
a tbel' ot th• t:1«> llaquet Haxvell.1 l haYe mentioned eolll.4 ha•• been tile 4onor ot the ohalioe.
J pnld.1-4 eulier to 887 a tev words about the three Kuwu bou.Ne, .1111 Park, l'elloVI Ball and College Ball.
A bOllN •• lNUt atl Hul\qhtiDDJ llhioh latel' came to be
knovn •• Blm Park bJ the llff. Boben Kaxwll, then reotor ot '1nan, on land held tr011 th~ See ot .umagh. l'rora a date a,ona s,111 presened in the wall ot the present m~aion w know that he milt bia house in 1626. 1'hat building was de8'1'0)'e4 1n the Cin.l War ot 161.1. It, ower 81.\ttend oonl14erabl7 then and made sneral depositions tram mich we get a grill plotm-e event• 1n !Jnan par11h 1n that unbapPf perio4. 1'hat hil brother Lieutenant James Maxwell and h11 wite were murdered then 11 certain. lt 11 in4Nd 11entioned 1n detail in 11aDJ other 4epo • it1on•
•• w11. 1l'Oll a ••oond none &110 bllilt into the wall ware intoned that "the house ba.ilt in 1626
•• re-'bll1lt in 1ao3•. 1'bat presumes that the original hou•• sumved the c1v11 war ot 161t1 vbiah seem• 11nJikelJ, so it 11 pl"OHble that the renovation• 1n the eul.7 19th oentul"J were add1t1ona to a house ot tbe per1o4 ot Charles II. Further •441t1ona were oanied out in 1880 "7 the Blaoker-J>ouglas taas.i,. An ano:rial stone · prestne4 at hllovs Ball atate1 that the houn va1 built 1n 1661+ bJ Jame• Jlazwll and bil ld.te BU.sabeth. A ,eoond stone
lnton1 u1 t11a, the houae built on th11 ground by l•es lluwll 1D the 1eu 1661., being 1:nU'ne4 1n the 7eu 17J2
•• rebDllt bJ Roben Mamll and Oraae hi• wife 1n the JNI" 17'2 unde:r the 1n,peet1on of their aon John. A lh11'4 atone :rea41 "blult by John Haxwll 1n 1802" tr011
llhiab 1uorS.p'1on we u7 assume that 1n 1ta pream ahape 1, 4ate1 l.ugel.J '° that 7ear.
Untol'tmlatel.7 l ctannot date College Ball. Suah date do•• •• llaJ ha'f'e been then seem to have been lost men the bO\lee va1 4eaolilbecl 1n the 18,0• a oon1equent
to the eoutl'llftion ot the nllvaJ from Armagh to llonarban.
Boben Jlan8ll the l:QU4el' of &lm Park vaa (aoool'41nc to Ille Beulh Hom7 Roll1) rel14ent there 1n 166\. Be died ill 1'1a. 811 tblld aon ..DJ'J llazwll beoame reotOI' ot t,naa 1n 1668 and nl14e4 then until hi• death in 1109 aged 100 7eua. Be va1 tueo"4e4 1n the reotOl'lhip 1n 1109 1'J Robert HaawU aon ot l••• Muwll ot Pellon Ball (tbe 2114 aan of -e ailbop) 11Do died 1n 1737 and 4-11'.. to be 'bllned with hi • aneenor• 1n f)inan. In P•••lnl l al&lll --'1• tilat the lan Maxwell to be rector ot t,DaD •• tlae llff. lenr, llamll. Be, ho'Wffer, onlf Naal• tvelft aontb1. Be aul'lecl La4J Alm Btltler ill
1798 an4 ill 1838 IUOO..ded hil brother •• the 6tb Baron
Julba, an honour llbiob be ~01ed tor le11 than a • ontb. I ha4 ~oueht1 ot 'bl'iD11nc to JOUl" not1o• the Bautlb liloMJ Bolla of 1'61t •• thq 11•• the namea ot all the houH• bol.4eJ'I in the pU'11h fl'GD WlCll the tu Vlll colleoted. De1p11e the ta"' that it 11 the tirn oen8118 of tbe ooma'7 tibat we po1n••• and ,bat it 1iv11 location• as wll as nau1, I feel l oarmot 4tal with it to-DS.lht. fJDaD and Dff1'JIIOON were then united a, you Jmov, 10 the Rolla ttma OOTel' a ftl7 lal'lt area and must be left tor aome fll"1n onallon. Bolh par.lab•• have been rectuaed in a--,e nnce ,hall. ~-, hat 11noe been tcmud out ot ,-l'J'IIOON• Dial took p1aoe in 1173• 1'he pU'illh ot fJnul ha• alao llNn H4wMc1 bJ the tonatioz,. ot K1d4letom 1D 1192 and ot UU,lea 1D 1829 libioh then aequ1NCI toval an4 • h'Gll Jilotll Dlri'QIIO&M an4 f,-n •• well •• 1J.ua4ill aD4 IIUab. a. onlJ Yil.lac• now 11.ted within the pa:tilb 1• the '1dutt8CIM l1tUe Y1llale ot tha11 n••• bllt the parilb to__,i, 1nolu4e4 DU¥1• and JU44letovn. 1'he latter 'fUlaa• •• the_,, a,onan, ot the thrff. It was euliett Jmovn •• nl.oanaYan '111111 1t1 pr•--' name has been
la ue 11n• at lean 1'98. 1, bu 1011e pllaun eu11 lf')I •ldUJ ,., 1Atn11 woll •• the Karlen BollH built 1D 1129, •• Ille ••l'J utaa.Ye 4lnillff1 tOIIUlded ill 18Jlt
aD4 Pl'OCblelDi 80,000 lalloD8 ot WlilUJ per JUI' 18 DOW
till• doe1 not pelllit •• to 4eal with the Baaan ..tbolio am PH•IJJ'•n• CouaunSt1•• 1n 4na11~ Di•
Calbolio ebuNb al !Jun onlJ 4at•• baek to abou, 181].
1D Penal J>ar• the ow1111111n:t tsJ was sened "1 Ma11 Gafd•••
, ·A NeOD4 obapel •• nfftecl 1n Cal'andoolaD tovnland 1n 1126. 1,, bowfl'Wr, replaoe4 an earllel' ~labecl llall41DI 111a, ba4 1a tun npel'H4N anothn Man Ou4e ot miab a a1.-. uout 1:111 ... ,su ill ui1:uri4 laDI. !ndllion atat11 that ~•n •• a Pn• IJJ'ffiall
••-1nS '7 lD lpall NlON the Battle ot ·h• Bo,- a.ad trbat their tint ...Uni boue 01' ohvab •• 1D the tovnlalllll ot ,.......,... 11111 tiJ'lt 111n18'er ot the 00D11"•1atlon llaat w b.aft U/J ,._1'4 ot WI a Rn. lcbn IUteblll 1D 1'19. !he Lr MP»J'I· tomadation 1• 4eHl'11"14 1D • aaneJ ot 1,0J u a •lap ...,iDC holl1.-. 11 ..... lo bave
PRE§RYTERim FM IN ABHACW
The Rev. Aston Robinson, writing in the Armagh Guardian in 19lt-8 on •Presbyterianism in Armagh 11 , asserted that if the inhabitants were worthy or their lineage and opportunities, they should be the foremost town in Ireland nmorally and religiously", a statement insinuating that we have fallen from grace but, of course, he may only have had in his mind those inferior bodies whom he describes as the Episcopal and Prelatical denominations. He was, however, more coaplimentary regarding Presbyterians, reminding us that the city in that year was the seat of the presiding bisbop1 ot the greatest non-Episcopal Church in the country -a claim that brings First Armagh directly into the picture, so with that congregation we shall commence our investigation. It has been affirmed, and correctly too, with regard to various counties, that most of the estates granted by ling James in 1610-1611 were settled by Scotch Presbyterians. ?hat was not so to the same extent 1D County Armagh - only on the Hamil ton and Ache son lands covering a large slice ot the county, stretcbinc trom the north of the village of Huilton' 8 Bawn to Beleeks in South Armagh were there any IUcb 1ettlements. Muster Rolls of the tenants survive for 1 n- a w •eill, Moderator of the General Assembly, 19~8.
