Charlemont

For the town in Massachusetts, see Charlemont, Massachusetts. For the political ward in England, see Charlemont and Grove Vale.

Charlemont is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 150 people in the 2001 Census. 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.

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" ie Charlemont.

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.

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

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

References

• NI Neighbourhood Information Service
• Culture Northern Ireland

Coordinates: 54°27′N 6°41′W / 54.45°N 6.683°W / 54.45; -6.683