List of Grade A listed buildings in County Tyrone facts for kids
Have you ever seen an old, important building and wondered why it looks so special? In Northern Ireland, some buildings are officially called "listed buildings." This means they are super important because of their history or amazing design. It's like giving them a special badge of honor!
There are different levels of importance, and "Grade A" buildings are the most important of all. These are places that are truly outstanding and show off the best of Northern Ireland's history and architecture. Once a building gets this special "Grade A" listing, people can't change it much without getting permission first. This helps protect these amazing places for everyone to enjoy for many years.
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Protecting Northern Ireland's Historic Buildings
The idea of protecting old buildings started a bit later in Northern Ireland compared to other parts of the UK. The first laws to protect these buildings came out in 1972, and then new rules were made in 1991. Today, a special group called the Historic Environment Division, which is part of the Department for Communities, is in charge of deciding which buildings get listed.
They started looking for important buildings in 1974. This first big search finished in 1994. Since then, they've been doing a second, ongoing search to update all the information. All the details they collect about these buildings are put into a public database. This helps everyone learn about and appreciate Northern Ireland's wonderful old buildings.
County Tyrone is a large area, about 3,155 square kilometers (that's about 1,218 square miles!). Around 166,500 people live there. In County Tyrone, there are 20 buildings that have earned the special "Grade A" listed status. Let's explore some of them!
Amazing Grade A Buildings in County Tyrone
Here are some of the incredible Grade A listed buildings you can find in County Tyrone:
Historic Homes and Castles
- Killymoon Castle, Cookstown: This is a beautiful old country house.
- Outbuildings at Killymoon Castle, Cookstown: Even the farm buildings near Killymoon Castle are considered very important!
- Augher Castle, Augher: Another grand country house with a lot of history.
- Caledon House, Caledon: A significant house located in Caledon.
- Parkanaur House, Castlecaulfield: A lovely house with special historical value.
- Baronscourt House, Newtownstewart: A very important house in Newtownstewart.
Important Churches
- St. John's Church, Church Hill, Caledon: A historic church in Caledon.
- St. James Church, The Diamond, Moy: An important church in Moy.
- St. Macartan's Cathedral, Clogher: A very old and significant cathedral in Clogher.
- Clonfeacle Parish Church of St. Patrick, Benburb: A historic church in Benburb.
- St. Michael's Church, Castlecaulfield: An important church in Castlecaulfield.
- RC Church of The Sacred Heart, Church Street, Omagh: A significant Roman Catholic church in Omagh.
Other Special Structures
- Caledon Monument, Caledon: A memorial that is also a Grade A listed structure.
- Gate Screen, Caledon Monument, Caledon: The gates and screen around the Caledon Monument are also protected.
- Gateway in Bawn Wall, Augher Castle, Augher: The old gateway at Augher Castle is a listed feature.
- Bawn Tower, Augher Castle, Augher: A historic tower at Augher Castle.
- Entrance gates of St. Mary's Church, Favour Royal, Augher: The entrance gates of this church are also listed.
- Entrance gates St. Michael's Church, Castlecaulfield: The gates leading to St. Michael's Church are protected.
- Burges Burial Vault, St. Michael's Church, Castlecaulfield: A special burial vault at St. Michael's Church.