_. 1•ar 1630, and are contirlling ertdence ot the intensely aeotah coaposition or that di.strict, but in so tar as the rest or the county stood the Scots were indeed negligible. !be Baronies of O Beiland last and West, and those p~ts ot or1or that were planted were exclusively English as may easily be ftrified, and in the town and liberties ot Armagh only a tev names appear that may be termed Scottish. That means that practically all the inhabitants ot the county, apart trom. the native population, were then English. Under those oircastances one would expect to find the first Presbyterian CQDCregations in the Fews rather than in the Barony ot Armagh. PresbJteriani• is said to have gained a -toothold in the city shortly ai"ter the CiYil War and that can indeed be RPstantiated. Presbyterian historians give the date as 16;9 bnt an earlier instance somehow seems to have escaped the notice ot student• - other than the Rev. W. T. Latiaer who dealt with the reference but trom the general rather than local point of new.
W1111aa Bdmundson, a famous Quaker, ?elided tor a time in Lllrgan, and there in the year 16~ •va1 aoved to go to the public worship-bou88 ot that town •Vina a sernce and lecture the parishioners on what be eonceiYed to be ieriptural truth", a liberty for which he YU "auch beaten bJ Colonel Stewart". In the tollowin1 J•ar he decided to nlit Arma.eh and tor some reason was 1apn,,... , poili'blJ tor a 11.ailar offence. The old pri,on
burned 1n the troubles ot 16~2 was still unrepaired so he was confined 1n a small room in the Gaoler I s House. He tells us that at that time there "caJ11e a Presbyterian Minister out of Scotland pretending to visit the churches, and that there was one in his company named Colonel Kerr•. The "priest• (in other words the Presbyterian Minister) a1so took up his abode in the Gaoler's House which was an inn or public house. He came there on the seventh day ot the week and Edmundson was then sick and in bed. The "priest" was lodged 1n the next room and so the Quaker was able to "listen in". Towards evening many Presbyterians came to visit their minister, and be read a chapter and expounded it unto them, sang a psalll and prayed, atter which the visitors departed. The next morning being the first day of the week Colonel Kerr returned to the priest's roan to ta1k upon a religious matter. Edmundson overhearing the conversation put on his clothes and spoke to the "priest• as he went to church with many of the chief Presbyterians who had arrived to accompany him to their place of worship. We are told that Colonel Kerr, Colonel Cunningha and the •priest" each argued with him but that all were overcome by his reasoning. Afterwards he was broucht before the Justice of Peace of the county at the Sessions vbere Colonel CUnnincham who "had a nimble toncueu and he had IOlle further words.
About that time there were two inns, one on each side of the old Prison, but I have no idea as to whether Edmundson was captive at the Sign of the Spread Eagle_ it was burned in 1683 but rebuilt - or at the Sign of the Swan. That is not a point of much importance - what really is intriguing is that in the year 1655 there was a Presbyterian place of worship in this city and that Colonel Conyngham then ranked as one of the chief Presbyterians -a statement pre-supposing other members of equal standing, of whom the most eminent that we can be quite sure or would have been the Grahams of Ballyheridan, a family that later became socially important in County Armagh and who like the gallant Colonel were tenants on the See Lands of Armagh. The place of worship then 1n beinc would probably have been the Parish Olurch - otherwise the Cathedral - at that time served by Commonwealth ministers.
I should perhaps point out to you that the Colonel Conyngham of Edmundson•s narrative was the founder of the family of that name, now of Spring Hill, near Moneymore, and that in 1657 be was one of the Commissioners appointed by Cromwell to enquire into finances and report upon conditions within the parishes or the county. He is said to have come froa Ayrshire and, according to a history of the faJllily, printed in 19lt6, was a son of the Earl of Glencairn, a peerage now extinct. He was a kinsman of Alexander Conyngham, Dean ot llapboe, ancestor of the Conynghams of Slane. Colonel CoD)'lllham seems to have resided mostly in Armagh
and evidently died before 1676 as bis widow appears in
Archiepiscopal Rentals in that year. His son William succeeded him. in the various lands he had acquired, was later a member ot King William's Supreme Council, and one or the many people attainted by James II. About that time his kinsman, Sir ilbert Con,-ngham, raised the famous Inniskilling Dragoons, and was afterwards present with them at the Battle of the Boyne. Portraits of both hang at Spring Hill. We must, however, return to 169;. No rentals of the See Lands of Armagh are available for that year, and those tor the period 161;-1631 show few names that could positively be identified as Scotch. From the latter date until 1661 there is a gap but from that time they show Scotch surnames in abundance - amongst them John Goodall in 1661-1663 whose wife• s diary is said to reveal the name of the first Presbyterian Minister of Armagh. The manuscript in question is now in the Advocates Library, Edinburgh, and therefore not easily accessible. It covers the years 16,8-1677 and a copy should certainly form part of the archives of the First Presbyterian Congregation ot Armagh. It is indeed the only record ot · those days that has survived, and is said to give an accurate picture of the dif.ticulties which beset the introduction ot Presbyter1an1sm to the city. The Goodall' s second son Seapson was probably born here, at anyrate be was baptized in Armagh by the Rev. Hope Sb er rid, an Independent or
Presbyterian MiniS t er who, during the Commonwealth Period, actually acted as Rector ot Armagh and shared the benefits arising from parochial dues with the then Dean. He seems to haYe been in Armagh from some undetermined date in 1659 until some time previous to 29th .April, 1661, when he appears as •1ate Minister". In the same year he is said to haYe been ejected for non-conformity by .Archbishop Bramhall, who in fact had little choice in the matter because such divines relied solely on certificates ot ordination from Presbyterian Synods and therefore could not legally continue in the benefices they ~eld, or recover tythes by process of law according to the Canons of the Church or Ireland. It has been said that Bramhall nailed up the doors of Sherrid' s Church, but as the cathedral was then the parish church of Armagh that statement must be looked upon with grave doubt.
About that date Fertach street became k:novn as the "Scottish street" presumbaly because it had become the abode of settlers of Scotch extraction, and by 1712 appears as Scotch Street, the name by which we now know it. Incidentally one of the first businesses that we have any record or in that street was a camelot manutactory established by Thomas Prentice in 1680, ancestor ot a taailJ long com~cted with First Armagh. ait to return to the Goodalls for a few moments. The
di&?'J shows that Goodall• s son was named Sampson in honour of Sampson Thaker or Armagh. Whether Thaker was a Presbyterian or not I cannot say, but I do know that be was a man or some consequence in the city in 1664, in which year he was one or a group or five persons who were given a lease of the Tolls and Customs or Armagh, on condition that they built a new Market House to replace the older building damaged in the Civil War some twenty years earlier, and then much out or repair. That Market House was renovated by Archbishop Lindsay about 1724 and a new Market House built in 1742 by Archbishop Boulter that remained in use until the present edifice was erected by Archbishop stuart in 181~.
From the time or the Rev. Hope Slerrid congregational records are very sparse but in 1676 there is confirmation in the Archbishop's rentals or the existence or a Presbyterian aiurch on the north side or the street leading to Charlemont. Three years earlier the Rev. Archibald Hamilton ( son ot the Rev. James Hamilton, and grand-nephew ot Lord Claneboy) resigned Benburb for Armagh. He must have been at home bare tor his near kinsfolk were then still resident on their county Armagh property at Monellan, the place we now know as Hamilton's Bawn, deriving its preeent appellation rrom the castle or bawn of John Hamilton.
Mr. Hamilton had an exciting mini t h s ry ere. In March 1688-89 troops stationed 1n the town were disarmed by tbe citizens amongst whom there were indeed man:, Presbyterians. 1'he story of that affray may be read 1n Stuart, 8 uxemoir ot Armagh". Shortly afterwards Lord Blayney appeared with a reciment ot horse and one of foot, and all seemed well, but, alas, supplies promised from Derry failed to arrive and Blayney was forced to Withdraw. In October 1688 Kine James II dissolved the Corporation of Armagh and designated a new Sovereign and Burgesses - of whom at least one, a certain Edward Stone, was a Presbyterian.
