Richhill
| Richhill | |
| County Armagh | |
|---|---|
| |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | H941480 |
| Location: | 54°22’19"N, 6°33’4"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 2,818 (2001) |
| Post town: | Armagh |
| Postcode: | BT61 |
| Dialling code: | 028 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Newry and Armagh |
Richhill is a large village and townland in County Armagh, roughly halfway between Armagh and Portadown. The 2001 recorded a population of 2,818 people.
Originally named Legacorry (Log a' Choire; "Hollow of the Cauldron"), the village takes its name from Edward Richardson, who built the manor house, Richhill Castle, around which the village grew up.
Origins
At the beginning of the 1600s, the area of Richhill had long been part of the Gaelic Irish territory of Oneilland. In 1610, as part of the Plantation of Ulster, the land was granted to Englishman Francis Sacherevall.[1] His granddaughter Ann married Edward Richardson, who was an English officer, Member of Parliament for County Armagh from 1655 to 1696, and High Sheriff of Armagh in 1665.[1] In about 1660, Richardson built a manor house (now Richhill Castle) on the site that would become Richhill,[1] and in 1664 it was reported that there were twenty houses there.[2] At this time, the village was named Legacorry,[2][3] after the townland in which is sprang up.
In Thomas Molyneux's Journey to the North (1708) the place appears as "Legacorry, a pretty village belonging to Mr Richardson".[2] It gradually became known as Richardson's Hill and this was shortened to Rich Hill. The original gates to the manor house were wrought by two brothers named Thornberry from Falmouth in Cornwall and were erected in 1745. In 1936 they were moved to the entrance of Hillsborough Castle.[4][5]
Village Regeneration
Early in 2012, it was announced that work would begin on a £1.5 million regeneration scheme, which will transform the village and involve the restoration of about 20 buildings. The Richhill Partnership began work in 2013 with the concealing of overhead wires and cables on streets within the conservation area and building restoration work began in early March. The regeneration project along with many other projects will make the village a more appealing place to visit in the future. [6]
Churches
- Church of Ireland: St Matthew's
- Independent: Drop Inn Community Church
- Methodist: Richhill Methodist Church
- Pentecostal: Richhill Elim Church
- Presbyterian:
- Quakers: The Society of Friends Richhill[7]
Sport
- Cycling: Orchard Wheelers Cycling Club
- Football:
- Broomhill F.C.
- Richhill F.C.
- Richhill Recreation Centre
- Hunting: Armagh and Richhill Beagles
- Riding:
- Volleyball: Richhill Raiders Volleyball Club
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Richhill) |
- Richhill online
- Visit Armagh
- Culture Northern Ireland
- Richhill Presbyterian Church Home Page
- Richhill Methodist Church
- Drop Inn Community Church
- Hardy Memorial
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Richhill Castle History. Richhill Building Preservation Trust.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 T. G. F. Paterson & Emyr Estyn Evans. Harvest Home: A selection from the writings of T. G. F. Paterson relating to County Armagh. Armagh County Museum, 1975. pp.155-156
- ↑ Art J. Hughes & William Nolan. Armagh: History & Society. Geography Publications, 2001. p.317
- ↑ "Give Richhill back its gates says UTV man". Portadown Times. http://www.portadowntimes.co.uk/news/local/give-richhill-back-its-gates-says-utv-man-1-4990888. Retrieved 12/04/2013.
- ↑ "Dying man wants castle gates back". BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8362795.stm. Retrieved 12/04/2013.
- ↑ Armagh City & District – Regeneration Projects
- ↑ http://www.quakers-in-ireland.ie/quakermeetings/ulster/richhill/