To quote from the book, A Journey Through Time, by Patricia Reilly,......
"The word that is most commonly used in connection with the Parish of Kilmore, County Armagh, is 'ancient'. "
There have been Christians at Kilmore since pre-history. Kilmore has had some interesting moments in time... the seventeenth century Plantation, the 1641 Rebellion, The Great Famine, The Orange Order, the coming of the Society of Friends and the Richardsons and the linen trade.
There was an ancient monastry at Kilmore, built on the hill in the village of Richhill. Some say walls from that building were incorporated into Richardson's seventeenth century manor house, which still stands on the hill today
The parish church was erected in the early 12th century, but was burned down in 1150. By 1287 it was rebuilt. In St. Aiden's today there is a plaque on the wall listing all the ministers of St. Aiden's since 1287.
The Society of Friends arrived in about 1807 and constructed their meeting house at the edge of the town of Richhill. Their building is also still in existance.
The town and Parish are likely most famous for the Richardsons who built their manor house at Richhill and who developed the linen industry iin the area. Richardson built the Linen Market in his own backyard so he could pop over to the market daily to see how sales were going. The Linen Market was later turned into the first Methodist Church in the town.
