Ardee Castle
| Ardee Castle | |
|
County Louth | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type: | Tower house |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | N96199049 |
| Location: | 53°51’18"N, 6°32’19"W |
| Village: | Ardee |
| History | |
| Built 15th century | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | Heritage Ireland |
Ardee Castle also known as St Leger’s Castle, is a fortified mediæval tower house in County Louth. Built in the 15th century, the castle was used as a prison during the 17th and 18th centuries and became Ardee's district courthouse until June 2006 when a specialized facility took its place.
It stands within the village of Ardee, on Castle Street.
Ardee Castle is the largest fortified mediæval Tower House in the British Isles.[1][2]
The Castle
The castle is rectangular, stinding four storeys high with turrets at the north-west and south-west angles. The main entrance was protected by a machicolation on the outside, with a ‘murder-hole’ on the interior.
The ground floor has a rounded barrel vault, and access to the upper storeys is by means of a stairway in the north-west turret.
As the structure has been in continuous use, most of the windows have been replaced and modernized over time, however a twin-light ogee-arched window survives at ground level and three single looped, internal splay windows survive on the fourth floor.[3]
History
The first castle here was built by Roger de Peppard in 1207, but not much is left from the original walls.[4]
The current castle was built in the 15th century by John St Leger, hence the common name St Leger’s Castle, and it served as a stronghold for the defence of the Pale. Over the years it was fought over by the O'Neills and the English. During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Sir Phelim O’Neil took possession of the town and set up the headquarters for the Irish Confederates, but on the retreat the town and castle were retaken by the English Forces under the command of Sir Henry Tichborne, a garrison was then placed and O'Neil's rearguard was defeated.[3][5]
In 1690, the deposed King James II used Ardee Castle as his headquarters prior to the Battle of the Boyne.
References
- ↑ Smallman, Tom (1996). Ireland. Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 9780864423528.
- ↑ "Ardee Courthouse Opens". Court Service Ireland. 2006-06-06. http://www.courts.ie/Courts.ie/Library3.nsf/16c93c36d3635d5180256e3f003a4580/1e56603c96cc171b80257460003405ff?OpenDocument.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 'Where Ferdia fell: Ardee, Co Louth': Archaeology Ireland Heritage Guide Summer 2016; Volume 73, page 6
- ↑ "Irish Castles in Louth County". http://www.smarmore-rehab-clinic.com/irish-castles-louth-county.
- ↑ Illustrated guide to Ireland. Goodreads. 1969. pp. 180-182. ISBN 9780276420337.