Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB02/06/003 A

Address :
Dungiven Castle Main Street Dungiven Co Londonderry BT47 4LF

Townland:
Dungiven

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
21/10/1997 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Hotel

Former Use
Castle

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
Yes

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
51/6

IG Ref:
C6922 0910

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Owner Category

Miscellaneous

Exterior Description And Setting

Two storey 11 structural bay linear castle with Irish battlements, central towers and flankers. Located in a commanding position overlooking the River Roe but with a reduced impact on Dungiven Main Street where it is partly obscured by a cattlemarket shed and public house. The building is presently being restored. The North façade towards Main Street is flanked by the remains of a bawn wall (HB02/06/003B) which may have originally enclosed an approximately square courtyard between the castle and the street. The façade has a centrally placed circular tower with a long linear window at ground level a twelve pane fixed window with fine astragals has been installed. A window of similar width directly above, but of more standard height (1200mm approx) is a twelve pane sash. The building is clad in regular sandstone ashlar work and is symmetrical about the tower. The entrance is to the side of the tower through a single leaf door. Five bays to each side each have a window at ground and first floor equally spaced. The central bay of each group of five has a door opening at first floor where an escape stair is planned. On the roof a five pot rendered chimney sits on the ridge near this point and another is located at the gable. The west gable has no windows and has recently been rebuilt from eaves level in sandstone ashlar matching the original. A two storey battlemented flanker sits out to the south west. To the north there is a small section of bawn wall (HB02-06-003B). The main formal elevation of the building is to the south where gardens have been partly reinstated and compliment the symmetry of the arrangement. The flankers at each end have narrow single pane wide windows with hood mouldings. There are three windows one facing south, one south east and one south west. Five bays of windows separates the flankers from the central tower. The ground floor windows are twelve pane sashes (recent) with hood mouldings. A string course unites the cills of the small first floor windows. These have nine panes and also have a hood moulding. A cornice moulding runs along the base of the battlemented parapet. Some of the mouldings are damaged and while some portions have been replaced in the current renovation others have been left. The central octagonal tower projects as far from the façade as the flankers. A gothic arched entrance door with fanlight (yet to be installed) has two side lights and is topped by a hood moulding. A narrow gothic window above follows the same arrangement. Sash windows in the walls to each side have yet to be installed. Heavy machicolations replace the cornice at the base of the battlements.

Architects

Gordon, Stewart

Historical Information

The Director of Built Heritage in 1996 writes that Dungiven Castle is built on the site of a late 17th century fortification. There is an illustration in the O.S. Memoirs, which shows a long single storey building with engaged circular towers at each end roofless and with an asymmetrical arrangement of windows and door openings. The illustration is titled Lady Cooke’s Castle. Lady Cooke was supposed to have died c 1688. If she established the castle it probably dates from the 2nd half of the 17th century. The present structure may therefore be built on the foundations of the former. The residence of Robert Leslie Ogilby is stated in the O.S. Memoirs to be in the middle of the town but does not make clear whether it is a building formerly known as the Manor House (HB02/06/004) and recently rebuilt or the castle. It is assumed that it is the Manor House, though no building is designated as such on the 1832 O.S. map. Dr Hamlin states that the present castle was built in 1839 by Robert Ogilby of Pellipar and suggests that the architect may have been Stewart Gordon, who may have designed the Bishop St. front of Derry Gaol (now demolished except for one tower) and suggest that there is a similarity in the principal facades. Derry Gaol, of course, was built in 1790 and the towers added to the Bishop St. front in c1819 to 1824. Stewart Gordon died 1860. Curl in Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 suggests that the new castle was probably built at the top of the town probably sometime before the Church was erected in 1711 and that stone from the fortified house at the Priory site was used in the construction of it. Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary is conflicting and refers to – “adjoining the town are the extensive ruins of a castle and bawn, built in 1618, by the Skinner’s Co”. A map drawn in 1792 by J Morton shows the castle approached by an avenue from Main Street with ornamental gardens on either side. In 1839 Robert Ogilby rebuilt the castle as a 2 storey structure, though he continued to reside at Pellipar House and there is no record of an Ogilby living in the castle. After the lease of the manor reverted to the Skinnner’s Co. in 1873, the Co. had their surveyor draw up plans for the restoration of the castle and the ground floor accommodation shows a handsome arrangement of rooms. There are 3 returns on the N E side similar to that on the Morton map. Burnell’s proposals were not proceeded with. In 1890 Robert Alex. Ogilby purchased the castle and grounds from the Skinners Co. In 1925 an American James McCloskey bought the property which was converted to 4 flats. Dancing functions took place in the castle from 1930 and in 1962 a ballroom extension was erected and regular dances were held. The Limavady District Council acquired the property and part of the bawn enclosure in the 1980s. The building had been listed in Mar. 1975 but delisted in Sept. 1986 at the behest of the L D C because of the dangerous state of the structure. However the Glenshane Community Development Association Ltd acquired the castle in 1991 and the building relisted in Nov. 1995. Funding has been obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund and work is presently being carried out to adapt the building as a hostel. The architects are Keith Gilmour of Moneymore (Manor Architects) and the builder McCloskey & O’Kane Limavady. The 1st Survey states “1839. A 2 storey building built of regular coursed sandstone with crenellated central octagonal tower and smaller semi-circular flanking towers at extremities of main elevation. A still smaller crenellated tower occupies the centre of the rear elevation, an inappropriate porch has been added adjacent to this tower. Windows are 2 light marginal double hung. Part of the walls of the original castle bawn walls remain retaining a variety of old and new features. The original castle, known as the King’s House, was built in the early c 17. East and West walls of the bawn survive together with a few of the arches that supported the gun platforms”. References Primary Sources O.S. Memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of Co Londonderry IV 1824, 1833-5 ed. by Angelique Day and Patrick McWilliams. Institute of Irish Studies, Queen’s University p.5-43 O.S. Map 1st Edition 1832 Co Londonderry 25. O.S. Map Dungiven 1859 Val. map 60” to 1 ml. Val. 2D/5/12 O.S. Map 1905-06 Revision Co Londonderry 25 Hamlin Background Note – Dungiven Castle June 1996 E.H.S. Secondary Sources Bunn Dungiven Days 1978 Central Lib. Derry p 12 Curl The Londonderry Plantation 1609-1914 p. 290, 291, 292, 293, 296, 297 Lewis Topographical Dictionary Vol. 1 p. 581 Rowan Buildings of Ireland – North West Ulster p. 266 Benbradagh 1988 p 10-14 HMSO Historic Monuments of Northern Ireland p.58, 127.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form J. Setting

Historic Interest

W. Northern Ireland/International Interest X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An early Victorian neo gothic style castle built on the site of an earlier structure. The later building erected by the Ogilby family, agent of the Skinners Co., but never occupied by them It lay derelict for many decades. Its elevation to the Main Street is haphazard and obscured by a modern cattle mart shed. Remains of bawn walls still stand but cannot be properly appreciated because of adjoining development. The building has a splendid setting from the south and the River Roe.

General Comments

Date of Survey

11 May 2000