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Historic Buildings of County Louth
Republic of Ireland
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Image right - Barmeath Castle © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence. Geograph
If you have information about any of the Buildings mentioned below please share it here. If you have ancestors linked to any of the places please add them to the project. The object of this project is to provide information about historic buildings in County Louth, with links to sub-projects for specific buildings as appropriate. GENi profiles of people associated with those establishments can be linked to this project and/or to individual projects where they have been set up.
Castles, Baronial and Historic houses
... in alphabetical order
Including Castles, Abbeys, Manor Houses, Mansions, Stately Homes, Country houses, Estate houses, Courts, Halls, Parks and other listed buildings of historic interest
Full sizes of the thumbnail images can be seen in the Gallery attached to the project or by clicking the thumbnail image. TIP - Use ctrl+the link to open the image in a separate tab, or use "back" to return to this project page) Sources for the images can be found in the image details as seen in the gallery.
Names with Bold links are to Geni profiles or projects. Other links take you to external biographical web pages. Please copy and paste the bullet used - ● - instead of * when adding items to the list.
A
● Ardee Castle, Restored Castle
●
Athclare Castle 16th century four storey tower south of Dunleer complete to the parapet. There are various loop insertions, including angle and cross loops, and there is also a ventilator at the upper level at the opposite end to the tower. At least one of the two fine fireplaces have been removed to the adjacent house.
Image right Geograph © Copyright Mike Searle and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
B
● 
Barmeath Castle, Restored Castle. built in the 15th century, the home of the Bellew family for over 400 years. The original castle was a tower house which is incorporated in the present structure. In the late 17th century the castle was renovated with Georgian interiors. Thomas Wright created the beautiful gardens, including the lake, island, rock bridge and the Shell House. In the 1830s, Patrick Bellew, enlarged the house, with the extensions including an entrance tower with portcullis.
Image right Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● Beaulieu House thought to be built in the 1660, owned by the de Verdun family at the end of the 12th century. The Plunkett family, originally from Dublin, married into the de Verduns and became associated with the area from the early 14th century onwards. The Plunketts had to surrender the lands after the Confederate war in the mid-17th century.
C
Image left Geograph © Copyright jai; right Geograph © Copyright Albert Bridge: Both licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● Carlingford Castle (sometimes “King John’s castle”) dates from the early 13th century overlooking Carlingford Lough.
● Castle Bellingham, Intact Castle
● Castle Guard, Dawsonsdemesne, Ardee - Anglo-Norman motte erected c. 1185 by Gilbert Pippard who was granted the barony of Ardee by Prince John.
● Castle Roche, Castle Ruins
● Castletown Castle, Restored Castle
D
● Darver Castle, Restored Castle
● Drumcar House built in 1777, home to the McClintock family from then to the 1940s, stemming from Alexander McClintock (1692–1775) It stayed with the McClintock family until the 1940s. In 1948, it became St. Mary’s Hospital, a hospital for the mentally ill, and later a Saint John of God hospital. The 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described it as “the seat of J. McClintock, Esq., an elegant mansion, beautifully situated in an extensive and richly wooded demesne, commanding a fine view of the Carlingford and Mourne mountains and the sea.”
○ Archiseek Drumcar House
○ WIKI Drumcar House
○ McClintock of Drumcar
● 
Dunmahon Castle
Image right Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
E
F
G
H
● Hatch's Castle, Intact Castle
● 
Haynestown - Castle and church at Haynestown, three-storey tower house, square with corner turrets, said to be of 16th date. The C. of I. church was built in 1803 and remodelled in 1827 when the medieval dedication to St. Nicholas was changed to St. Paul.
Image right - Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
I
J
K
● Kilsaran House (from: Abandoned Houses of ireland). 1780 - Bellingham family. 1990s, vandalised and burnt - remnants of the Ballroom still stand- House gone.
● King John's Castle, Restored Castle
● Knockabbey Castle, Restored Castle
L
● Louth Hall. (notes from Abandoned Houses of Ireland,by Tarquin Blake), 365 windows. Owners: 1541, Oliver Plunkett, made Baron of Louth, by Henry 8th; 1641, 6th.Baron, Oliver, converted to Irish rebels - imprisoned for High Treason. Cromwell forfeited the huge lands, Charles ii restored, 1669. 11th Baron, Thomas Oliver, House of Lords. 1805- extensions to House - 250 acres with 700 trees, total, 3,068 acres. 1909, most sold off to tenants. 14th Baron died 1941 - all sold, 1953, derelict.
○ Oliver Plunkett, 6th Baron Louth
○ Thomas Oliver Plunkett, 11th Baron Louth
M
● 
Mellifont Abbey, A 12th-century Cistercian monastery - The first Cistercian monastery in Ireland founded in 1142 by St Malachy of Armagh, its most unusual feature is the octagonal Lavabo c. 1200. The Visitor Centre houses an interesting exhibition on the work of masons in the Middle Ages with fine examples of their craft on display
Image right Geograph © Copyright jai and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● 
Mellifont Castle - Tower was probably built after the monastery was dissolved in the 1560s. The vaulted opening at ground level is actually part of the original tower vaulted basement, but the majority of the tower has collapsed. There is a staircase in the attached tower (you can still see a few of the steps).
Image Geograph © Copyright jai and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● 
Castle at Milltown, - Medieval castle inhabited into the mid-19th century (info Buildings of North Leinster). Two round corner towers and two rounded corners on opposing angles.
Image right Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● The Mint, Restored Castle
●
Moyry Castle, overlooking the Gap of the North, built as a military stronghold in 1601 by Lord Mountjoy,
Image right Geograph © Copyright Ron Murray and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
N
O
P
Q
R
● 
Roche Castle on a rock outcrop, 13th-century castle built by Lady Rohesia de Verdun and her son Sir John "le Botiller" de Verdun. Repaired in 15th-century by Richard Bellew.