King James does not seem to have enjoyed his visit to !rmagh for he describes "the town as pillaged by the en•y and inconvenient for himself and tra1nu, consequently he pushed ahead to Derry leaving a sall garrison 1n possession. We are told the llinister of First Armagh quickly took himself to Scotland - we may therefore assume that he was not 1n Armagh vben James revisited the city on his way back from Derry. Hamilton's sympathies were undoubtedly with the Williami te s and when that Prl;nce landed 1n BDgland he assisted with the preparation of an address from the Pre1byte:rians of Ulster and 1n 1690 was naJlled as one ot a deputation appointed to wait upon V1111811l 1n Dublin with liaila:r ai.8Ul'aDC8 ot loyalty. 1'ollow1ng his migration to
Scotland he severed his connection With Armagh and his re1ignation was accepted by the Synod in 1692 _ Later be returned to Ireland as minister ot Killinchy and died in Belfast in 1699. The church ·0 t those days, as already stated, was situate on the north side ot the street leading to Charlemont, corresponding very well with the place we know to be the site ot one ot the two pre-1722 churches, of which later.
Following Mr. Hamilton's departure the congregation was tor a considerable time without a pastor, but in 1697 the Rev. John Hutcheson was installed and served as minister tor thirty-two years. He lived at Ballyrea outside the city, was thrice married, had issue by each wife and was the rather or the celebrated Dr. Francis Hutcheson, rounder of modern Scottish Philosophy, one or the truly great figures of his day, and with his rather, on terms or intimate friendship with Archbishop Boulter who entertained such sentiments or respect tor father and ion that he made a donation to Glasgow University tor a Yearly fund tor exhibitioners bred to any of the learned professions. Called the Armagh Exhibition it exists to the present day.
During Mr. Hutcheson•s ministry we find our first actual description ot the Presbyterian Church of Amagh
1n a •Sur-vey or the lands or the '-chb" h a.r ~s opricu made in 1103. The entry concerns a plot belong"'"" t M ""'- -',4£g o r. .uJomas aitlton containing about an acre or land •on this is built a large house "With a return or angle that is called tbe Presbyterian Meeting House and also a small house near ye former and in ye same park tor ye minister, called ye Refreshing House. These are all built of lime and stone. This is one of' ye great Meeting Houses or ye north. There are in it three galleries, pulpit, and seats below stairs made very regular and uniform and the congregation very n'\IDerous. This is at the lower end of Abbey Street." When considering the situation or that particular church we must remember that the street we now know as Dawson Street was then a continuation or Abbey Streetthough sometimes also specified as Abbey Lane. For instance, no Dawson Street appears on RocqUe 1 s Map or 1760 - it is there shown as Abbey Street and in a ground plan or the city •ade six years later with annotations regarding holdings, we tind John Bond (Member of an old Presbyterian faPlily now represented by Mr. w.A.N. McGeough-Bond of the Argory) in Possession ot a plot on the south side of Abbey Lane but ao1t11 in Bnclisb street, whereon were three cabins and a l'UiDed Meetinc House. On cemparison with the spot ma~ked by Booque as the location ot "the old Presbyterian Meeting
Boun• we are left in no doubt as t it 0 s position.
A Sessions Book for the period 1707-1729 relating to the congregation survives. The manuscript is in the handwriting of the Rev. John Hutcheson and i d s now preserve in the Muniment Room of the Presbyterian Historical Society. Unfortunately the first seventy-one pages_ devoted to the proceedings of the Session - are missing, having been deliberately cut out by some person unknown. The portio:p.s covering records of collections, distributions of charity, incidental expenses, and baptisms and marriages in that period are, however, quite intact - the latter indeed form a very usetul genealogical guide to the local Presbyterian families of the 18th century.
The history of the Sessions Book is in itself something of a mystery. In 1897 it seems to have been in the possession of the late Dr. Robert Gray according to a note in the manuscript, but by a second insertion we learn that it was deposited with the Presbyterian Historical Society by the Rev. David Millar in 191, who at the same time gave the Society a register of baptisms and marriages of 17961803 tor saf'e keeping.
The records of 1707-1729 are of intense interest 4e1pite the fact that the Session Minutes have been ab1tracted. Why theJ should have been removed is a
aatter on which we have no intormati th on, ough we may assume that some family or families, who had offences entered against them therein, may have been the vandals responsible. Moral conduct was then somewhat lax _ possibly an aftermath or the Revolution or 1688-90, so it may well be that the ancestors or certain persons who attervards became socially important were amongst those whose misdeeds compelled them to appear before the assanbledcongregation, draped in white sheets, there to confess their indiscretions. More simple backsliding like beating the wife on Sunday, or indeed the children, would also have resulted in the delinquents appearing and being admonished. In those days the elders were more autocratic than the ministers and it was their duty to see that turt, water, and other incidentals, were brought into the homes sufficient to serve trom Satur~ay night to Monday morning. They also saw to it that the houses were swept on Saturday night and the ashes removed early so that the families could go to rest at a reasonable hour and thus be tit tor the strain ot the Sabbath - on ltilich day children aight not play games or their parents frequent cocktights, attend dances, or Join any ot the native patrons such as Y111t 1 to st. Patrick's Well or Garland Sundays on Caniekatuke.
It is a pity that we are deprived of the Sessional records or those days. We can, however, glean some tnovledge from sections that remain intact in the manuscript 1D question - see Appendix I. They are our guide to rents and repairs or the several Meeting Houses, the education or poor children, alms to necessitous widows, visiting preachers• tees and many other like expenses. PreCommunion services took place on the Saturday previous and amounts or collections at the Saturday and Sabbath meetings are c!uly noted. · Such duties were very lengthy and many tables were in use each covered by a clean linen cloth. Armagh then supplied a very large area and the congregations on such Sundays must have been so large that Communion could only have taken place in relays. Xbose vho callle troa a distance brought food with them and it is quite likely that in the vicinity ot the church there were rough and ready places or refreshment tor man and beast - all of Wicb were well patronised - and though ministers ob3ected to the use of intoxicants on those occasions their wishes were not easily enforced. ServicH took place 1n the church yard whilst Communion was being partaken ot by • eabera already in the church, and, they in turn, upon V1tb4raving to make room tor fresh c()llllUllicants were again 144r••••4 outaid• bJ the elders or visiting ministers. At
such assemblies collections wer d e ma 8 on both Saturday and &lnday - sometimes "at ve gate" n " or ye door•.
In 1711 the Meeting House was rethatched - six loads of straw being devoted to the purpose - at that date practically all the buildings in town th t were ached or shingled. In 1712 another tenement was taken for "ye building or a new Meeting-House". It was arranged through the good offices of Walter Maister, a member of the congregation, and I think it may have been a plot on the hill near the west end of the Cathedral of which presently. In 1713 rent again figures for the Walter Mai.star tenaoent for the building of "ye new Meeting-Bouse•a fact that shows that no Meeting-House had then been built on that site_ though such was contemplated. That the second Meeting House was built by 1715 seems evident as money expended, included payments for "ye present and ye old Meeting Houses•. In May of that yea.r there is an allusion to the congregation paying rent for James Murphy's Kiln and its ultimate collapse by which the Communion tables and forms were soiled and raquired washing. The kiln may have been a vacant building near one or the other of the two churches. In 1716 the tw Meeting-Houses again occur and ve learn that one was enlarged by the addition of an aisle ill that year.
I should perhaps mention that in the year 1712 the congregation seems to have been in some doubt as to the renewal of their old lease. Records show a fee paid to a Mr. Ward to solicit the Primate to continue the MeetingHouse. Who Mr. Ward was I do not know nor have I any idea as to why he should have been able to influence the then Primate, Archbishop Marsh, who died in December 1713. A second entry in that year relates to the tenement already mentioned as taken for the building of a new Meeting-House, so we are left guessing as to whether it was for the old or the new that Mr. Ward's assistance was sought. At the same time a sum of money was paid to Mr. Walter Bond for 11 leave to continue one year in the Meeting-House 11 and additional expenditure incurred on thatching and scallops. The indication as to Bond presupposes that the old site was near Bannbrook - originally Bondbrook -a naJne arising from the fact that the Bond family then held a lease of most of that part of the town. An Archbishop's Rental of equal date shows a grant from the then Primate to Nicholas Averell, merchant and dissenter, father of the Rev. Dr. John ~verell, later Bishop of Limerick, builder of the fine terrace of houses opposite the Post Office, known as the "Seven Sisters" or "Seven Houses". In the transfer referred to the clause to prevent the building of Meeting or Mass-Houses
was Ollitted, because the Primate felt that "it was more desirable to connive at the Presbyterians building on lands outside the town or Armagh, than on the tenement they had secured under Walter Dawson, Esq., near the west end ot the Cathedral Church or Armagh which they had expressly taken tor that purpose 11 • What happened then is tar from clear as regards the Cathedral Hill proposal but one thing we can be sure or and that is that the Primate's suggestion was evaded in respect or the Averall lands - they were townlands immediately north of the city and no church was built upon them.
