Strangford Castle

Strangford Castle is a castle on a height overlooking the harbour in Strangford, County Down, Northern Ireland, across Strangford Lough from Portaferry Castle.cite book | last=Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland| year=1983 |title=Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland | publisher=HMSO | location=Belfast | pages=p96-97] It was probably originally built in the 15th century but most of the present building dates from the late 16th century. Strangford Castle tower house is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland of Strangford Lower, in Down District Council area, at grid ref: J5887 4983. [cite web | title=Strangford Castle | work=Environment and Heritage Service NI - State Care Historic Monuments | url=http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/state_care_monuments_2007.pdf | accessdate=2007-12-04]

Features

It appears to be a small tower house from the late 16th century, but a blocked door of 15th century type at first floor level, seems to indicate the remodelling of an earlier tower. The current entrance, in the north-east wall, is a reconstruction , positioned by the surviving corbelled machicolation above and a socket from a draw-bar to secure the original door. The original entrance may have been on the first floor. It is a small, rectangular, three-storey tower house with no vault or stone stairway. The first floor fireplace has an oven. The ground floor chamber is lit only by small gun-loops. The roof has very fine crenellations, again with pistol-loops. The original floors, like their modern replacements, were made of wood. [cite book | last=Harbinson, P| year=1992 |title=Guide to National and Historic Monuments of Ireland | publisher=Gill & Macmillan | location=Dublin | pages=p122]

See also

*Castles in Northern Ireland

References