Audley's Castle
Encyclopedia
Audley's Castle, is a 15th century castle located 1 mile (1.6km) north-east of Strangford
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
, on a rocky height overlooking Strangford Lough
. It is a three-storey Tower house
named after its 16th century owner, John Audley. Audley's Castle tower house and bawn is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland
of Castleward, in Down District Council
area, at grid ref: J5781 5058.
There are thousands of small stone towers similar to Audley's Castle in the Irish
countryside. They are one of the commonest of archaeological sites, which indicates these were not buildings put up for the higher aristocracy
, but for lesser lord
s and gentry. Most were built in the late Middle Ages
(roughly 1350-1550). Audley's was built towards the end of this period.
) which is enclosed by a thin wall, with a simple gate. It is protected on its south side by a rocky cliff. The stone walls of the bawn have been reduced to low foundations, but its rectangular plan can still be traced. In the south-east area of the bawn are the foundations of an outhouse, probably a barn or servants quarters, and the tower house is at the north corner of the bawn. The south-east face of the tower house is dominated by two projecting square turrets, linked by an arch at parapet level (a machicolation
), through which objects could be dropped on anyone attacking the door in the south turret below. The ground floor room is entered through a small lobby which has a murder-hole
in its roof. The room is lit by narrow window loops and has a wall cupboard and a chute for slops. The south turret contains a spiral stair which leads to the two upper chambers and the roof.
The first floor chamber has a semicircular barrel vault
, designed as a defence against the spread of fire. A number of beam sockets and projecting stone corbel
s in the walls show how the vault was erected. The presence of window seats, a fireplace, two cupboards and a latrine (in the east turret) suggest that the first floor chamber was the main living room in the castle. The second floor chamber lacks a fireplace, but does have window seats and a latrine in the east turret and could have been a sleeping area. Above this floor is the roof level with a wall-walk behind a parapet and higher corner turrets, now largely demolished. The castle had a pitched roof as a drawing from 1840 shows a gable wall in place which later collapsed. the timber roof of the castle would have been covered with slates, wooden shingles, stone slabs or thatch.
The tower has one main room on each floor, with one or two subsidiary rooms off each of the big ones. The ground floor has small windows and no fireplace
or latrine
and was for storage of provisions. The first floor has better windows, a large fireplace and access to a latrine; this was a room for the owner to live in and entertain his friends. It also has a chute for throwing dirty water away, so the large fireplace was also probably used for cooking on. The second floor was probably the lord's private room for sleeping and his family life: servants and others could be accommodated in the attic
. A spiral stair leads to the first and second floor rooms and the roof. The first floor room has a reconstructed wooden floor and semicircular stone barrel vault.
There is very little historical information about the buildings in the small courtyard around Audley's. Only a minority of towers had courtyard walls at all, and their buildings were clearly less importance than the tower. The towers in different parts of the country vary, with distinct regional patterns. Audley's with its two turret
s linked by an arch is one of a type found in County Down
only.
family who held land in the area in the 13th century, although it is not known if they built the castle. It was sold, with the surrounding estate, to the Ward family in 1646 and used in 1738 as an eye-catching focus of the long vista along Castle Ward
's artificial lake, Temple Water.
Strangford
Strangford is a small village at the mouth of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 475 people at the 2001 Census.On the other side of the lough is Portaferry and there is a ferry service between the two villages...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, on a rocky height overlooking Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough, sometimes Strangford Loch, is a large sea loch or inlet in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula. The name Strangford is derived ; describing the fast-flowing narrows at its mouth...
. It is a three-storey Tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
named after its 16th century owner, John Audley. Audley's Castle tower house and bawn is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Castleward, in Down District Council
Down District Council
Down District Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland. The Council is headquartered in Downpatrick. Other towns in the Council area are Ardglass, Ballynahinch, Castlewellan, Clough, Crossgar, Dundrum, Killough, Killyleagh, Newcastle, Saintfield, Seaforde and Strangford...
area, at grid ref: J5781 5058.