I have before alluded to a Meeting-House that was enlarged in 1715. At that time there were tvo churches and in that year fences were mended. In the next year "300 quicks were purchased tor ye fences and some work done to ye street about ye Meeting-House•. Just "1len the Presbyterians or the city were numerically stronger than the Church or Ireland and in number also exceeded the Roman Catholics, a state ot affairs resulting in th• throvi.Dg their weight about and sometimes abusing their neighbours, a factor that no doubt had some bearing on their snbsequent di.t'.t'iculties with the Archbishop's agent 1n regard to ground plots tor Meeting-Houses -I shall later produce authorities tor those two points.
In 1716 the Sessions Book continues to show Nye old and present Meeting-House• - the latter the elusive second church ot whose whereabouts we are uncertain. The Archbishop's Rentals of 1714 record a renewal in 1707 ot several parcels of some lands and dwellings to Lieut. John Qielton who may have been the son of Thomas Shelton, and we are informed under "observations" that on one or those tenements •the Presbyterian Meeting-House was built and then stood", and that the late Primate on renewing the lease compelled the lessee to pay more, 1! contimung to sublet to the Dissenters, after their then agreement expired in 17llt. That, undoubtedly, was the first church and in Lover English Street. We know from the Archbishop's Rentals that Eilelton bequeathed the said tenements to his sister as a marriage portion and that in 1721 they were conveyed to Edward Bond 1n trust tor Shelton's sister - then a widowand her children. In 1724 there was a further lease statinc that on one ot the properties "the Presbytel'ian Meeting House lately stood" -a docUDent that identities Knockadrain the hill on which the Roman Catholic Cathedral now stands and at whose base lies the earliest ascertainable link.with Presbyterian!• in j,rmagb.
In 1722 preparations were made tor the building ot the Abbe, street Church and in the Sessions Book 1n that year
we find an entry relating to the acquisition of a sand-glassin other words an hour-glass, then a feature of every pulpit. In the following year the cryptic reference arises "ye rent of' ye new Meeting House, ye rent of ye first old MeetingHouse, and ye August rent of ye last old one 11 , and in 1724 we are informed that the seats in the new Meeting-House had been numbered - again the three rents appear. Abbey Street was, or course, the then new Meeting House and the site was formerly part or the precincts of the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul whose vast abbey lands were bestowed upon Sir Toby CauJ.feild in the early days of the 17th century. By 1722 the Abbey precinct, commonly know as the Charl•ont Liberty, had passed by purchase to the Maxwells of College Hall, Co. Armagh, a family of whom Lord Farnham is now head. Before continuing the narrative of the building of the Abbey Street church I would like to devote another few moments to consideration of the Sessions Book from which I have quoted, and of which I have only made a very cursory examination. The Poor Box of the congregation seems to have been kept well supplied -a necessary . undertaking because or the constant drain upon it. Sometimes, however, the balance was diverted to other purposes - for instance, 1n July 1721 a total of' :£36 3s. 5'd. was 11 taken from the Box tovarde ye building of' ye new Meeting House1t - that is, the Me•tinc Hou1e in Abbey Street.
From the same book we learn that the rent o.t the first Meeting House in 1707 was the small sum or £1 per annum. The then church must have been the building that ve have so vivid an account of in Ashe' s Survey. From congregational disbursements we lmow that it was thatched, and from 1707 onwards requiring constant attention. wa also find the •Refreshing Housen ot Ashe's Survey being taxed tor Hearth Money under the name of •ye little house•. A somewhat puzzling item occurs on 7 May, 1718 - Alexander Morton tor 800 tickets. Were the tickets Communion tokens? Morton was a famous Armagh clockmaker and there 1s the probability that tickets were pewter not paper.
The congregation ot First Armagh sean to have been generously disposed towards neighbouring congregationssee Appendix II. We find than helping in the repair ot Dungannon Meeting Bouse in 1707, and in 1707, 1708 and 1709 assisting Lurgan. In 1707 they paid tor the renewal ot the lease ot the ground on which the Meeting Bouse ot !ynan then stood, and in 1717 aided Castleblayney in the construction of a Meeting Bouse. In 1721 they were contributing to the support of Vinecash, and in 1725' toward• tbe building of the Meeting Bouse of Drum.
UIUally the •ounts were •all but the subscription to •1e bailding ot ye Meeting-Bouse of Dromore• in 1726 was £2. 11t1 • Od. qu1te a handsome donation tor those days.
The schooling of poor children, the mending of the pulpit cushions, purchase of a large Bible for ye pulpit, aedicine for the poor, the purchase of wood and making ot gates for the enclosure of the yard ot the church ot 1722 are amongst the many miscellaneous particulars. The ground surrounding the first old church is always caretully recorded as "ye park" whereas that around the church ot 1722 is shown as "ye Meeting House yard". An item ot American interest crops up in 1714 when Mr. 1'hompson was given £J. towards the intended transportation of himselt and his family to that country. Another interesting detail occurs three years later when Pat Connellan, an Irish boy, turned Protestant, had a Bible purchased tor him.. Whether he was then a member of the · ·congregation or not I cannot say. If so, he seems to have embraced Presbyterianism of his own accord - sometimes such matters were the outcome of economical conditions - tor instance, the Templepatrick Sessions Book under date 7 September, 1646, shows that a Lieut. Wallace of that congregation bad some Irish under him who did not attend church, a matter causing d11pleasure to the Session who ordered him to •put th• away or else cause them to keep church•. We do not know how the command was obeyed. It does, however, remind us that when the Presbyterian Church was in power it was no leis arb1 trary than the Jstablished Church of whom 1 t so often 0011pla1D1.
The Amagh Sessions Book even in its detective state 11 a mine ot intormation but, alas, I must proceed with the story ot the erection of the Abbey street church. The deeds for its incorporation are still extant and may be inspected in the Registry ot Deeds in Dublin. The docunents in question tell us that John Maxwell ot Collece Hall, Esq., leased the ground on which it was built on the 15'th May, 1722, to James Johnston ot Knappagh and Quinton Scott ot Ballyrath, gents., to hold for the lives ot Joseph Johnston, grandson ot said James, John Hutcheson, son ot John Hutcheson, Ballyrea, and Thomas Kenady, son ot John Kenady of Edenderry. The bounds of the plot are carefully set out in the original and delineate the School House Lane on the north - the home ot the earlier Royal School. On 20th May, 1723, a secondary contract was drawn up whereby Johnston and Scott acknowledged that the premises were taken by than in trust at the request of John Hutcheson ot Ballyrea, Arthur Graham ot Ballyheridan, gent., George Stone, Alexander Johnston and Walter Master, merchants, Joseph Boyd, apothecary, all of the town of Arllagh, Joseph Johnston ot Knappagh, William Brovn of Agbatin, James stepbenson of Killy!addy, James Kernochan ot Druabee, 3un1or, George Bobinson of Cavanacaw, John Dickie of Cabragh, David Johnston of Tereskane, all in
County Armagh, gents. or any nine of them and their heirs to whom th e said James Johnston and Quinton Scott should assign the said lease for the benefit of the congregation of Protestant Dissenters of the Presbyterian denOlllination which usually meets for public worship in the town ot Armagh. Many years later, in 1785', Lord Farnham sold to James Johnston the parcel on which the Meeting House and other dwellings are - thus releasing the property to Johnston for ever free of rent, and thereby ensuring its continuance to its original use.
The Rev. John Hutcheson served as Moderator of the Ulster Synod in 1707. Fifteen years later be began the erection ot the .Abbey Street church where a date-stone inscribed 1722 still remains. He died in 1729 and was succeeded by the Rev. John Maxwell in 1732, who purchased a tarm outside the city and built a house to which he gave the name ot Rosebrook. Archbishop Stone, following his translation to Armagh in 17~7, became very friendly with Mr. Maxwell and esteemed him greatly. In 1759 he was chosen Moderator of the General Synod of Ulster. At his death 1n 1763 Rosebrook passed to the Macartneys - one of vhom had married his daughter Mary, by whom he was the father or James Macartney, the famous anatomist.
