Alternate Name(s)
Armagh Gaol
Dates
1703-1773
Location
Located at site of current Armagh County Gaol.
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Description
Nothing remains of this barracks as it was replaced by the Armagh County Gaol in the late eighteenth century. The Gaol complex still exists today.
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[Not a valid template]History
The site of the first barracks in Armagh city in 1703 is unknown. Its existence is beyond doubt however, as it is identified on the 1714 Moll map and in the 1720 Geographical Description.
A new barracks was built in 1736-7 ‘at the south end of the Common’ or ‘head of the Mall’ on what became known thereafter as Barrack Street. It was demolished in 1780 and replaced with the County Gaol. The barracks itself had closed several years before in 1773 and had been transferred to a new site on Wellington Place (Armagh City 2), which was re-named Barrack Hill.
Maps
- Moll, Herman. A new map of Ireland divided into its provinces, counties and baronies, wherein are distinguished the bishopricks, borroughs [sic], barracks, bogs, passes, bridges, & c. 1714. Available from TNA, WO 78/419/19.
- ‘Ardmagh County’ map in A geographical description of Ireland (London, 1720). Available from Marsh’s Library.
Sources
- McKinstry, Robert, Oram, Richard, Weatherup, Roger, and Wilson, Primrose (eds), The buildings of Armagh (Belfast, 1992)
- Simms, Anngret, Clarke, Howard, and Gillespie, Raymond, Irish historic towns atlas: Armagh (Dublin, 2007).