The parish was constituted in 1771 by act of council, by separating 12 townlands from the parish of Loughgilly and 11 from Killeavy. It comprises according to the Ordnance Survey 12590 acres of which 11910 are applotted under the tithe act and valued at £5184 p.a. : 8380 acres are arable and 3519 bog and mountain. The state of agriculture is recently much improved.

Among the many mountains is Slieve Gullion on the eastern boundary rising 1895 feet: the lands afford pasture and some have been lately planted. There are quarries of excellent stone for building. The town consists of 36 houses and is a constabulary police station. Fairs are held. Linen and cotton manufacture are carried on to some extent. There are four cornmills sending much grain for export through Dundalk port. The principal seats are Forkhill House (J Foxall), Forkhill Lodge (Mrs Dawson), Longfield (Major Bernard), Bellmont (Rev Smith) and the Glebe House (Rev Campbell). The living is a rectory in the diocese of Armagh (under the Lord-Primate) and the tithes amount to £650. The glebe is 164 statute acres. The church is a plain structure erected in 1767.

In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish is the head of a union or district comprising also a portion of Killeavy, or Meigh, on which union are two chapels. The chapel at Mullaban in this parish is a plain commodious building. There is a Wesleyan Methodist meeting house in the town.

Seven schools were founded and are supported by the trustees of the late Richard Jackson of Forkhill Lodge. In these schools 600 children are instructed: and there are two private schools with 90 boys and 60 girls. A dispensary is maintained by the trustees of Mr Jackson who, by a will dated 20 July 1776 (opt. cit.) left a great portion of his extensive property to pious and charitable causes …… after litigation, it was decided that a portion of rents should be applied to the education of the poor children of the tenants. Mrs Barton, by deed in 1803 gave £40 p.a. to be equally divided among 20 poor women of this parish: and Mrs Jackson bequeathed £10 p. a. to the rector for the benefit of the poor.

On the top of Slieve Gullion mountain there is a large heap of stones near a cave, supposed to have been the burial place of some druid or ancient chieftain, near which is a deep lake. Near this was formerly Rosskugh, or the fort of Carrick-Brand, a considerable military station, with extensive outworks. 

[Extracted – with minor amendments/omissions - from Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary 1837]