Armagh – an inland county, province Ulster, bounded N. by county. Tyrone and Lough Neagh, E. by co. Down, S. by Louth, and W. by counties Monaghan and Tyrone. Greatest length N. and S., 32 miles; greatest breadth E. and W., 20 miles. Area, 328,086 acres (311,048 acres land and 17,038 water). Population 163,177, of whom 75,709 were Roman Catholics, 53,390 Protestant Episcopalians, 26,077 Presbyterians, and 4884 Methodists. The surface rises with gentle undulations from the shores of Lough Neagh to the hilly districts of the S. and SE.; chief summit Slieve Gullion, 1893 ft. The rivers are the Bann, Blackwater, Callan, and Newry. The soil is generally fertile, and there is much bog. Linen is the staple manufacture; there is also cotton. The county comprises 8 baronies, 28 parishes and parts of parishes, part of the parliamentary borough of Newry, the city of Armagh, and the towns of Lurgan, Portadown, and Tanderagee.
– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)
Ardress House – National Trust
64 Ardress Road, Annaghmore
Portadown BT62 1SQ
028 8778 4753
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ardress-house
This charming 17th-century farmhouse, elegantly remodelled in Georgian times, offers fun and relaxation for all the family. Set in 40 hectares (100 acres) of countryside there are apple orchards, charming woodland and riverside walks. The atmosphere of a working farmyard has been rekindled with the return of small animals.
Argory, The – National Trust
Derrycaw Road, Moy
Dungannon BT71 6NA
01868 784753
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/argory
Built in the 1820s, this handsome Irish gentry house is surrounded by its 130-hectare (320-acre) wooded riverside estate. The former home of the MacGeough Bond family, a tour of this neo-classical masterpiece reveals it is unchanged since 1900 – the eclectic interior still evoking the family’s tastes and interests.
Armagh Ancestry
38a English Street
Belfast BT61 7BA
028 3752 1800
www.armagh.co.uk/place/armagh-ancestry
Armagh Ancestry is the Irish Family History Foundation designated research centre for genealogical research in County Armagh. It is a member of the Irish Family History Foundation, a 32 county, cross border foundation, appointed by both the Church and State to create a national genealogical archive for the whole of Ireland.
Armagh County Museum
The Mall East
Armagh BT61 9BE
02837 523070
Armagh County Museum is located on the Mall, an area of urban parkland in the centre of the city. The unique character of the museum’s architecture makes it one of the most distinctive buildings in Armagh, similar in appearance to a little Greek temple. The oldest county museum in Ireland, its extensive collections are based on specimens gathered by the Armagh Natural History and Philosophical Society.
Armagh Observatory
College Hill
Armagh BT61 9DG
028 3752 2928
star.arm.ac.uk
The Armagh Observatory is a modern astronomical research institute with a rich heritage. Founded in 1790 by Archbishop Richard Robinson, the Observatory is one of the UK and Ireland’s leading scientific research establishments.
Craigavon Museum Services
Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Annaloiste Road
Lurgan BT66 6NJ
028 3831 1669
www.facebook.com/CraigavonMuseumServices
Craigavon Museum Services is based at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre. The museum collection includes over 150 vintage radios, ranging from the 1920s to the 1980s, along with many social history items and photographic material of the local area. T
Palace Stables Heritage Centre
Palace Demesne
Armagh BT60 4EL
028 3752 9629
Restored 1770 Georgian stables block set in the Palace Demesne. The Heritage Centre is located beside the Primate’s Palace, formerly the home of the Archbishop of the Church of Ireland until the 1970s.
Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum
Sovereigns House, Mall East
Armagh BT61 9DL
01861 522911
The museum is in Sovereign’s House, a Grade B listed building. The collection contains the uniforms, medals, regalia and the two Victoria Crosses won by the regiment. The regimental archive and library may be viewed by appointment.