Crevenish Castle

Crevenish Castle is a ruined castle and bawn in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, 3k south-west of Kesh[1] at grid ref: H165626.[2] It is privately owned.[3]

History

The castle was built about 1618 by Sir Thomas Blennerhassett (died 1624), from Norfolk, whose brother built Castle Caldwell[1] and was originally known as Castlehassett or Castle Hassett. Before coming as a 'planter' to Fermanagh, Thomas Blennerhassett had a varied career including being Captain of Guernsey Castle. He was a literary man who wrote several books including Directions for the Plantation of Ulster.[4][5] He was succeeded by his eldest son Sir Leonard Blennerhassett (died 1639).[6] The castle moved to local Maguire hands when his widow, Deborah, married Rory Maguire, leader of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 in Fermanagh, who died in 1648.[3] The castle subsequently returned to Blennerhassett hands, to Henry, son of Sir Leonard, who became MP for Fermanagh in 1664, and High sheriff for the county.[6] However, by 1697 the house was being reported as ruinous.[3]

Features

In 1618/19 Captain Nicholas Pynnar reported the castle as being 'a house of stone and lime, slated, two and a half storeys high'. A church was also begun and a small village of six houses.[3] Two and a half storeys remain standing, with a square tower and loopholed windows.[1] It is built of limestone with, on the north side, an inset centre section with a tower-like projection on either.[7] The tombstones of the Blennerhassetts are in the grounds.[3]

See also
  • List of castles in Northern Ireland

References
  1. Sanderson, Ernest (1976). Discover Northern Ireland. Belfast: Northern Ireland Tourist Board. p. 143. ISBN 0 9500222 7 6.
  2. Department of the Environment NI (1987). Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland. Belfast: HMSO. pp. 152–153.
  3. McCusker, Breege (1999). Fermanagh:Land of Lake and Legend. Dundurn. p. 26. ISBN 1900935104.
  4. "From the Broads to the Lakelands: English Plantation in Fermanagh in the early 17th century". Cunninghamsway. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  5. "Thomas Blennerhassett". Dictionary of Ulster Biography. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  6. "The Blennerhassetts". Chittick.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  7. "Crevenish Castle, Kesh". Natural Stone Database. Retrieved 19 April 2015.


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