6 Barrack Street has been given a new lease of life after lying vacant for many years. What a transformation and now the proud place home to Sojourn Coffee. Check out our pre and post restoration video below.

Over 50 people attended the two History talks delivered by Sean Barden and Mary McVeigh in April and June 2022. Sean’s talk was entitled ‘The search for Salt Box Court’ , tracing the development of the early small streets of Armagh and the number of people living there.

Marys talk was entitled  ‘Castle Street – Glimpses into the past’ and took place on Wednesday 22^nd June 2022. Mary traced the origins of how Castle Street came to be named back to the 12th century. She then took us through its development from 1760 into the first and later half of the 19th century. The Talks were delivered as part of the Armagh City Townscape heritage scheme which is funded by ABC and @National Lottery Heritage fund.

Two fascinating history talks will take place on Armagh City street names and the history of Castle Street Armagh. Delivered by Sean Barden and Mary McVeigh, the sessions will take place on Wednesday 30^th March and Wednesday 6^th April  at the Palace Demesne commencing at 7:30pm.

The sessions are delivered as part of the Armagh City Townscape Heritage scheme and are made possible with funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund and ABC Council. Places are limited so please book by emailing Ciara.macneice@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk

Another two projects have commenced their restoration journeys as part of the Armagh City Townscape Heritage scheme. 26 Scotch Street Armagh and 33 Upper English Street Armagh (also known as Armagh County Club) To date we have seven buildings in the process of being restored. Please see images of project commencement below. The Projects are made possible with funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund, ABC Council as well as private investment.

This project is developing at a great pace and greatly enhancing the street and the row of Seven Houses on Upper English Street. The video below shows progress to date on the time-lapse camera. No 43 was originally built in 1774 but after a fire it was demolished in the 1957. Now 65 years later with funding from public and private sector, the building is being raised from the ground. The Project is made possible by funding from National Lottery Heritage Fund, ABC Council as well as private investment.

Armagh City Townscape Heritage, funded by ABC Council and National Lottery Heritage Fund will facilitate a series of three history talks.

The three talks which will take place on 3^rd November at the Palace Armagh, 11^th November, Palace Stables, Armagh and 17^th November at Palace Stables Armagh. People will be able to attend the free talks and they will commence each evening at 7:30pm – 8:15pm.  If you would like to book your place please email by Ciara.macneice@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk or call or text 07753 265046 by Friday 29^thOctober 2021.

Armagh City Townscape heritage 3D Sketch Project – Ulster Architectural Heritage informed us that our application for ‘Best Contribution to a Heritage Project by Young people’ has being shortlisted and we have made it through to the final stage of the UAH Heritage Angel Awards. UAH were in Armagh last week interviewing Peter McNeill, Project Lead and Ciara MacNeice, Education & activities officer. The Heritage Angel awards will be held in Belfast City Hall on Tuesday 23^rd November 2021. For more details about the project please see link below:

https://armaghcityth.com/activities/primary-school-heritage-project/

The National Lottery Heritage Fund and ABC Council invest £6.3m to revive Armagh City’s historic built heritage and beauty

Potential UK City of Culture winner Armagh City is powering ahead with a major £6.3 million investment to revive and transform some of its best-loved historic buildings and streetscapes.

Up to 15 iconic buildings are being sympathetically restored across the city centre under a five-year Townscape Heritage scheme in a partnership project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and the buildings’ owners.

One of the oldest cities in Ireland, Armagh is famous for its Georgian façades and listed buildings which are instrumental in giving Armagh its distinctive, unique and historical feel.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Alderman Glenn Barr, said:

“Our historic buildings are part of Armagh’s fabric and I’m delighted with the progress being made to revive their beauty and their use in this forward-looking, confident and vibrant city. This carefully-planned multimillion-pound restorative project puts buildings and conservation at the heart of our city’s future, adding to its unique character and making it an even more attractive place.

“This investment is important in protecting the city’s built heritage and beauty, and the progress being made now is particularly timely as we look forward to staking our claim for the UK City of Culture 2025.”

Now, one of its most historic buildings – part of the famous ‘Seven Houses’ – is set to rise again after it was destroyed in a fire more than 60 years ago.

Transformative work on No. 1 Seven House on Upper English Street, an iconic Georgian building created in 1770, will breathe new life into this part of the city, with work on several others also well under way.

With a collective investment of £950,000, the investment in No 1 Seven House has created new jobs and commercial and residential opportunities, providing a real catalyst for renewal, recovery and growth.

All Seven Houses on the street date back to the 1770s, although currently only six of them remain after the fire damage in 1955. The handsome terrace is B+ listed and were built by Dean Averell of Armagh who was said to have commissioned their creation so that each of his seven sisters would have a house of their own.

