Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Portadown is a town, lying on the River Bann in County Armagh. Portadown initially sprang up along a road which marked the boundary between the townlands of Tavanagh and Corcrain. Many surrounding townlands have since been built upon and have given their names to roads and housing estates. The parts of Portadown to the west of the Bann lie within the townlands of Annagh, Ballyoran, Baltylum, Clownagh, Corcrain, Garvaghy, Maghon, Selshion and Tavanagh, in the civil parish of Dumcree. The parts of Portadown to the east of the Bann lie within the townlands of Ballyhannon, Bocombra, Edenderry, Kernan, Killycomain, Levaghery, Lisnisky and Seagoe Upper, in the civil parish of Segoe. Portadown was founded during the 17th-century Plantation, principally by Michael Obins who built a large mansion and a number of houses and, later, the first bridge across the River Bann. His descendent Michael Obins set up a linen market in Portadown in 1762, which laid the foundations of what became Portadown's main industry. Construction in 1740 of the Newry Canal enabled Portadown to become a hub for the water traffic between Newry and Belfast. Portadown became a major town with the arrival of the railway in the Victorian era, earning the nickname the "hub of the North". The town is within the council area of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
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Place Type: Town
Historic County: Armagh
Lat, Long: 54.423043,-6.442927
Grid Reference: J 0111 5383
Townland: Tavanagh TD
Civil Parish: Drumcree CP
Council Area: Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon CA
Police Area: Northern Ireland PA
Devolved Legislature:  Northern Ireland Assembly

GBPN ID: 321770
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Portadown,_Armagh_321770

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The town saw major expansion after the Second World War, especially to the east of the River Bann. Though much of this development was initially intended to be part of the development of a new 'city' of Craigavon, as far east as Lisnisky townland is generally regarded as being part of Portadown. Portadown Town Hall (1890) was designed by Robert and Thomas Roe in the Victorian style.