Milford, County Armagh
Encyclopedia
Milford or Millford is a small village
about one mile southwest of Armagh
in County Armagh
, Northern Ireland
. It is within the Armagh City and District Council
area and had a population of 301 in the 2001 Census
.
of Kennedies, which was historically called Kennedus (1657) and Ballycennadus (1609). This may be derived . The name Milford or Millford comes from a large corn mill, the remains of which stand on Maggy’s Burn at the bottom of the steep main street of the village.
industry of the 19th century, which resulted in Milford growing up around the mill built on the River Callan by William McCrum in 1808. In the 20th century, a decline in the overall importance of the linen industry led to economic stagnation of this once thriving community, where the mill was the main source of local employment. The mill closed in the 1980s.
who inherited the village from his father also founded Milford Cricket Club and Milford Football Club for the benefit of himself and his workers. His lasting legacy was the invention of the penalty kick which was adopted by the Irish Football Association
at its 1889 meeting on McCrum's proposal and introduced throughout football in 1890.
Until recent years the village of Milford consisted of three streets of terraced houses but in modern times several new housing estates have been built. In the summer of 2005 another estate is being built on one of a number of fields which is locally believed to have been the site of the original football pitch where Mr McCrum had some of his workforce practice the original penalty kicks.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
about one mile southwest of Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
in County Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is within the Armagh City and District Council
Armagh City and District Council
Armagh City and District Council is a district council in County Armagh in Northern Ireland. It includes the city of Armagh, as well as the surrounding area and its population is about 54,000. City status was officially conferred in 1995...
area and had a population of 301 in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Name
The village is mostly within the townlandTownland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Kennedies, which was historically called Kennedus (1657) and Ballycennadus (1609). This may be derived . The name Milford or Millford comes from a large corn mill, the remains of which stand on Maggy’s Burn at the bottom of the steep main street of the village.
History
It was the linenLinen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
industry of the 19th century, which resulted in Milford growing up around the mill built on the River Callan by William McCrum in 1808. In the 20th century, a decline in the overall importance of the linen industry led to economic stagnation of this once thriving community, where the mill was the main source of local employment. The mill closed in the 1980s.
Sport
William McCrumWilliam McCrum
William McCrum was a wealthy Irish linen manufacturer and sportsman, most famous for being the inventor in 1890 of the penalty kick in football.-Life and family:...
who inherited the village from his father also founded Milford Cricket Club and Milford Football Club for the benefit of himself and his workers. His lasting legacy was the invention of the penalty kick which was adopted by the Irish Football Association
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
at its 1889 meeting on McCrum's proposal and introduced throughout football in 1890.
Until recent years the village of Milford consisted of three streets of terraced houses but in modern times several new housing estates have been built. In the summer of 2005 another estate is being built on one of a number of fields which is locally believed to have been the site of the original football pitch where Mr McCrum had some of his workforce practice the original penalty kicks.
Transport
- Milford railway station opened on 1 October 1909 and finally closed on 1 February 1932.
See also
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland