Greencastle, County Down facts for kids
Greencastle is an old castle in County Down, Northern Ireland. It was a royal castle, meaning it belonged to the king or queen. It was first built way back in the 1200s, which is the 13th century. Even though it's mostly from that time, it was changed a lot in the 1400s and 1500s.
The castle has a big, rectangular main building called a keep. This keep has three rooms with arched ceilings on the ground floor. To get to it, you had to cross a ditch that was dug out of the rock. Originally, the castle was surrounded by outer walls with four towers at the corners. You can still see parts of these old walls today.
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Greencastle: A Historic Irish Castle
Why Was Greencastle Built?
Greencastle was probably built by a powerful person named Hugh de Lacy. He also built Carlingford Castle, which is on the other side of Carlingford Lough. These two castles were built to protect the narrow water channel leading into the Lough. They also guarded the ferry crossing between the two sides. This made them very important for controlling who came in and out of the area.
The Castle's Early Days
Before the stone castle, there was likely an older, wooden castle nearby. This was a "Motte and Bailey" castle, possibly built by John de Courcy. A motte is a big mound of earth, and a bailey is a walled courtyard. The mound from this older castle is still visible near the sea.
One old story says that John de Courcy got married at Greencastle. This might have happened at the original wooden castle.
A Look at Its History
Who Owned Greencastle?
From 1264 to 1333, Greencastle was held by Richard de Burgh, who was the Earl of Ulster. He held it for the English Crown, meaning it was under English control.
Attacks and Battles
In 1316, the castle was attacked and captured by Edward Bruce. He was the brother of Robert the Bruce, a famous Scottish king. This happened even though one of Richard de Burgh's daughters had married Robert the Bruce himself!
The castle was attacked at least two more times by Irish forces in the late 1300s. However, it remained an English military base, or garrison, even into the 1590s.
Later Owners and Its End
In the 1500s, the Earl of Kildare owned Greencastle for a while. Later, it was held by Nicholas Bagenal of Newry.
The castle eventually stopped being used after a big attack by soldiers loyal to Oliver Cromwell. They bombarded the castle to make sure rebel forces couldn't use it. This was a common tactic to prevent enemies from using strongholds.
Greencastle Today
Today, Greencastle is a special historic monument cared for by the state. It is located in the area called Greencastle, within the Newry and Mourne District Council. You can find it using the grid reference: J2473 1184.
Links
Images for kids
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Looking North West over Carlingford Lough
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Looking South East
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Looking North to the Mournes
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Looking West towards Greencastle Point