Image right Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● 
Roodstown Castle Situated on a prominent ridge overlooking the valley of the River Dee, this well-preserved late-medieval tower house is in state care. Four storeys high, the ground floor is vaulted, the upper timber floors were carried on corbels.
Image right Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
S
● 
Seatown Castle - On the corner of Castle Road and Mill Street, Dundalk, 'Seatown Castle' is the only surviving remnant above ground of the Franciscan Friary founded c. 1245 and dissolved on 6th October 1540. The church tower is four storeys high, vaulted above the ground and third floors.
Image right Geograph © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
● Smarmore Castle, Intact Castle
Image right © Copyright Kieran Campbell and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence. Geograph
● Stephenstown House near Dundalk.
On March 19 1735, '''Mr. Richard Taaffe''' of Manfieldstown granted a lease of the lands of Stephenstown, Ballyclare and Ballinlough (a later deed confirms that the townland of Knocktavey was also included, together with the dwelling house and demesne of Stephenstown) to '''Mr. John Taaffe'''. On 14th February 1740, John Taaffe surrendered the lease of all the above lands to '''Mr. Page''', a money lender from Dublin, who immediately re-leased on the same terms and conditions to [Chichester Fortescue '''Chichester Fortescue'''], the second son of [William Fortescue of Newrath '''William Fortescue'''] and [Margaret Fortescue '''Margaret Gernon''']. Chichester, who lived at Dellin in the parish of Darver, never married and when he died in 1747 he left all his property to his younger brother, [Mathew Fortescue, of Dellin '''Mathew'''], who continued with the lease on the above named land. Stephenstown House was built in 1785 by [https://https://www.geni.com/people/Mathew-Fortescue/6000000038352612991 '''Matthew Fortescue'''] (son of the above Mathew), for his bride [Mary-Anne Fortescue '''Marian McClintock'''] ''a.k.a. Mary Anne''. A square Georgian house of 2 storeys house. Extended in 1820. In 1817, [William Galt '''William Galt'''] was contracted by '''Matthew Fortescue''' to build two ponds, the water being needed for new gardens which had recently been constructed at Stephenstown house and also to drive to the grinding mills in the house farmyard. William Galt who was married to [Agnes (Burness) Galt '''Agnes Burness'''], the sister of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. Galt was retained as manager to Mr. Fortescue after the completion of the ponds with the generous salary of 40 guineas per annum - the post also came with the use of a cottage as well as land for keeping a cow and growing vegetables. William and Agnes had no children but lived comfortably for the rest of their lives. Agnes lived to be 72 years old and died on October 17th 1834, her husband survived her by 13 years and died on March 3, 1847. The couple are buried in St Nicholas Cemetery in Dundalk.
Marianne Fortescue (1767-1849) married to Matthew Fortescue who wrote a diary at the family home on Merrion Street in Dublin where they were staying when the 1798 uprising broke out. Her diary is of significant historical value. In July 1798 she was able to return to Stephenstown House, Country Louth. Stephenstown house remained in the Fortescue family until recent times. When Mrs Pyke-Fortescue died in 1966, Stephenstown was inherited by her nephew Major Digby Hamilton who sold it in 1974. It was let fall into ruin in the 1980's.
Stephenstown pond is now a nature park and tourist attraction
○ Abandoned Ireland has an image of the ruins
○ Stephenson House - Belmont in Ireland blog
○ Fortescu.net Background to the Fortescue Estate
T
● 
Taaffe's Castle, Castle Ruins - Carlingford
Image right Geograph © Copyright Norman McMullan and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
●
Termonfeckin Castle, survivor of two tower houses, other demolished ca. 1800. Located in the small town of Termonfeckin. It dates from the 15th/16th centuries, is rectangular in plan, and of three storeys with latrines at the first and second floor levels within the projection at the south corner.
Image right - Geograph © Copyright Mike Searle and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
●Townley Hall It was designed by Irish architect Francis Johnston for the Townley Balfour family and built between 1794 and 1798, regarded as a masterpiece in the classical style of Francis Johnston, the foremost Irish architect of his day. It sits in quiet seclusion of private grounds, approached by a long wooded avenue. Commissioned as a private home for the Townley Balfour family.
Added notes from Irish Country Houses and Gardens, archives from Country Life, by Sean O'Reilly: Townley Hall, near the banks of River Boyne- a formal stone 'box', set off by rolling landscape and clumps of trees. It came to Blaney Townleu-Balfour on the death of his grandfather in 1780. It was described as "essential Irish Classicism". There was an open rotunda staircase hall, inside, a sequence of vast, pure spaces- ingenious duplicity. Finally, in 1956, the House was purchased by Trinity College, Dublin, for the first School of Agriculture, but then went to a private institution. (It has attic dormitories). The kitchen was gutted.
U-V
W
X-Y-Z
References and Sources
Louth Specific
▷
General
▷ WIKI List of country houses in the UK
▷ [http://www.britainexpress.com/Where_to_go_in_Britain/historic_house... Britain Express]
▷ Historic Houses Association - represents 1,500 houses in the UK
▷ Hudson's Historic Houses and Gardens - UK - guidebook of over 2,000 houses open to the public
▷ The DiCamillo Companion to British & Irish Country Houses - database of over 7,000 houses
▷ Lost Heritage - A Memorial to the Lost Country Houses of England - list of over 1,700 houses
▷ National Trust for Historic Preservation - online database of historic houses in the United State
▷ - http://www.hha.org.uk/ Historic Houses Association
▷ WIKI Treasure Houses of England
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Other Pages for Historic Buildings of Ireland Counties
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