Mr. Muwell' s successor was the Rev. William Campbell,
D.D. He was installed in 1764. Six years earlier he had married Jane Carlisle or Newry who brought with her to Armagh a beautitul. wedding dress or green poplin said to have been woven in the Bessbrook district, and now in almost mint condition, one of the treasures of the Period Costume Collection in the County Museum. Dr. Campbell was one of the most outstanding figures on the roll ot ministers of the First Congregation of Armagh. Some four years after his arrival in the city he Sllbnitted to the General Synod or Ulster a plan tor the education or students designed for the ministry, a treatise printed in the following year by order of the Synod and prefaced with an address from the Presbytery of Armagh. Later, in 1783, he was instrumental in obtaining an augmentation or the annual sum allowed to the Presbyterian Church by Charles II because of the loyalty to the throne displayed by its people generally during the Cromwellian occupation or Ireland.
During Dr. Campbell's tenure of First Armagh the Irish Volunteers caJlle into being and various companies were raised here, to one of which he acted as a chaplain. No Company Rolls other than that for the Armagh First Company surrtve but from that roll we know that it, at anyrate, ' vaa predominantly Presbyterian.
Dr. Campbell was skilled in ancient and modern languages, and had an almost inexhaustible fund of scientific knowledge. Stuart tells us that in mildness, learning, benevolence and piety that Campbell had no superior in Ulster - but, alas, his sermons were monotonous and sub-divided into so many heads that they quite perplexed his hearers. During his ministry a Manse was built in 'Abbey Street in the year 1769. Its date-stone, besides providing us with that fact, tells us that a thirdstorey was added by the Rev. Thomas Cuming in 1807 and that it was remodelled and re-roofed by the Rev. Alexander Flailing in 181+8.
Dr. Campbell was Moderator of the Synod of Ulster in 1773, and in 1789 removed to Clonmel. He was followed in Armagh by the Rev. William Henry who was installed in July 1791 but departed in May 1795 much to the relief of the congregation. He, in turn, was succeeded · by the Rev. Thomas Cwaing, who took up duty in January 1796, a man of sterling worth,~ admirable preacher, an excellent classical scholar, and highly respected by the clergy and laity or all denOlllinations. He was, however, inclined to venture into political affairs and those of you who may be interested in seeing how a Presbyterian minister looked in those days should certainly inspect his portrait as shown 1n a caricature in the County Museum.
Mr. Cuming officiated as Moderator of the Synod of Ulster in 1798, the year in which the Synod contributed a sum of £500 to the Government towards the defence of the country. From that it is clear that the leaders of the church although well aware that there were abuses in the Constitution did not approve of the taking up of arms against the Sovereign as the proper method of securing what was considered just rights. We cannot, however, deal with the events leading up to the troubles of that unhappy year nor have I time to discuss the attitude of certain members of the congregation of First Armagh in relation to the then newly formed societies, the United Irishmen and Orangemen or the yet earlier bodies, the Defenders and Peep of Day Boys.
Mr. Cuming died in 1816 and the Rev. Samuel Eccles was ordained in June 1817. His ministry was short. He died in 1823 and was buried beside the church in which he laboured and was held in such high regard. After his death the congregation spent three years looking for a successor and amongst those who preached during the vacancy we find the famous Dr. Cooke who concluded an eloquent but far too lengthy sermon by the quotation "Against all who rejected Him the door would be shut". Most or the worshippers were asleep by that time but one
elder was awake and was heard to say in a loud voice "Yes ' and the door of this church is shut against you, me boy!"
Three years were spent in pursuit of a minister_ First Armagh has always been somewhat difficult to please in that respect but in the end the Rev. P.S. Henry was ordained in 1826, and after a ministry of twenty years became in 1846 the first President of Queen's College, Belfast. Whilst in Armagh be was responsible for the renovation of the church in 1828 and was honoured by Glasgow University with a Doctor of Divinity degree. He was a man of fine presence with good mental abilities, and much interested in education. He died in Belfast in 1881 having acted as President of Queen's for a period of thirty-three years. His selection was the cause of a "split" and brought about the formation of Third Armaghof which in due course.
His successor was the Rev. Alexander Fleming. Installed in April 1846 he quickly gained the affection of his flock. Unf'ortunately an epidemic of scarlatina broke out in the city in 1851 and during the course of his visitations he caught the disease and died in November of that year.
In January 1852 the Rev. John Hall was appointed to till the vacancy. Six years later he resigned for Rutland
Square Church, Dublin, and in 1868 left Ireland to become minister of Fifth Avenue Church ' be became a celebrated preacher. New York, where
The Rev. Jackson Smyth was installed in 1859 and in that year the school-room and Lecture Hall in College Street were opened. During his ministry the present beautiful church was constructed, becoming available for Divine Service in 1879. In the same year the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by the American Westminster College and in 1880 the General Assembly honoured him by calling him to the Moder a tor' s chair. He died in October 1890 and was followed by the Rev. Samuel McComb, who took over in March 1891 but resigned in June of the following year for Elmwood, Belfast, from whence he later went to America to adorn a professor's chair at Harvard.
In September 1893 the Rev. David Miller was appointed and for 22 years performed his duties with distinction and success. He retired in November 1915, and in May 1916 the vacancy was filled by the Rev. David Dowling who in May 1928 left Armagh for Bangor.
Mr. Dowling was replaced by the Rev. Alfred w. Neill. Installed September 1928 Mr. Neill was a forceful and original preacher with an alert and well-stored mind.
&lected Moderator of the General Assembly in February 191+8, he died in October of same year deeply regretted by a wide circle of friends of all creeds and classes. We shall now turn our attentiop to Second Armagh. In 1785 a Presbyterian Body known as the Secession Synod became established in the city and there is some evidence of a Seceder's Mission Station here as early as 1772. A Secession Meeting House was built in 1786 in Lower English Street, a building that still survives but, alas, is no longer devoted to worship. In 1788 a call was given to the Rev. G.A. Macauley but as there was some lack of agreement amongst the members, the pastorate was left unfilled until March 1798, in which month the Rev. George Hamilton was ordained. One of the founders ot the Irish Evangelical Society in 1798 he was interested in establishing a form ot itinerant preaching, a practice condemned by both Burgher and Anti-Burgher Synods as not being consistent with Secession principles. In 1803 Mr. Hamilton separated with part or his congregation from the Burgher Synod, and became an Independent Minister. his followers he built a place of worship called the Tabernacle in College Street. With The Secession Presbytery supplied the remnant or the flock with the ordinances of religion until May 1811 when
the Rev• Samuel O Edgar became pastor. He was author ot the "Variations of Poper7 11 , a work which brought him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. He was a man of extr•el7 studious habits but a poor preacher and eccentric. He dressed in a fashion that must have been offensive to bis grave Seceder brethren. His coat was blue, his vest white, his trousers yellow, whilst his breast was adorned with watch-chains and his fingers with rings - so runs a contemporary account. He died June 1850, and was followed in December 1850 by the Rev. William Henderson, a cadet ot the famous newspaper falllily and for many years editor of the "Monthly Messenger". He died June 1868.
In March 1869 the Rev. James Flack was installed but in April 1876 relinquished the charge for Knox Church, Montreal. The next minister, the Rev. S.E. Wilson, was installed June 1876, and withdrew because of ill-health in 1895, being succeeded in November of that year by the Rev. Joseph Corkey who, in turn, resigned in November 1909. His successor, the Rev. William J. Fawcett, took over in January 1910 and demitted in 1916 in order to bring about the amalgamation of the second and Third Congregations.
Money se8111S to have been raised during Mr. Henderson•s tenure ot the congregation for the purpose of a new churcha lpeoitication tor the building of it dated 26 July, 186~,
survives - but the project fell through. A manse, however, was built and a Sabbath and Day School formed. In its final stages it worshipped in the old church in Abbey Street by virtue of an assignment made 30 September, 1880, from the Trustees -of First Armagh to the Trustees or Second Armagh. The reasons tor the differences in the First Congregation and consequent birth of the Second Congregation are rather obscure. They do not, however, seem to have been strictly limited to questions of doctrine.
Another "split" arose in First Armagh in the year 1837 • . In that year there was a contested Parliamentary election for the Borough of Armagh in which the then pastor took a prominent part to the great dissatisfaction ot the congregation, many of whom withdrew from his ministrations. Being sufficiently numerous to warrant sanction tor a new erection they obtained the consent ot the Presbytery of Armagh and the Synod of Ulster, and were formed into a ·distinct charge in that year. At first they met in the Primitive Wesleyan Chapel in Abbey Street, and then consisted of some sixty families. There the first Communion Service was held on Sunday, 28 April, 1839. More ample accommodation was soon DeceHary and a site for a new church was procured on
the Mall tor which an annual rent of £20 was payable. Its construction was a heavy task for so small a body but was cheerfully undertaken.