Key buildings in Armagh’s protected conservation area are on track for investment include Upper English Street, Scotch Street, Barrack Street and Russell Street, which are also being redeveloped as part of the overall heritage-led regeneration scheme, with many existing businesses in the city set to benefit directly from the sympathetic developments.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has invested almost £2 million in the Armagh Townscape Heritage Project.

Darren Rice, Committee Member, Northern Ireland, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:

“Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to, which is why we are proud to support the Armagh Townscape Heritage Project, thanks to National Lottery players. This will not only preserve and rejuvenate the important built heritage in the city to be enjoyed by locals and visitors from further afield, but will also play a significant role in boosting the local economy and aiding the wider regeneration of the Armagh city region.”

Welcoming the investment, Colin McKee, who owns No 1 Seven House on Upper English Street, said:

“With the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and ABC Council, the project to restore No. 1 Seven House will have a positive impact on this part of the city while preserving and protecting Armagh’s built heritage.”

Last month, The UK City of Culture officially released the names of all those cities competing for the coveted title in 2025 and confirmed Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon as a potential future winner for Northern Ireland.

The Townscape Heritage Project also provides grants to eligible owners or tenants of historic buildings identified for transformation within the Conservation Area.

Armagh’s largest building conservation project begins as work starts on 6 & 10 Barrack Street

Armagh has initiated multi-million pound plans to sympathetically restore and rejuvenate up to 15 of its oldest, historic buildings as part of a major city transformation project.

A combined investment of £6.3 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and building owners is behind the new townscape project.

One of the oldest cities on the island, Armagh is famous for its Georgian façades and listed buildings which are instrumental in giving Armagh its distinctive, unique and historic feel.

Initial work to reinstate the former beauty of 6 & 10 Barrack & Little Barrack Street has just got underway and when complete will integrate four vibrant retail units incorporating all the iconic features of their former incarnation.

Plans include the introduction of traditional shop fronts appropriate for the Conservation Area, restoration and careful replacement of the remaining historic windows, re-pointing existing Armagh stone, re-slating and sympathetic internal works to protect and preserve historic features including staircases and fireplaces.

Up to 15 buildings are earmarked for the sympathetic restoration which will encompass an anticipated combined potential investment of up to £6.3 million pounds funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and building owners.

The five-year Townscape Heritage project, which includes £520,000 to be invested in a series of detailed, transformational and restorative work on the first two buildings, will springboard further investment, creating new jobs, commercial and residential opportunities.

The hope is that new jobs will be created over the course of the scheme, which will act as a real catalyst for future recovery, investment and growth.

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Cllr Kevin Savage, said:

“Armagh’s Townscape Heritage Project puts buildings, beauty and conservation at the heart of the city’s ongoing transformation. With focus, investment and a collective passion to regenerate our built heritage, these four projects will go a long way to help restore and enhance much more of the city’s historic character for the benefit of everyone – businesses, residents and visitors.

Key buildings in Armagh’s protected conservation area, includes Upper English Street, Scotch Street, Barrack Street and Russell Street, will now be redeveloped as part of the overall heritage-led regeneration scheme – and many existing businesses in the city will benefit directly.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has invested £1.98 million in the Armagh Townscape Heritage Project.

Paul Mullan, Director, Northern Ireland, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:

“Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to, which is why we are proud to support the Armagh Townscape Heritage Project, thanks to National Lottery players. This will not only preserve and rejuvenate the important built heritage in the city to be enjoyed by locals and visitors from further afield, but will also play a significant role in boosting the local economy and aiding the wider regeneration of the Armagh city region.”

Built around 1830, the terrace of houses on Barrack Street were formerly private dwellings. The Valuation revision book classifies the terrace as ‘Houses and yards’. Some historic features remain to be seen on Little Barrack Street where there is a hatch that would have been linked to the privies at the back of the Barrack Street houses, enabling easy access for emptying the ‘night soil’ from these yards and is a nice late nineteenth century feature and one that is fast vanishing from back streets and alleys.

Delighted the project is now underway, property owner of No. 6 and No. 10 Barrack Street, Mervyn Wright said:

“With the support and encouragement of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and ABC Council, I’m thrilled that as the custodian of these buildings, I am helping to protect and preserve our historic environment, creating new and exciting opportunities.”

Work to restore and conserve the first of up to 15 historic buildings is being undertaken by local Richhill based contractor Merall Contracts Ltd who have extensive experience in sympathetic heritage-led refurbishment of listed buildings.

The Townscape Heritage Project provides grants to eligible owners or tenants of historic buildings identified for transformation within the Conservation Area, which includes a percentage of costs of building repair or other townscape heritage works.

Image: ‘Barrack Street, Armagh. Photo by DRM Weatherup, curator of Armagh County Museum, 21 March 1964’. © Armagh County Museum Collection’