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BEN
tion of the burgesses are said to have been granted to
them and their heirs, instead of their successors, and,
under the name of “burgess acres,” are divided and
separately enclosed as private properties. The only
revenue which the corporation now possesses is derivable
from some nominal reservations on fee-farm • grants
made, within the last few years, of small portions of
the commons, the fines on which, amounting to £175,
were applied to the repairs of the market-house.
The parish church of Annagh, a neat edifice with a
tower surmounted by a spire, is situated in the town;
it was rebuilt by a loan of £923 from the late Board
of First Fruits, in 1828, and, of £800 in, 1829. It
is in contemplation to erect a handsome R. C. chapel.
The parochial school for boys is on the foundation of
Erasmus Smith, and was built on an acre of ground
granted by the corporation, who also gave a site for
the erection of a school, for girls on the same esta-
blishment, which is supported by subscription;, and
there is an infants’ school, also a dispensary. Six alms-
houses for poor widows were built on a site granted by
the corporation in 1733, the inmates of which are sup-
ported by, a legacy bequeathed by a Mr. Maunsell, of
Dublin, and distributed by the rector. He also distri-
butes the interest of £100 paid by the Earl of Lanes-
borough’s agent, £3 per ann. derived from a charity
called, Fellor’s List, and £6, per ann. accruing from
another charity; and there is, a house in the town be-
queathed by Benjamin Johnson for the benefit of the
poor, and let for £1. 16. 11. per annum. In the church-
yard are vestiges of a strong fortification enclosing an
extensive area, with bastions and salient angles of great
strength; about two miles distant are some venerable
ecclesiastical ruins, with others at Clinosy; and in the
vicinity, are, the, remains of an, ancient castle.—See
ANNAGH and DRUMLANE.
BENBURB, or BINBURB, a small village, in the
parish of CLONFEACLE, barony of DUNGANNON, county
of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER, 5¾ miles (N. N.
W.) from Armagh: the population is returned with the
parish. The first notice of this place under its present
name occurs during the rebellion of the Earl of Tyrone,
when the Lord-Deputy Boroughs crossed the river Black-
water at Bean-Bhorb, at the head of the English forces,
in June 1597; and being seized with a sickness of which
he died a few days after at Newry, was succeeded in the
command of the army by the Earl of Kildare, between
whom and the Earl of Tyrone a severe engagement
took place, in which the English were defeated, the Earl
of Kildare mortally wounded, and his two foster bro-
thers slain; many of the English were killed in battle,
and numbers perished in the river. Sir Henry Bagnall,
with 4500 foot and 400 horse, marched against the
Earl of Tyrone’s army, with which he had a severe
conflict; many of the English cavalry were dreadfully
mangled by falling into pits dug by the enemy and
covered with branches of trees; but after surmounting
these and other obstacles, Bagnall made a vigorous
attack upon the right wing of the Irish army com-
manded by the earl himself, and on the left under
O’Donnell of Tyrconnell; a dreadful carnage ensued,
the two armies being wholly engaged; but just when
victory seemed to incline towards the English forces,
Bagnall was shot by a musket ball in the forehead and
fell dead on the field. The English, thrown into con-
204
BEN
fusion by the loss of their leader, were defeated, and in
their retreat to Armagh, many were trodden down by
the Irish cavalry. This triumph of Tyrone was but of
short duration; the Lord-Deputy Mount joy defeated
him in several battles, and had driven him back to the
camp at Bean-Bhorb, where, on the 15th of July, 1601,
a battle was fought, in which Tyrone was totally defeated
and his army compelled to retreat in confusion to his
chief fortress at Dungannon.
On the plantation of Ulster, Sir Robert Wing field
received from James I. a grant of 1000 acres of land
at Benburb, by a deed dated Dec. 3rd, in the 8th year
of that monarch’s reign; and previously to the year
1619 he had erected a castle on these lands, built the
present church, and founded the village, which at that
time contained 20 houses.,, This, new, establishment
continued to flourish till the breaking out of the war in
1641, when the castle was surprised by order of Sir
Phelim O’Nial, on the night of the 22nd of October,
and the whole of the inmates put to death. On the 5th
of June, 1646, this place became the scene of a battle
between, Sir Phelim, O’Nial and, Gen., Monroe;, the
former, with a large body of men, took up, a position
between two hills, with a wood in his rear and the river
Black water, at that time difficult to pass, on his right.
Monroe, with 6000 foot and 800 horse, marched from
Armagh and approached by the opposite bank of the
river,, where,, finding a ford,, now, called, Battleford
Bridge, he crossed and advanced to meet O’Nial. Both
armies were drawn up in order of battle, but instead of
coming to a general engagement, the day was spent in
skirmishing, till the sun, which had been favourable to
the British, was declining, when, just as Monroe was
beginning to retreat, he was attacked by the Irish, who
made a furious onset. An English regiment commanded
by Lord Blayney fought with undaunted resolution till
they were cut to, pieces and their leader, slain; the
Scottish horse next gave way, and the infantry being
thrown into disorder, a general rout ensued. More
than 3000 of the British forces were slain and their
artillery and stores taken, while, on the part of O’Nial,
not more than 70 were killed. The castle was soon
after dismantled, and has ever since remained in ruins;
it was the largest in the county, and, though weakly
built, occupies a remarkably, strong, position on the
summit of a limestone rock rising perpendicularly from
the river Black water to the height of 120 feet. In the
village is a small ancient out-post strongly built and
probably forming an entrance to the castle, which on
every other side was defended by natural barriers. Near
the village are Tullydoey, the seat of J. Eyre Jackson,
Esq., where, also, is, the, residence of T. Eyre, Esq.;
and Castle Cottage,, of, Capt. Cranfield. There, were
formerly very extensive bleach-greens near the village,
and the mills and engines are still remaining; but the
principal part of the business is carried on at Tully-
doey, where large quantities of linen are finished for
the, English markets;, the weaving of linen is also
carried on to some extent. The Ulster canal, now in
progress, passes on the eastern side of the river and
village, and is here carried through a hill of limestone,
which has been excavated to the depth of 80 feet, and
is conducted longitudinally over, the mill-race by an
aqueduct of considerable length. A court is held on
the first Friday in every month for the manor of Ben-