The Cooke. for the new church was opened in February 1840 by Dr. By 1845 all financial worries were swept away time being, and in 1846 the annual ground rent was reduced to £4. When the Church came into use it was without a gallery, gas-fittings were also absent and the handsome railings and gates still had to be set up. The completion of those three works again placed the members in difficulties, and as soon as they were attended to the finishing of two school-rooms and the sexton's apartments under the church involved new liabilities, but by 1852 they were wiped out also. Four years later a Manse was secured in the Seven Houses.
Though officially known as Third Armagh to the inhabitants of Armagh it is the Mall Presbyterian Church. Its first minister wa-s the Rev. J. McAlister. He was installed in June 1838. He was an eloquent speaker and capable leader. It was by his exe~tions that the church was eventually freed of money troubles. Before his death in 1871 the roll had increased to one hundred and seventy families. Mr. Mcilister was a competent historian and 1n 1867 wrote a uHistory of Presbyterianism
in j.rmagb", based on a paper that he had read at a aeeting of the Armagh Young ~en• s Presbyterian Society held in April of that year. The address was shortly atterwards printed by the "Ulster Gazette .. but copies are exceedingly rare.
Mr. McAlister was succeeded by the Rev. J.B. Meharry in October 1871. He was a brilliant preacher but his stay was short. In March 1875 he accepted a call to Newcastle-on-Tyne, finally settling in London. His successor, the Rev. John Elliott, was installed in June of the same year. An ideal pastor and a keen historian he was happily situated in Armagh where, amongst his many friends, he numbered that most gifted scholar, the famous Dean Reeves, afterwards Bishop of Dow and Connor. To three persons the Presbyterians of Armagh owe a great debt of gratitude - firstly, to James Stuart who in his "Memoirs of Armagh 11 brings the story down to 1818; secondly, to the Rev. John R. Mcilister who, in 1867, published a very interesting summary of the same subject; and thirdly, to the Rev• John Elliott who, in 1880-1881, wrote a series of histories of congregations including .Armagh, Benburb, Cl.are and Keady. ill that bas been written in recent Years regarding Presbyterianism in the city bas been
based on Stuart, McAlister and Elliott, but without acknowledgement of any kind.
Mr. Elliott resigned in 1892 and died six years later. In his pastorate a new school came into being and the children moved from their rather dull quarters in the basement of the church to a well-lighted cheerful building opened in March 1879.
In September 1892 the Rev. R.J. Patterson became the new minister. He was the founder of the Catch-My-Pal Temperance Movement in which he was so successful that pressure was brought '" to bear upon him to undertake the Secretaryship of the Protestant Total Abstinence Union, thus bringing about his resignation in August 1910.
In May 1911 the Rev. David Graham was installed and five years later a union took place between the Second and Third Congregations. Mr. Graham retired from active duties in February 1939, at a time when . there were rumours that the Third· Congregation had designs upon First Armagh also- whether it will eventually absorb the latter remains to be seen. He was succeeded on 31 May, 1939, by the Rev. William Boyd, formerly of Burt, Co. Donegal.
In conclusion I must express regret at the fact that the oldest site connected with Presbyterianism in th e
c1ty should be so disgracefully neglected. Why it should have been allowed to become so is difficult to explain. Primarily it was due to an effort to settle the congregation more centrally, a phase which we hope is now ended with the settlement of the First and Second.
Jan. 24, 1707/08
July 14, 1708
Oct. 15, II
Oct. 24 II
March 17, 1708/09
June 9, 1709
Sept. 13, II
Jan.30, 1709/10.
June 24, 1711
April 14, 1711
APPENDIX I.,
Hearthm.oney of ye 11 ttle house 2/-
Park Gate, glazing and other work.
Rent of ye Meeting House £1.
Repair of ye Meeting House Park d1 tch 1/-
A lock for ye Park Gate.
Andrew Rowan for work about ye Park l/6
May Rent of ye Meeting House £1.
To rent of Meeting House due at ill Saints £1.
To glazing ye Meeting House 7/-
To thatching ye Meeting House 7 /-
6 loads of straw 5/-. To the thatcher 2/-. ill Saints rent of ye Meeting House £1.
Hearth Money for ye little house.
Aug. 26, 1712
To Walter Maister for ye fine and rent or a tenement taken for the building of a new Meeting House £1.10.5.
March 16, 1712/13. As above.
Hearth Money for ye little house.
Aug. 16, 1713.
To Walter Maister for ye rent and reparations of a tenement taken for building ye Meeting House £1.10.9. Ye May Rent of ye Meeting House £1.
March 28, 1713/14.
All Saints rent of ye Meeting House £1.
For ye rent of ye Walter Maister tenement for building a Meeting House £1.16.9.
taken
July 14.
April 4, 1715.
July 7, 1715.
May 10, 1715.
Rent of ye Meeting House £1.
Ye rent of James Murphy's Kiln £3.
For washing ye tables and forms after ye fall of ye kiln 1/-
Str aw to thatch ye Meeting House £2.5.0.
Thatching and Scallops £1.
Rent of ye Meeting House £1.
Rent of ye present Meeting House £2.2.0.
Mending of fences about Meeting House yard.
Jan. 26, 1715/16. Expense of building an aisle £6.15.J.½.
For levelling ye floor. Accounts for year show All Saints Rent of ye two Meeting Houses £3.2.0.
Jan. 20, 1717 /18. All Saints Rent of ye Meeting House £2. 1718-1719.
All Saints rent of ye old Meeting House £1.
Rent of present Meeting House £2.2.0.
Meeting House £1. .£>,
Rent of ye old Meeting House Park .11..J.. and old
Repairs to doors.
Oct. 29.
lov. 21+-.
Reparations of ye Meeting House 2/-.
Repairing of thatch•
KaY 28, 1722.
Oct. 17.
Present Meeting House Rent £2. 2. o.
Rant of new Meeting House £7.10. o.
Rant of present £2. 2. o.
Feb. 22, 1723/21+.
Dec. 24, 1721+.
Mar. 21, 1721+/5
April 25, 1725.
July 11.
June 1726. ,
Oct. 8.
Rant of the new Meeting House and ye first Old Meeting House and ye August rent of ye last · old one rant not carried out.
For painting ye numbers on ye seats 6. lJ.½.
Rent of ye old Meeting House £1.
Rent of ye several Meeting Houses £10. 12. o.
James Aicken for his loss in building of ye new Meeting House.
For carriage of 12 short boards tor ye gate of ye yard in which ye new Meeting House 1s built 1. 0.•
Rent of Meeting House in that year £4. 5. O. Gate of new Meeting House yard 3. lf½.
May rent of ye Meeting House £4. 5. O.
For putting troughs to eaves of ye Meeting Bouse llt-. lf½.
July 17, 1707. Subscription towards repairing Dungannon Meeting House 5/-
Aug. 24, 1707. To Lurgan 8/- Do. in 1708 and 1709.
Dec. 18, 1707. To George Cochran for renewing his lease of ye ground on which ye Meeting House of Tynan now stands :£1.
Nov. 7, 1712. To Loughgall Meeting House 8/-
Oct. 9, 1717. Ye building of ye Meeting House at Castle Blayney 10/-
Oct. 10, 1721. To the support of Vinecash 4/- again in 1722.
Oct. 18, 1725. Building of ye Meeting House of Drum 5/5.
June 12, 1726. For ye building of ye Meeting House of Dromore £2. 14. O.
Mi .see) 1aneoua
nsiting Preachers.
ColDUilion Wine:
In July 1707 16 gallons and 2 bottles@ £ 3 • 6. o.
May 1711 14 gallons.
Incidental:
Hearth Money for little house appears annually until 1708-11.
To pay ye school wages of 3 poor children.
May 16, 1708. To drink for the ministers 2½d.
Collected at ye gate of ye Meeting House appears
Collected at ye door 11 11 II II II
Oct. 12, 1714. Mending ye pulpit cushions 3d.
Medicine for the poor.
July 22, 1714. Given to Mr. Thompson to help him to transport his family to America £1.
nie Meeting House Park. Old Meeting House.
nie Meeting House Yard. New Meeting House.
