ARDEE

In 1868, the parish of Ardee contained the following places:

"ARDEE, a parish and market town in the barony of Ardee, in the county of Louth, and province of Leinster, Ireland, 12 miles to the N.W. of Drogheda, and 43 miles to the N. of Dublin. It is a town of great antiquity, and is situated on the river Dee, from which it derives its name, anciently written Athirdee or Ate-air-dee, the "ford on the Dee." At the commencement of the 13th century, a castle was built here by Roger de Peppard, one of the English settlers. About the same time he also founded and endowed a hospital for crouched friars, of the Augustine order, which became a wealthy and important house. There was also a Carmelite friary. This friary was attacked and destroyed by Edward Bruce. The town itself was burnt, in 1538, by O'Nial. The possessions of the monastery were granted by James I., in 1612, to Sir Garret Moore. The town became the headquarters of the Irish army in 1641, but was retaken by Sir H. Tichborne. It subsequently fell into the possession of Cromwell, and was occupied by James II. after he retired from Dundalk. Ardee was a borough at an early period. It is referred to as a corporation in a charter of the year 1377, and returned two members to the Irish parliament till the Union, when it was disfranchised. It is a chief station of police; petty sessions are held fortnightly, and the quarter sessions for the county are held here in January and June. It is the seat of a Poor-law Union, and head of an excise district. The town, which chiefly consists of one long street, contains a corn-market erected early in the last century, a meat-market erected in 1796, a bridewell attached to the old castle which serves as a court-house, a savings-bank, and a dispensary; the two latter are newly-erected. The principal occupations are the corn-trade, malting, and basket making. The population, according to the census of 1861, is 2,572; of these, 2,381 are Roman Catholics, 173 belong to the Established Church, and only 18 to all other Protestant denominations. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Armagh and Clogher, value with the rectory of Kildemock and several other benefices, £807, in the patronage of the primate. The church of the old monastery still serves as the parish church. It is a large edifice, and was probably built about the year 1208. Except the church, little of the monastery remains. There are no traces of the friary. There is a now chapel belonging to the Wesleyan Methodists. Besides the castle, now used as a courthouse, there is another belonging to the Hatch family, having been granted to an ancestor of that family by Oliver Cromwell. On a lofty mount, near the town, are some remains of a tower, supposed to be part of Roger de Peppard's castle. Ardee House is the principal residence. Ardee gives the title of Baron Brabazon of Ardee to the Earl of breath. Tuesday is the market-day. Fairs are held on the 1st March, the 10th April, the 6th June, the 8th July, the 20th August, the 23rd October, and the 17th December."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018