Parke's Castle
Encyclopedia
Rising three storeys tall, in an idyllic setting on the banks of Lough Gill
, in County Leitrim
in Ireland
, Parke’s Castle is a plantation
era castle. In 1610 Roger Parke completed his fortified manor house
on the site of an earlier fifteenth-century O'Rourke (Uí Ruairc) castle. He kept the walls of the original bawn
- a spacious pentagonal defensive area - and demolished the O'Rourke tower house in the centre. The stones of O’Rourke’s tower were used to build the three-storey manor on the eastern side, eventually adorned with mullion
ed windows and diamond-shaped chimneys.
One of two round flanker
s guarding the north side of the bawn forms one end of the manor. The other end has the gate building with an arch
ed entrance leading into the enclosure. Inside the courtyard are many stone work buildings and a covered well. There are also a postern
gate and a sally port
; through there are no flankers on the lakeshore. This may be explained by the likelihood that the water level was 3 meters higher in the seventeenth century and would have lapped up against the bawn walls. These waters may have fed the moat that formerly surrounded the bawn.
Excavations in 1972-73 revealed the base of the original O'Rourke tower house
beneath the courtyard cobble
s, and this is now exposed to view. It was in this tower house that Francisco de Cuellar
, the shipwrecked Armada officer, was entertained by Brian O'Rourke
. In later years, de Cuellar was to write of his host: "Although this chief is a savage, he is a good Christian and an enemy of the heretics and is always at war with them.” O'Rourke was eventually captured, indicted and executed for high treason in London in 1591. The Parkes, who subsequently acquired his confiscated property, remained at Newtown, or Leitrim Castle - as it was formerly known - until the end of the seventeenth century, when it was deserted.
. The window glazing was reinstated, and local artisans restored the timber stair and the mortise and tenon oak roof, using techniques of the 17th century.
on the Sligo
road (the R286) 12k from Sligo. The castle is open March: 17 - 20, April - June: Tuesdays to Sundays, July to mid-September: Tuesdays to Sundays, October: Tuesdays to Sundays. A small admission fee is charged, granting access to the castle, exhibitions and audio-visual facilities. There is access for visitors with disabilities to the ground floor.
Lough Gill
Lough Gill is a freshwater lough mainly situated in County Sligo, but partly in County Leitrim, in Ireland. It is about 8 km or 5 miles long and 2 km or 1 mile wide, and drains into the River Garavogue near Sligo Town. The picturesque lake is surrounded by wooded hills and is popular with...
, in County Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, Parke’s Castle is a plantation
Plantation (settlement or colony)
Plantation was an early method of colonization in which settlers were "planted" abroad in order to establish a permanent or semi-permanent colonial base. Such plantations were also frequently intended to promote Western culture and Christianity among nearby indigenous peoples, as can be seen in the...
era castle. In 1610 Roger Parke completed his fortified manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
on the site of an earlier fifteenth-century O'Rourke (Uí Ruairc) castle. He kept the walls of the original bawn
Bawn
A bawn is the defensive wall surrounding an Irish tower house. It is the anglicised version of the Irish word badhún meaning "cattle-stronghold" or "cattle-enclosure". The Irish word for "cow" is bó and its plural is ba...
- a spacious pentagonal defensive area - and demolished the O'Rourke tower house in the centre. The stones of O’Rourke’s tower were used to build the three-storey manor on the eastern side, eventually adorned with mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
ed windows and diamond-shaped chimneys.
Flanker
Flanker may refer to:*The NATO reporting name for the Sukhoi Su-27 and derivatives:**Flanker-A: Sukhoi T-10 **Flanker-B: Sukhoi Su-27**Flanker-C: Sukhoi Su-30 **Flanker-D: Sukhoi Su-33...
s guarding the north side of the bawn forms one end of the manor. The other end has the gate building with an arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
ed entrance leading into the enclosure. Inside the courtyard are many stone work buildings and a covered well. There are also a postern
Postern
A postern is a secondary door or gate, particularly in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall. Posterns were often located in a concealed location, allowing the occupants to come and go inconspicuously. In the event of a siege, a postern could act as a sally port, allowing...
gate and a sally port
Sally port
The primary modern meaning for sally port is a secure, controlled entryway, as at a fortification or a prison. The entrance is usually protected in some way, such as with a fixed wall blocking the door which must be circumvented before entering, but which prevents direct enemy fire from a distance...
; through there are no flankers on the lakeshore. This may be explained by the likelihood that the water level was 3 meters higher in the seventeenth century and would have lapped up against the bawn walls. These waters may have fed the moat that formerly surrounded the bawn.
Excavations in 1972-73 revealed the base of the original O'Rourke tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
beneath the courtyard cobble
Cobblestone
Cobblestones are stones that were frequently used in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size...
s, and this is now exposed to view. It was in this tower house that Francisco de Cuellar
Francisco de Cuellar
Francisco de Cuellar was a Spanish sea captain who sailed with the Spanish Armada in 1588 and was wrecked on the coast of Ireland. He gave a remarkable account of his experiences in the fleet and on the run in Ireland.- Spanish Armada :...
, the shipwrecked Armada officer, was entertained by Brian O'Rourke
Brian O'Rourke
Lord Brian na Múrtha Ó Ruairc , hereditary lord of West Bréifne in Ireland during the later stages of the Tudor conquest of that country, was proclaimed by the English to be a rebel and became the first man extradited within Britain for crimes alleged to have been committed in Ireland.-Early life:Ó...
. In later years, de Cuellar was to write of his host: "Although this chief is a savage, he is a good Christian and an enemy of the heretics and is always at war with them.” O'Rourke was eventually captured, indicted and executed for high treason in London in 1591. The Parkes, who subsequently acquired his confiscated property, remained at Newtown, or Leitrim Castle - as it was formerly known - until the end of the seventeenth century, when it was deserted.
Restoration
The castle had extensive and sensitive restoration carried out at the end of the 20th century by the Office of Public WorksOffice of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
. The window glazing was reinstated, and local artisans restored the timber stair and the mortise and tenon oak roof, using techniques of the 17th century.
Location and access
Parke’s Castle is located 5 kilometres NW of DromahairDromahair
Dromahair is a small village in County Leitrim, Ireland. Dromahair is 10 km from Manorhamilton and 17 km from Sligo town.-Geography:Dromahair lies in the hilly north west of Leitrim amid some stunning unspoiled natural landscapes...
on the Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
road (the R286) 12k from Sligo. The castle is open March: 17 - 20, April - June: Tuesdays to Sundays, July to mid-September: Tuesdays to Sundays, October: Tuesdays to Sundays. A small admission fee is charged, granting access to the castle, exhibitions and audio-visual facilities. There is access for visitors with disabilities to the ground floor.
External links
- Parke's Castle - official site at Heritage Ireland
- Leitrim County Council
- LeitrimTourism.com