Benburb Castle

Map Reference: H815520

Benburb Castle is built an the edge of a cliff. It is a plantation bawn built in 1611 by Sir Richard Wingfield. It is an irregular four-sided bawn with the entrance in the north wall. There are large rectangular flanking towers at the north-east and north-west corners and a smaller round tower at the south-east corner.



A 19th century house occupies the SW area of the bawn. The NE flanker has two fine mullioned and transomed windows in its east wall. The NW flanker has a chimney. The bawn wall is well provided with musket loops and there is a small gateway in the east wall. If any allure existed it is now removed and the top of the wall is peaked.



A the south end is a circular tower with a stair down to a postern gate at the cliff edge. Excavation evidence suggests that there was never a large house built within the bawn before the 19th century. It is thought that the large flanking towers provided sufficient accomodation.