To Pat McConnellan an Irish boy turned Protestant for buying a Bible for him 2/2, May 21, 1717.
T s t 7 161+6 show that Lieut. eaplepatrick Session Minutes, ep 'did nbt attend church. Wallace had some Irish under htim 0 from him or else cause Session Order that they be pu away than to keep chttrch.
Aug. 6, 1717. A large Bible for ye pulpit.
May 8, 1718. To Alexander Morton for 800 tickets 10/-
Oct. 14, 1718.
July 11, 1725.
Mr. Archibald Maclaine for a Sabbath's supply.
Carriage on boards for ye gate of ye yard in which the Meeting House is built. Cost of gate in accounts of 1726.
Annalecta Hibernia, Vol.11, Rawlinson Papers. nSept. 6, 1708, Dr. Thos. Cox, Vicar of St. Peter' s, Drogheda. One James Fleming had intruded into the parish who pretends to be a Presbyterian minister. 11
Fleming who was brought before the Mayor, Aldermen and Council, said he 11 was sent by the Presbytery of Armagh of which he himself was President and Chairman 11 •
The Session List for 1707.
Mr. Edmond Stone.
Mr. James Reed.
Mr. James Johnston
William Johnston. '
George Logan.
Archibald Shields.
William Brown.
William Allen.
Walter Maister.
Robert Martin.
John Clark.
Ninian Nelson.
John Palmer.
James Montgomery.
Thomas Dobbin.
John Cothcart.
John Dickie.
John Hunter.
George Maister.
John Robinson.
Knappagh.
Removed from ye parish. Abdicated. Removed from ye parish.
Loughgall.
This list occurs on the second page of the Sessions Book, the annotations "Dead", 11 Removed 11 and "Joined" were made at a later date, but before 17?9.
Edmond Stone appears in a rental of 1713. The tenement or house wherein he then lived in the English Street of Armagh at the south end of the Sessions House is described and we are told it was a large well built house. Lease 1 Nov. 1707, for 40 years. One of the best Inns in Armagh.
PETITIONS OF PROTESTANT DISSENTERS
IN OCTOBER AND NQYJIJ:BER 1775
Parliamentary Papers in Record Office, Dublin. Bundle 28 Nos.1-42 (5.0 _ 195 _ ll).
JA,4, A,r;na~h Parish.
"1,lliam Johnston
Robert Sloan
John Prentice
John Hender son
John Morrison
Steven Nesbit
William Long
Gao. Murray
David Twinen
William Bleakely
William Dobbin
David Hamilton
Samuel Johnston
tbomas Johnston
John Johnston
James McDowel
William Marton
'lb. Watt
"111 Stuart
Jobn Johnston
1••• Johnston
James Moore.
John Kenady
Thomas Campbell
John Blackwood
A.lexr. Willson
Robt. Bleakney
Arthur McCleane
Alexander Ireland
John Jones
William Jones
Andrew Oliver
John Wilson
Wm. McBride
John Houston
Thomas Ballantine
Robert Ballantine
Samuel Watt
Thomas Ballantine
Matthew Glass
Sal'.llUel Glass
James Moore
John Johnston, Junior
David Palmer
Saml. Anderson
Nathl: Dobbin
Jno. Dobbin, Junior
Robert Knox
Thomas Osburn
James Donaldson
Leonard Gillespie
Robert Leeman
Josh. Oliver
Andw. Williamson
John Williamson
John Carson
Willm. Purvis
Gabriel King, Junior
George Barnes
John Brown
James Glass
James Glass
William Sloane
James Sloane
William Callen
J ame1 J ohDston
lflll Oliver
Al exr. Waugh
Alex. Ballantine
Jno. McCullagh
Matthew Glass, Junior
Jas. Boyde
Thomas Gillespie
Robert Boyd
Thomas Gillespie
Jas. Webster
Jno. Marshall, Junior
Robt. Humphri s
John Stephenson
John Johnston
James Webster
Gao. McBride
Jno. Brown
William Scott
-George Sloane-
Thos. Prentice
Robert McBride
David Adams
John Adams
J al]les Macartney
John Orr
Hugh Tate
Thos. Sloane
John Handcock
John Wilkin
Peter Christy
Henry Frazer
Arthur Oliver
John Davey
Willm. Russell
James Prentice
Lee McKinstry
John Rowan
Thomas McKennall
Tobias King
Samuel Bur eh
James McBride
Charles Briers
ilex Johnston
George Simeral
David Williamson
James Callen
David Callen
Harnord Carr
Villiam Feemster
Jobn Allen
Andrew Prentice
James Waugh
William McWilliam
James McWilliam
Henry McKean
John Kearney
Thos. Reed
John Marshall Senr.
Robert Murray
James Russell
Wm. Johnston
George Johnston
Oliver Henry
William Niblo
Moses McBride
James McBride
A.rchy Starr
William McCUJ.lagh
William Gray
John Callen
Jno Murray
John Henery
Thos Frame
Mathew Craford
Eiugh Ross
Jas. Bell
. .. . Burrell
John Giffen
Jas. Briers
John Sleator
Robert McKewen
John Williamson
Will. Brucks
Hugh Tamson
John Campbell
John Wright
Salllu.el Murray
lizl. Cuming
Robt. Cuming
Jas Murray
Samuel Murray
Jas Mccraken
Henry Thompson
George Murray
John Kenady
John Glass
8am.l Col Yin
l'homas Teat
Jose ,. Ouming
,rt McMaster
W:n. Lister
Willm Craige
James Henry
Thomas Carson
James Burrell
Geo. Burrell
Will. Camp bell, Minr.
Jon Simpson
Sa.ml. Maxwell
Robt. Jackson
James Wilson
Joseph Nelson
James Burch
George Burch
Samuel Herran
John Dobbin
John Osburn
Geo. Ferguson
James Boyd
William Moore
Sam Graham
Samul Brown
James Lowry
William Geough
Jos. Johnston
John Cuming Jun •
Wi __ .:. · · !'en.
Jas p entice Junior
Gabriel King N.D.
Jas Maxwell
John Kane
Alexr Paterson
William r--1artin
Ja!lles McLane
James !·1cDowell Jun
JaJies Maxwell.
Thomas Dobbin
Willm Kilpatrick
Graham Johnston
Thos Simpson
David Kane
Montgomery Slater
Nicholas Scott
Jno Cumings
John Cochran
Robert Moore
Riots in Armagh 1212..
No.BI+• Brief of the Examinations about the R• t t A Brief of the Examinations given in ag!~ns~ Jo:agh. Hender son butcher, and others who committed a riot and knocked down several gents ~n Armagh, on the 17th March 1717 b t nine o'clock that ru.ght. , , a ou
Taken before Walter Dawson, Esq., one of His Majesty• s Justices of Peace for the County of Armagh.
Samuel Ogle, Esq., Sovereign of Armagh -
Deposeth that on the 17th March 1717 he met in the Scotch Street of Armagh, James Henderson, butcher, going through the said street.,_ with a staff in his hand calling out t II Scoure the Tories 1111 1Jarnn the Tories 11 • The said Sovereign ctesired the said Henderson to forbear such expressions for fear it should ere ate quarrels, it being a public Fair Day and the said Henderson would not forbear using the same words. Note this was done about four of the clock in the afternoon.
Robert McBarnes -
Deposeth that the same day about the same time he met the said James Hender son in the said street, swaggering with a. st aff in his hand and calling out 11 Scoure the Tories and the Papists for they are all alike" and 11 Damn the Church of England people for the most of them are Jacobites 11 and further depose th th~t being appointed that night one of the Town Gua rd . of ~rma~~ll~ng went in the said Scotch Street of Armagh, to a~i st :-~ James a great riot he heard was committed there, by e ;f1 Dawson and Henderson and others who had knocked down Mr. Chap one of His others and before he got there Thomas DawsonE Esq.A h tjesty• s Justices of Peace and James Ogle, sih~ s:~gJimes Be:reign, got to quell the riot where h!ns!wvery assaulting erson take hold of the said the said Thomas ~a.nner and wouilid not submit though he ~e; that damn time he hawson to be a Justice of the Peace0 d four or five cows to spend"•
Mary Matthews -
Deposeth that the same night, Mr. Chapel Dawson Mr Thomas Bond, Junior, Mr. Thos. Ogle and two more weri in•h house ~ating oyst~r~ and drinking a glass of wine peaceabler and qU1.etly and g1.v1.~ no offen?e to anyone and she attendlng them; that seve~al tl.Dle~ that ru.ght she heard some people in the street calling out Scoure the Tories 11 , That when the said Chapel Dawson and Thomas Ogle were going home out of her house they were both knocked down by some persons but she knows not' who they were. That she saw the said James Henderson and another assault and beat the said Thomas Bond.
