Ballymore Parish Church

About

Ballymore Parish Church is a 19th-century stone Church of Ireland church in Tandragee, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The church was referenced in ecclesiastical records as far back as 1343 and maintained an association with the Dukes of Manchester, who were benefactors to the church, until the mid-1950s. The previous church was demolished in 1812 to allow for the building of a bigger cruciform church.

History: In 1343, Roger Sampford held possession of a Prebendary of Armagh for the Parish Church of Tamlackikieth (Tandragee) with its churches. In 1610, King James I granted Oliver St. John, Lord Deputy of Ireland a large plot of land, which included Ballymore. In 1622, Oliver St. John constructed the church of Ballymore on this land. This structure functioned not only as a place of worship but also as a fortress, featuring walls that were four feet thick and a cannon on the church tower. During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, violence broke out in Tandragee which lead to Edmond O'Hanlon and his rebels setting fire to the church. The church was repaired in 1670, during which a tower was also constructed. In February 1812, it was recorded that the church located on the site was demolished...