Strangford Castle
Encyclopedia
Strangford Castle is a castle on a height overlooking the harbour in Strangford
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
, across Strangford Lough
from Portaferry Castle
. 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.
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.
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...
, across 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...
from Portaferry Castle
Portaferry Castle
Portaferry Castle is a small tower house in Portaferry, County Down, Northern Ireland, overlooking the harbour. It was built in the 16th century by William Le Savage...
. 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
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 Strangford Lower, 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: J5887 4983.
Features
It appears to be a small tower houseTower 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...
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
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...
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...
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.