No 5 Vicars’ Hill

About

No 5 was built in 1772 as the Diocesan Registry by Archbishop Robinson as part of his plans for the improvement of the City of Armagh. It used to hold many public and Church records for the Church of Ireland and Armagh Diocese. From the outside No 5 looks no different from the houses on either side. However, its small hallway opens into two beautiful, octagonal rooms with vaulted ceilings. Nowadays No 5 is a museum and visitor attraction with some Diocesan records on display, along with ancient coins, gems, significant prints, early Christian artefacts and other collections and curiosities from Armagh Robinson Library. A three-dimensional model offers a birds’-eye view of Armagh City as it was in the first half of the 19th century. Activity sheets will keep children and young visitors entertained: learn to write their name in Ogham, the earliest form of Irish, handle of coin replicas, do a quiz, make rubbings of medals and ancient bronze objects or try the jig-saws of old prints!

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 30 minutes