Castlederg Castle

Castlederg Castle, County Tyrone
Photo © Kenneth Allen, 20 March 2007

It is located a short walk from the town centre and is alongside the river Derg. Built by Sir John Davies on a site previously occupied by an 0 Neill Tower House, this defended stone house or bawn commands a site of once strategic importance on the River Derg. The Bawn would have been a refuge for planter families during the 1641 rebellion and was eventually rendered unfit for occupation after an attack by Sir Phelim O'Neill.

The ruins today consist of a rectangular bawn with square flankers at each corner. Those situated by the riverside were opentopped, providing a point for artillery. The flankers on the north side were roofed forming part of the living area.