Londonderry City Walls
The Londonderry City Walls encircle the centre of that city: Londonderry is the only remaining completely intact walled city in the British Isles and a finer example of a walled city than will be found even in Europe.
These are the last city walls to be built in Europe, built between 1613 and 1619 as part of the Plantation of Ulster, and as such they stand as the most complete and spectacular.[1] The walls constitute the largest monument in state care in County Londonderry and indeed in the whole of Northern Ireland.
History
The old town of Derry stood at a strategic location: at the head of Lough Foyle, the town was on an island formed by the river on the east and bog on the west. This natural fortress was exchanged between the native Gaelic chieftains and English forces until the climax of the Elizabethan reconquest of Ireland.
On 16 April 1600 Colonel Henry Dowcra arrived at Culmore, with a force of 4,000 foot and 200 horse. Derry was occupied without opposition. He described the town; Dowcra would describe the site as he found it:
It lies in the form of a bow bent whereof the bog is the string and the river the bow.
Three years later, the year of the accession of King James I, the Nine Years' War was ended with the submission of O'Neill at Kinsale. King, James appointed Sir Henry Dowcra as governor and issued a charter for the new “cittie of derrie”. The expectations were clear:
The towne or borough of Derrie is, by reason of the natural seat and situation thereof, a place very convenient to be made both a town of war and a town of merchandize – the king did give, grant, and confirm – forever a free, entire, and perfect city and county of itself, to be called the city and county of Derry – Sir Henry to be provost for life, as fully as the lord mayor of London.
Soon a new foundation was to transform the old town. The guilds of the City of London supplied the cash and manpower to resettle and fortify the town and in 1613 a royal charter was issued creating "the Society of the Governor and Assistants, London, of the new plantation in Ulster, within the realm of Ireland", otherwise known as The Honourable the Irish Society, and to the company the King granted a new charter, naming the city Londonderry and the county likewise the County of Londonderry.
The Irish Society took charge of the site and as part of its responsibilities was required to build a new walled town on the site of the old, which it did: Londonderry was built afresh. Between 1614 and 1618 the walls encircling the site of the new plantation city were complete.
Since the walls were built, the city has never been taken by storm. It has however suffered several sieges in unquiet times: In 1689 at the beginning of the Williamite War Londonderry endured a siege of 105 days; this, the Siege of Derry, has become part of the city’s identity, celebrated by Protestants at least. Since the city is unique in never having had its walls brerached, Londonderry’s nickname is The Maiden City.[2]
The walls today
The walls remain completely intact and form a walkway around the inner city, this providing a unique promenade to view the layout of the original town which still preserves its Renaissance style street plan.
The walls are in the pattern of their time, with thick defensive ramparts and angular artillery bastions, designed by Peter Benson from London.
The four original gates to the walled city are Bishop's Gate, Ferryquay Gate, Butcher Gate and Shipquay Gate. Three further gates were added later - Magazine Gate, Castle Gate and New Gate - making seven gates in total.
Historic buildings within the walls include the 1633 Gothic Cathedral of St Columb, the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall and the courthouse.
Upon the wall is a series of cannon. 24 original cannon survive and have in recentl years been cleaned, restored and rebuilt as required to bring them back to their former glory. The cannon are displayed all along the City Walls with the impressive Roaring Meg located on the double bastion.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Londonderry City Walls) |
References
- ↑ "Londonderry City Walls Conservation Plan. pdf doc. p19". http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/derry-lowres.pdf.
- ↑ Historic Walls of Londonderry - Discover Northern Ireland