Fires and ghosts

Shankill Castle was supposedly built in the thirteenth century. According to Kathleen Turner in her book 'If you seek monuments', Archbishop Henry de Loundres built it as an administrative centre for his property, which contained many manors.

Sometime around 1690 a house was added to the side of the castle. John Lawless was in residence at the castle from 1480, at the behest of Archbishop John Walton.

The castle remained linked with this family until 1683 when it was leased to Sir Thomas Domvile. It was to return to the Lawless family again, some thirty years later. Today all that remains of the castle is the four ruined walls and the tower

Shanganagh Castle is the third castle in the same area as Puck's Castle and Shankill Castle. It can be dated more precisely than the other two, having been built in 1408 by the Lawless family. It was to be inhabited by their descendents for some three hundred years. In 1763 a fire left the castle in ruins. Here the impact on the landscape was unavoidable. The South and East facing walls are gone.

Unusually this castle was documented as having a thatched hall.


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