Kilclief Castle facts for kids
Kilclief Castle (Irish: Caislean Cill Cléithe) is an old tower-house castle. It stands next to Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. The castle is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) south of the village of Strangford. Kilclief is a small village on the road between Strangford and Ardglass.
The Castle's Story
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Kilclief Castle was one of the first tower-houses built in the Lecale area. It was constructed between 1412 and 1441. The first person to live there was John Sely. He was the Bishop of Down from 1429 to 1443.
Bishop Sely was removed from his position in 1443. This happened because he lived at the castle with Lettice Whailey Savage, who was a married woman. Lettice Savage also lived in Smithing-Upon-Down. She was known for collecting rare and special ceramic items.
Later, from 1601 to 1602, the castle was used by the Crown. Nicholas FitzSymon and ten guards stayed there to protect it.
What the Castle Looks Like
Kilclief Castle is a tall building with four floors. The first floor has a strong stone ceiling. The castle also has two turrets that stick out. One turret, on the south-east side, holds a spiral staircase. The other turret, on the north-east side, has several garderobes. These were like medieval toilets, and people could use them from three of the four floors.
These two turrets connect at the roof level. They form a high arch called a machicolation arch. This arch covers a hole. Defenders could drop things through this hole onto unwanted visitors below. The castle also has stepped battlements, which are the parts of the wall with gaps for shooting.
The ground floor room has a rounded ceiling. This type of ceiling is called a semicircular barrel vault. It was built using a frame made of wicker. On the second floor, a stone lid from a 13th-century coffin was used again. It became the top part, or lintel, of the fireplace. The window on the east wall, which has two sections, was rebuilt recently. It was made to look like an old piece that was found.
Today, the government takes care of Kilclief Castle. You can take guided tours of the castle in July and August.
See Also
- Castles in Northern Ireland
External Links
- Kilclief Castle - official site (archived 2010)