Dan Murran -
Deposeth that the same night, Mr. Chapel Dawson, Mr.Thomas Bond and others were in Francis Matthews house in Armagh and when going home out the said house they were in a most violent manner set on by James Henderson, Hugh Black, Wm. McGee and several other persons whose names J::e knows not, who in a most riotous manner assembled themselves and just as the said Chapel Dawson was going out of the said Matthews• house, the said Hugh Black did knock him down with a large stick and that the said Wm. McGee did knock down the said Thomas Ogle and that the said Henderson did assault the said Thomas Bond who gave no manner of provocation to the said rioters and that he does believe they did assemble themselves with an intent to abuse the said Dawson and the rest •
Wm. Field -
Deposeth that next morning after the said~io~fh~h:a!~ company w1 th James Johnston and Roger Lawsonl O n had not got rioters, who told him if Black Thomanias Da~so~efi!~es the said enough they would give him more, me ng e Chapel Dawson.
Wm. Campbell -
Deposeth that the same night, being about nine 0 , 1 k he was in the h?use of Thom~s Robinson in the Scotch st~e~~ ~f Armagh and hea:ing a shot in the street, he went towards the house of Francis Matthews. He saw Wm. McGee and Hugh Dick mock down Thomas Ogle with clubs and saw James Henderson knock down Chapel Dawson with a large staff and saw Mr Edward Dixie used after the same manner but by whom he.knows not.
That he saw Roger Lawson in the riot with the aforesaid persons and with them John McGlerney James Johnston Robert Henderson and John McConnell and that the aforesaid ioger threw several stones at the said Thomas Ogle and hit the said Ogle and disabled him in the arm.
That he saw the said Henderson and David McWilliams going down the said street singing 11 Scoure the Tories and Papists 11 • He further deposeth that he heard Dan McMullan say Hugh Black and Wm. McGee asked him why he had not a better . stick in his hand· that McMullan returned for answer his staff was good enough. 'They answered "is that all you know of the matter, for you will see bloody work presently"•
Thomas Ogle -
Deposeth that the same night he was in the house 0 ~ Francis Matthews in Armagh, drinking a bottle . of w;~~ ~}t~s Mr. Chapel Dawson and others and that on leaving Pit company in the said Matthews' house, in °rd e~ to wa·us~nas Chapel Dawson who was going to his fa th e~•swa~u!~~tJviolently he came out of the said Matthews' door, e McGee and assaulted and knocked down by Hught Blthackg~~~tW!ffusion of his others whose names he knows not, o e blood.
Richard Johnston -
Deposeth that the same night he was in company with the said James Henderson, James Johnston, David McConnell John McConnell, Hugh McConnell, Robert Henderson, James Driford and several other persons in the house of Roger Lawson im the Scotch Street of Armagh where he saw the said James Draford go often out of the door and call publickly in the street u5coure the Toriesu and then return into said house and that he heard the said David McConnell declare he would break a leg that night having a large staff in hi-s hand.
That when the quarrel began in the said street the said David, John and Hugh McConnell were concerned in the said riot and that the said Bradford desired the other persons to go with him into the street to -Scoure the Tories."
Thomas Bond -
Deposeth that the same evening he visited Chapel Dawson to eat some oysters at the house of Francis Matthews, that accordingly they went ·there and there came to them Mr. Thomas Ogle and two others where they sat peaceably and gave no offence to anyone. 'Tb.at Mrs. Mary Dawson about nine o'clock sent for her son Mr. Chapel Dawson to go home; that upon the d · said message the said Chapel Dawson (who had no sti?k or swor about him) was going home with a servant and the said Th:s t Ogle in his company and in a little space afterth thi s ~x le nan had an account that the said.Chapel ~aws1~a~ed ~~a!asgdone were knocked down, this examinant being O t the street by one James Henderson and others and giin~ i~~f he saw a near the said Matthews' house to preven mi~~ there he saw great crowd of people riotously a~~embl!~ rioters who seized the said James Henderson amongsthimebsabiting his finger. on this examinant and assaulted Y
Francis Matthews -
Deposeth that the same night Mr. Chapel Dawson, Mr. Thomas Bond, Junior, and others wer~ in his house eating oysters a~d drinking a glass of wine, were very peaceable all the time they were in his house and gave no offence to a:ny person and that about nine of the clock, some of the said guests were going home quietly, he heard at his door 11 murder 11 called out and going to the street he saw Wm. McGee, Hugh Black of Armagh, John McGlerney, James Johnston, John McConnell and James Henderson with several others in a riotous and tumultuous manner assembled and heard they or some of them were the persons who knocked down the said Chapel Dawson and Thomas Ogle. This examinant told the siiid Wm. McGee who had a long stick} which he did believe to be a pin or Keeve staff, he had oetter be at home than knocking down gents and committing riots or words to that purpose. That he saw James Henderson assault Thomas Bond and bite his fingers. And next morning going to the house of David Wilson to enquire who were the said rioters the night before the said Wilson told this examinant that James Draford of Annagh (whom this examinant is credibly informed was one of the said rioters) came to the said Wilson and desired him to come out and assist their Church or Kirk, but that the said Wilson would not but turned the said Braford out of his house.
Jane Sloan -
Deposeth that the same day she saw James Draffoid h a Presbyterian at his h?us~ in~he 5f~t~~~:~i i~ld~~! he vho said uscoure the Whigs • e sa 1 mi ht have his was wrong to scoure the Whi~s for that ~eh fhe said Brafford head broke for such expressions, ~pon ~h r a crowd about him said he used the said expression ° ga e went to bed for and that he would beat somebodyt~fo~~~~ant did not believe that he had been beaten. Ti;at s ~or did he complain of him seeing no effusion of his b~ 0 \nrormant never heard of the any bruises he received. ~d -:; s rma h but by Robert expression u scouring the Whigs in ! rs gand they making use Prentice and Adam Betty, two Disse~o! commanding in the . or the said expression. Lt. Gough id Beatty and Prentice fled Barracks of Armagh did beat the sa into this informant's house.
Thomas Dawson, Esq. -
Deposeth that being at the house of Wm. English of Armagh, Junior,in company with the Rev. w. Ja.mes Cunningham and other guests on the 17th March last about nine or ten o'clock of the.said night, there ~as an account brought to him that a great rio~ or quarrel was in Scotch Street of Armagh which the Sovereign of Armagh could not quell and in which the examinant 1 s son, Chapel Dawson was knocked down or murdered. This examinant immediately required the said Mr. Cunningham and others in the company to assist him to quiet the same and coming into the Scotch Street of Armagh and having the Sovereign in company with him, they went to the house of Roger Lawson, where they were told the said rioters were together and this doore being shut they commanded it to be opened 7 but refusing to do it the said door was got open, where ~his examinant the said Sovereign and those that assisted him, found James Henderson and several others with him whom this nexaminant was told were the persons who committed the said riot. The Sovereign calling out the King's Peace and this examinant commanding them to submit, who refusing, this examinant took hold of the said James Henderson and commanded him to submit. Tho 1 refusing it at first, the said Henderson having hold of this deponent•s breast and his other arm stretched out in an assaulting manner told this exanunant (and used the word damn him as this examinant verily believes) he had four or five cows to spend upon it. This examinant further deposeth that the said James Henderson knew this examinant to be a Justice of the Peace of said County at the time he commanded the said Henderson to submit, but would not then till he saw a force sufficient to oblige him to it.
Deposeth that returning from the country to Armagh about 8 o'clock at night of the 17th March last, he met in the Scotch Street of that town Wm. McGee, Hugh Black, and a ser!ant of Tb.os. Matthews' what stick the said McMullen had in his hand and told him it was not good enough and~the said McGee would brake it and bid the said McMullen get a better for that he wo~d see bloody work presently. Said McMullen went into his fathers t house, but did not return to themt but heard soon after a grea cry in the street and then was in.rormed Mr. Chapel Dawson, Mr. ~•• Ogle and others were knocked i~:; !~c!o~~e~i~;~:swh~; thne1 by the said McGeei Black anidt od in the said street, when 8 Aid examinant be 1eves wa e
