Mountnorris lies on the B133 Road, 5.9 km from Markethill.
It is designated today as a village. it lies in the Townland of Mountnorris (See also Mountnorris in the Places: Townlands section)
"Mountnorris is a basically linear settlement lying some 12 miles south-east of Armagh. Its population is estimated to be 240 persons. [in 1991]." (Armagh Area Plan 2004: Armagh District Council Area)
McKay, P A Dictionary of Ulster Place-names (Belfast, 1999) notes:
Parish of Loughgilly, Barony of Orior Lower
Mountnorris is named after Sir John Norris (1547-1597) from England who at the end of the sixteenth century built a fort here, on lands belonging to the O'Hanlons, to guard the pass between Armagh and Newry, in the course of his war with Hugh O'Neil, Earl of Tyrone. The original Irish name of the town was Achadh na Cranncha 'Field of the wooded place' and is now used as the Irish name of the village.
(Fort of Mountnorris, 1606)
In the accompany recording, Joseph Canning talks about the village of Mountnorris.
Use the audio controller to listen to this talk, given in 2003.
