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Attractions \ The Narrow Water Castle Keep
Narrow Water Keep
and Castle
 General
Information
Narrow Water Keep lies on the Co. Down
bank of the Newry River, which enters Carlingford Lough a mile to
the south.
There has been a keep on this site
since 1212. It was originally built by Hugh deLacy, Earl of Ulster,
as part of the Norman fortifications, to prevent attacks on Newry
via the river. The castle was destroyed in the 1641 Rebellion.
Although apparently built for military
purposes, Narrow Water Castle is a typical example of the tower
houses found throughout Ireland from the 15th until the
earlier 17th century. This form of building, normally
rectangular in plan and three or more storeys high, comprised a
series of superimposed chambers, with stairs, closets and latrines
skilfully contrived within the walls or sometimes contained in projecting
angle turrets.
The tower house was given into state
care in 1956 and is one of the finest 16th century buildings
in Ireland.
The importance of Narrow Water Castle
is the fine condition of its tower and the detailed account of its
building. When it was built in 1570, John Sancky was paid £361 4s2d
and as a warden of the castle he was paid 2 schillings a day and
had a garrison of 12 foot soldiers and 6 horsemen.
By 1580 Hugh Magennis, Chief of the
Mournes, held the castle – he also had castles at Newcastle and
Castlewellan.
In 1596 the castle was retaken by the
English but granted to Sir Arthur Magennis on condition that the
English could use it if they needed it.
In 1641 Sir Conn Magennis took it,
but in 1644 it was defended for the King against Parliament. In
1670 it was sold to Francis Hall and the family owned it until 1956.
In 1744 till at least 1819 a saltworks
was built inside the walls and in 1834 it was used as kennels.
Origin
The east coast of Ireland was protected
by many castles to provide strong defence and contact with Dublin.
The sea route from Dublin to Newry would include Drogheda, Dundalk,
Carlingford and Greencastle. Narrow Water covered the centre of
the Lough.
An earlier castle motte, built in the
late 12th or 13th century, which can still
be seen nearer Warrenpoint, close to the roundabout, it may have
been hereabouts that King John’s army crossed the lough by a pontoon
bridge in 1210.
The later 19th Century castle
is still in use on the other side of the road and hosts an annual
christmas craft fayre.
One story associated with the Keep
is that of Lassara, a young maiden, being kept prisoner, who heard
her lover calling and threw herself from the battlements to her
death on the rocks below.
Features to look
out for:
- The tower is built of rubble with
wrought granite and carboniferous limestone quoins and some similar
limestone dressings.
- The tower is three storeys with
an attic in height and measures 39 feet by 33 feet internally.
- The walls measure 4 ½ to 5 ¾ feet
thick.
- Arrow loops on the corners – no
blind spots.
- Door protected by drophole above.
- Fine straight staircase – older
castles had spiral ones.
- Vault built in Irish style supported
in cagework (hazel rods).
- Corbelled roof of latrines also
Irish work.
- The outer wall or bawn (restored
in the 19th century) is rubble built and of irregular
plan.
Location
Narrow Water Castle guards the narrowest
point on Carlingford Lough. Reach it from the dual carriageway (A2)
between Warrenpoint and Newry. Parking is permitted on the hard
shoulder outside the castle.
Further information
DOE Historic Monuments
Tel: 028 90 235000
www.ehsni.gov.uk
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