Roughan Castle
| Roughan Castle | |
|
Tyrone | |
|---|---|
 Roughan Castle | |
| Type: | Plantation castle |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | H82316830 |
| Location: | 54°34’23"N, 6°45’7"W |
| History | |
| Built 1618 | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | (State care) |
Roughan Castle is located about a mile outside Newmills in the south-east of County Tyrone, on the Dungannon to Stewartstown road.
This is a small square castle, three storeys high with a central tower 20 feet square, flanked by thick rounded towers at each corner, built as a stronghold and residence during the Plantation of Ulster.
History
The castle was built around 1618, at the time of the Plantation of Ulster, by Andrew Stewart (1590-1639). In 1628, Stuart was created a baronet and in 1629 he succeeded his father to become the 2nd Baron Castle Stuart. Both father and son had come from Scotland during the Plantation and established the nearby town of Stewartstown. Andrew Stewart acquired the land of Ballokevan from Robert Stewart between 1610 and 1619 and built his castle overlooking Roughan Lough.
The castle was once the refuge of Sir Féilim Ó Néill, leader of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 in Ulster. He was captured there in 1653 and taken to Dublin, where he was hanged for treason.[1] Colonel Robert Stewart, of Irry, inherited the castle from his brothers and died here in 1662.
Today
Roughan Castle is today a scheduled monument and a state care monument too in the townland of Roughan.[2][3]
References
- ↑ [ https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/1261/rich-heritage-of-stewartstown-and-environs Rich Heritage of Stewartstown and Environs]: Culture Northern Ireland
- ↑ List of State Care Monuments (Historic Environment Division)
- ↑ Scheduled Historic Monuments, 1 April 2019: Historic Environment Division, DoCNI