Charlemont Fort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charlemont Fort |
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| Charlemont, County Armagh | |
Charlemont Fort in the 18th century
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 Charlemont Fort
Location within Northern Ireland
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| Coordinates | 54°26′53″N 06°40′44″W / 54.44806°N 6.67889°W |
| Type | Barracks |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1602 |
| In use | 1602-1858 |
Charlemont Fort was a strong military base, or garrison, located in Charlemont, County Armagh. It was built a long time ago, in 1602. This fort played a very important role in many battles throughout Ireland's history.
Contents
The Story of Charlemont Fort
Building a Stronghold
Lord Mountjoy built Charlemont Fort in 1602. He named it "Charlemont" after his own first name, Charles. The fort was placed on the Armagh side of the River Blackwater. About 150 soldiers were stationed there. Sir Toby Caulfield was in charge of these soldiers. His family later took the name Charlemont from the fort.
Battles and Changes
Charlemont Fort was very important during the Irish Confederate Wars in the 1640s. It was one of the few modern forts in Ireland back then. In 1641, Felim O'Neill and his Irish Confederate army captured the fort. They held onto it for many years.
Later, in late 1650, Charles Coote and his soldiers captured the fort. Many of Coote's soldiers were killed during this tough fight.
During the Williamite War in Ireland (1689-1691), a group called the Jacobites took over the fort. Their leader was Teague O'Reagan. The fort's defenses were strong. However, the soldiers inside did not have enough supplies. Because of this, they had to give up the fort in April 1690 to the Williamite forces.
The fort stopped being used as a military base on February 14, 1858.
What Happened to the Fort?
On July 30, 1920, about forty armed men took over the fort. A caretaker was living there at the time. The men then burned the fort down. The ruins of the fort were sold in 1921 to a company that worked with stone. In 1922, the family who owned the fort also lost their large home, Roxborough Castle, to a fire. Today, only the gatehouse of Charlemont Fort remains.
