THE TOWNLAND OF BALLYREAGH

The townland of Ballyreagh is in the parish of Ballymore in Armagh County.
It is labelled number 8 on the map.

The Environment and Heritage Service Sites and Monuments Record (2002) notes the following in this townland:

Rath of the Early Christian Period.
SMR NO: ARM 018:013
Irish Grid Reference: J03464002
Townland: BALLYREAGH
CONDITION: traces only
An oval “Fort” is indicated on the OS 6″ map of 1835, but a more regular circular earthwork c.40m diam. is shown on the 1863 revision. Buildings & a farm track have encroached from the N & W while the S side has been completely levelled into the hillside. Only on the NW might a portion of the original perimeter survived preserved in a field boundary. Here there is a scarp which falls 1.2m but even this is extensively disturbed by a field entrance.

Rath of the Early Christian Period.
SMR NO: ARM 018:015
Irish Grid Reference: J03203941
Townland: BALLYREAGH
CONDITION: destroyed
Part of the perimeter around the E side of a circular “Fort” c.35m diam. is shown on the 1835 OS 6″ map. On the subsquent 1863 revision a circular earthwork apparently laid out as a garden is indicated. The monument was located on almost level ground just S of the summit of a drumlin, but it was completely removed in 1980-81 & a bungalow now occupies the site. Field reports of 1960s record an embanked & ditched enclosure 38m in diam. The bank had been cut back and the ditch was waterlogged.

Rath of the Early Christian Period.
SMR NO: ARM 018:016
Irish Grid Reference: J03993927
Townland: BALLYREAGH
CONDITION: some remains
This circular earthwork was almost intact when visited in 1 960s but the N side has since been levelled & the interior has been cultivated. The perimeter on N is still visible as a scarp falling c.1m to the surrounding ground, but elsewhere a massive bank 4-5m wide x 1.2-1.8m high survives. The site is 35.5m N-S & 35m E-W. From the top of the bank there is a steep drop of c.3m to the base of a ditch c.4m wide x 0.75m deep. On the E side a 3m wide gap could be an original entrance. See SM7 for further details.

Cropmark enclosure of uncertain period
SMR NO: ARM 018:042
Irish Grid Reference: J04073956
Townland: BALLYREAGH
CONDITION: traces only
The site was locally said to be a levelled fort and is visible as a crop mark producing a marked change in the cereal crop grown there.

PRONI records: D.1524 (Conveyance.); D.1524 (Mortgage.); OS/6/2/18/1 (Surveyed 1835. Engraved 1835.); OS/6/2/18/2 (Surveyed 1835. Engraved 1835. Revised 1860. Engraved 1863.); OS/6/2/18/3 (Surveyed 1835. Revised 1906. Published 1908.); OS/6/2/18/4 (Surveyed 1835. Revised 1906. Published 1908. (2 copies – 1st a reprint 1930, 1933 and 2nd reprint 1933, 1939, 1942, 1946, 1955.); OS/6/2/18/5 (Surveyed 1906. Revised 1954-5. Levelled 1892, 1901-2, 1904 and 1906. Published 1958 (2 copies).); VAL/1B/214 (1st valuation records.); VAL/12B/10/37D, VAL/12B/15/23A, VAL/12B/15/23B, VAL/12B/15/23C, VAL/12B/15/23D, VAL/12B/15/23E (Valuation annual revision list.); VAL/2B/2/32C (Griffith valuation list.).