Crevenish Castle facts for kids

Crevenish Castle is an old, ruined castle in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It's about 3 kilometers (2 miles) southwest of a town called Kesh. This castle is on private land. It also has a bawn, which is a strong wall built around a castle for defense.

History of Crevenish Castle

Crevenish Castle was built around 1618. A man named Sir Thomas Blennerhassett built it. He came from Norfolk, England. His brother also built another castle nearby called Castle Caldwell.

Sir Thomas Blennerhassett was one of the "planters." These were people, mostly from England and Scotland, who were given land in Ireland. This happened during a time called the Plantation of Ulster. Before coming to Fermanagh, Sir Thomas was a captain at Guernsey Castle.

He was also a writer. He wrote several books, including one about how to set up the Plantation of Ulster. After Sir Thomas died in 1624, his oldest son, Sir Leonard Blennerhassett, took over the castle.

Later, the castle came into the hands of the local Maguire family. This happened when Sir Leonard's widow, Deborah, married Rory Maguire. Rory Maguire was a leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 in Fermanagh. He died in 1648.

After some time, the castle went back to the Blennerhassett family. Henry, Sir Leonard's son, became the owner. Henry Blennerhassett was an important person. He became a MP for Fermanagh in 1664. An MP is a person chosen to represent an area in the government. He was also the High sheriff for the county. A High Sheriff was a top official who helped keep law and order.

However, by 1697, reports said that the castle was already a ruin.

What Crevenish Castle Looks Like

In 1618, a captain named Nicholas Pynnar described the castle. He said it was made of stone and lime. It had a slate roof and was about two and a half storeys high. A church was also started nearby, along with a small village of six houses.

Today, parts of the castle still stand. You can see two and a half storeys. It has a square tower and windows with narrow openings called loopholes. These were used for shooting arrows or guns. The castle is built from limestone. On the north side, there's a part that sticks out like a tower.

You can also find the tombstones of the Blennerhassett family in the castle grounds.