There are thousands of small stone towers similar to Audley's Castle in the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
countryside. They are one of the commonest of archaeological sites, which indicates these were not buildings put up for the higher aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
, but for lesser lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
s and gentry. Most were built in the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
(roughly 1350-1550). Audley's was built towards the end of this period.
Features
Audley's Castle consists of a tower set within a yard (technically known as a bawnBawn
A bawn is the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house. It is the anglicised version of the Irish word badhún meaning "cattle-stronghold" or "cattle-enclosure". The Irish word for "cow" is bó and its plural is ba...
) which is enclosed by a thin wall, with a simple gate. It is protected on its south side by a rocky cliff. The stone walls of the bawn have been reduced to low foundations, but its rectangular plan can still be traced. In the south-east area of the bawn are the foundations of an outhouse, probably a barn or servants quarters, and the tower house is at the north corner of the bawn. The south-east face of the tower house is dominated by two projecting square turrets, linked by an arch at parapet level (a machicolation
Machicolation
A machicolation is a floor opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement, through which stones, or other objects, could be dropped on attackers at the base of a defensive wall. The design was developed in the Middle Ages when the Norman crusaders returned. A machicolated battlement...
), through which objects could be dropped on anyone attacking the door in the south turret below. The ground floor room is entered through a small lobby which has a murder-hole
Murder-hole
A murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could fire, throw or pour harmful substances, such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, tar, or boiling oil, down on attackers. They also allowed water to...
in its roof. The room is lit by narrow window loops and has a wall cupboard and a chute for slops. The south turret contains a spiral stair which leads to the two upper chambers and the roof.
The first floor chamber has a semicircular barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
, designed as a defence against the spread of fire. A number of beam sockets and projecting stone corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s in the walls show how the vault was erected. The presence of window seats, a fireplace, two cupboards and a latrine (in the east turret) suggest that the first floor chamber was the main living room in the castle. The second floor chamber lacks a fireplace, but does have window seats and a latrine in the east turret and could have been a sleeping area. Above this floor is the roof level with a wall-walk behind a parapet and higher corner turrets, now largely demolished. The castle had a pitched roof as a drawing from 1840 shows a gable wall in place which later collapsed. the timber roof of the castle would have been covered with slates, wooden shingles, stone slabs or thatch.
The tower has one main room on each floor, with one or two subsidiary rooms off each of the big ones. The ground floor has small windows and no fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
or latrine
Latrine
A latrine is a communal facility containing one or more commonly many toilets which may be simple pit toilets or in the case of the United States Armed Forces any toilet including modern flush toilets...
and was for storage of provisions. The first floor has better windows, a large fireplace and access to a latrine; this was a room for the owner to live in and entertain his friends. It also has a chute for throwing dirty water away, so the large fireplace was also probably used for cooking on. The second floor was probably the lord's private room for sleeping and his family life: servants and others could be accommodated in the attic
Attic
An attic is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building . Attic is generally the American/Canadian reference to it...
. A spiral stair leads to the first and second floor rooms and the roof. The first floor room has a reconstructed wooden floor and semicircular stone barrel vault.
There is very little historical information about the buildings in the small courtyard around Audley's. Only a minority of towers had courtyard walls at all, and their buildings were clearly less importance than the tower. The towers in different parts of the country vary, with distinct regional patterns. Audley's with its two turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
s linked by an arch is one of a type found in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
only.
History
The castle is probably of 15th century date, but its early history is unknown. The castle is named after its late 16th century owners, the Audleys, an Anglo-NormanAnglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
family who held land in the area in the 13th century, although it is not known if they built the castle. It was sold, with the surrounding estate, to the Ward family in 1646 and used in 1738 as an eye-catching focus of the long vista along Castle Ward
Castle Ward
Castle Ward is an 18th century National Trust property located near the village of Strangford, in County Down, Northern Ireland. It overlooks Strangford Lough and is 7 miles from Downpatrick and 1.5 miles from Strangford....
's artificial lake, Temple Water.