THE TOWNLAND OF BALLYHERIDAN
The townland of Ballyheridan is in the parish of Lisnadill in Armagh County.
It is labelled number 7 on the map.
The Environment and Heritage Service Sites and Monuments Record (2002) notes
the following in this townland:
Barrow of the Bronze Age Period.
SMR NO: ARM 012:022
GRIDREF: H88044300
CONDITION: SOME REMAINS
“The profile of this earthwork has beem much eroded. It comprises a central
area surrounded by a circular ditch & external bank. The interior measures
25m NW-SE and seems to be level with the surrounding ground. The ditch is
5m wide & c.0.3m deep, but it has been cut deeper into the hillside on
E. Around the E half of the site there is a bank outside the ditch, separated
from it by a berm of c.2m. The bank is c.6m wide and peters out to N &
SW. A break in the bank on the W may mark an original entrance.”
“South Meridian Mark” State Care Monument of the 18th-19th Centuries.
SMR NO: ARM 012:069
GRIDREF: H87904279
CONDITION: SUBSTANTIAL REMAINS
“This is a column of stone c.18ft high with a rectangular plan. The lower
stage is of squared & coursed rubble, c.7’6 high, while the upper
portion is of finely wrought limestone and is broadly classical in style.
The main column measures c.4’x 2’8″. Above an entableture. enriched with
compass stars, and a concave gorge cornice is a pediment with concave raking
cornices and an iron ring sight. It was used with a Troughton Equatorial telescope
at the [Armagh] Observatory in the late C18th.”
Platform rath of the Early Christian Period.
SMR NO: ARM 016:003
Irish Grid Reference: H88184242
Sitename: DOUGAN’S FORTH?
Townland: BALLYHERIDAN
CONDITION: some remains
This circular earthwork is partly preserved by recent hedge boundaries, but a substantial portion of the E side has been quarried away. A low, platform 47.5m N-S x 46m E-W stands O.9m above the surrounding ground. There is an enclosing bank 2.5m wide & c. O.4m high visible on N & W, but at S, the hedge that preserved this part has been removed. Around N & W sides is an outer ditch up to 3m across & 0.6m deep below the outer ground level. This has been obviously recut in several places & is partly water filled.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
PATERSON, T. G. F. NOTES, Vol. 135
STANDING Stone of prehistoric period
SMR NO: ARM 016:068
Irish Grid Reference: H881424
Townland: BALLYHERIDAN
According to Paterson, the stone is located at the rath ARM 016:003. No description available.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
PATERSON, T. G. F. NOTES, Vol. 135
PRONI records: D.288/70A (Map of part of Ballyheridan.); OS/6/2/12/1 (Surveyed
1835. Engraved 1835.); OS/6/2/12/2 (Surveyed 1835. Revised 1860. Engraved 1860
(Stat file copy).); OS/6/2/12/3 (Not Received.); OS/6/2/12/4 (Surveyed 1835.
Revised 1905-06. Reprinted 1931-1947. Published 1931 with mss markings in red
and stamped references 2566, 2567, 2573.); OS/6/2/12/5 (Surveyed 1906. Revised
1948. Levelled 1888 and 1906. Levels revised 1949. Published 1953. (2 copies)
– 1 being reprint 1953, 56, 61).); OS/6/2/16/1 (Surveyed 1834-35. Engraved 1835.);
OS/6/2/16/2 (Surveyed 1834-35. Engraved 1835. Revised 1860. Engraved 1862.);
OS/6/2/16/3 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1906. Levelled 1888-89 and 1906. Published
1908. Reprint 1952, 1954.); OS/6/2/16/4 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1906. Levelled
1888-89 and 1906. Published 1908. Reprint 1929.); OS/6/2/16/5 (Surveyed 1834-35.
Revised 1906. Levelled 1888-89 and 1906. Published 1908. Reprint 1952, 1954
with Mss. markings in red and stamped ref. 2568.); OS/6/2/16/6 (Surveyed 1906.
Revised 1955. Levelled 1906. Published 1958. (2 copies).); VAL/1B/27 (1st valuation
records.); VAL/12B/10/9A, VAL/12B/10/9B, VAL/12B/10/9C, VAL/12B/10/9D, VAL/12B/10/9E
(Valuation annual revision list.); VAL/2B/2/8AC 1862 (Griffith valuation list.C
1862).
