Castle Caulfield facts for kids
Castle Caulfield is a large, old house that is now a ruin. You can find it in Castlecaulfield, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It's a cool place to visit and imagine what life was like long ago!
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Building Castle Caulfield
Sir Toby Caulfeild built this big house between 1611 and 1619. He was given 1,000 acres of land during the Ulster Plantation. This was a time when land in Ulster was given to new settlers from England and Scotland.
The land where the castle stands used to belong to the O'Donnelly family. They were close friends with the powerful O'Neill clan in Dungannon. The O'Donnelly family even had their own fort nearby.
What the Castle Looked Like
Castle Caulfield was a very impressive building. It had three main floors, plus attics at the top and a cellar underground. It featured many large windows with multiple panes, called mullioned windows. There were also tall chimneys reaching up to the sky.
One interesting discovery was made using a special method called dendrochronology. This method dates wood by looking at its tree rings. A wooden beam from one of the castle walls was dated to about 1282. This suggests that an even older fort might have stood on this spot before the castle was built.
The main entrance had a gatehouse, which was rebuilt later on. Above the entrance, you can still see the Caulfeild family's special symbol, called their coat of arms.
Castle's History and Changes
Castle Caulfield faced some tough times. It was burned during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. This was a major uprising in Ireland.
However, the castle was repaired after the fire. The Caulfeild family moved back in and lived there until the 1660s.
Famous Visitors
Over the years, some important people visited the castle. Oliver Plunkett, a famous religious leader, held a service there in 1670. Later, in 1767, John Wesley, who started the Methodist Church, also preached at the castle. By this time, the castle was already in ruins.
Castle Caulfield Today
Today, Castle Caulfield is a protected historic site. It is looked after by the state. You can find it in the area called Lisnamonaghan, within the Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council area. Its exact location is grid reference H7550 6260.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo Caulfield para niños
