Charlemont, County Armagh

St Peter's Parish Church

Charlemont is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated within the Armagh City and District Council area. Charlemont Bridge joins the villages of Charlemont on the east bank of the River Blackwater and Moy on the west. It had a population of 109 people (52 households) in the 2011 Census.^[1]

History

In 1600, Charles Blount was sent to Ireland as the last viceroy of Queen Elizabeth I. He joined a group of mercenaries who had been fighting in the valley of the Blackwater. He came to the place now known as Charlemont where he established a bridge of wood and a fort to guard the bridge in 1602. Prior to his founding of Charlemont Fort the place had been called Achadh an Dá Chora, the field of the two weirs, but it was renamed in his honour using his name and the French word for hill "Mont" i.e. Charlemont.

Charlemont remained a significant military post during the Stuart era, and was garrisoned by a detachment of the Irish Army. In October 1641 it was seized by rebels under the overall command of Sir Phelim O'Neill at the beginning of the Irish Rebellion of 1641. O'Neill may have captured a copy of the Great Seal of Scotland in Charlemont which he then used to produce a forged commission from Charles I, apparently ordering the Catholics of Ireland to rise.

In 1650, Charlemont was besieged by English Parliamentarian forces during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. The English took the fort from its Irish Catholic garrison under Phelim O'Neill, despite taking heavy casualties. It was again an important post during the Williamite War in Ireland and its Jacobite garrison under Sir Teague O'Regan was placed under a lengthy siege until being forced to surrender to the Williamite forces of Marshal Schomberg in 1690.

The Troubles

For more information see The Troubles in Charlemont, which includes a list of incidents in Charlemont during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.

Education

• St. Peter's Primary School

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charlemont, County Armagh.

• List of towns and villages in Northern Ireland
• Charlemont (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
• Ulster Canal

References

Geography of County Armagh
List of places in County Armagh
Cities and towns	Armagh Craigavon Lurgan Newry (part) Portadown
Villages and townlands	Acton Aghacommon Annaghmore Annahugh Ardress Aughanduff Ballydugan Ballymacnab Bannfoot Belleeks Bessbrook Blackwatertown Broomhill Camlough Carrickaness Charlemont Cladymore Clonmore Collegeland Corrinshego Creeveroe Creggan Crossmaglen Cullaville Cullyhanna Darkley Derryadd Derrycrew Derryhale Derrymacash Derrynoose Derrytrasna Dorsey Drumnacanvy Drumintee Edenaveys Forkill Granemore Hamiltonsbawn Jonesborough Keady Kernan Killeen Killylea Kilmore Lislea Lisnadill Loughgall Loughgilly Madden Maghery Markethill Meigh Middletown Millford Millvale Mountnorris Mullaghbawn Mullaghbrack Mullaghglass Mullavilly-Laurelvale Newtowncloghoge Newtownhamilton Poyntzpass Richhill Scotch Street Silverbridge Tandragee Tartaraghan The Birches Tullynawood Tynan Whitecross
Landforms	Coney Island Derrywarragh Island Eamhain Mhacha Lough Clea Slieve Gullion/Ring of Gullion
Baronies	Armagh Fews Lower Fews Upper Oneilland East Oneilland West Orior Lower Orior Upper Tiranny
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Coordinates: 54°26′32″N 6°41′8″W / 54.44222°N 6.68556°W / 54.44222; -6.68556