Newry and Mourne

	Historical Background
	The NewTown
	Map Evidence
	Elevation Drawing 1570 - 1870
	Floor Plans
	The Present Structure
	Recent Planning History
	Conservation/ Restoration
	Update - November 2001
	Update - Febuary 2003

Tourism \ Attractions \ Historical Attractions \ Bagenals Castle

Bagenals Castle

Update - November 2001

Bagenal's Castle is Newry's link with its medieval past and is located on the site of Newry's twelfth century Cistercian Abbey. Rediscovered in 1996 the castle survived enveloped inside the premises of the former McCann's Bakery on Abbey Way.

Newry and Mourne District Council plans to develop the castle as the flagship visitor attraction for the area. The project will house a museum and visitor information centre and it is hoped that the bulk of the funding required will come from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Click here for more information about the current Newry Musuem.

Funding Update

The project has already been awarded a stage one pass from the HLF with a development grant of £90,000 towards further archaeological investigative work, preparation of a conservation plan and detailed designs. This will allow the project to progress, with a stage two bid to be submitted by the 19th July 2002. If this latter bid is successful it is hoped that the project will be awarded a grant of £1,500,000.

Excavation and restoration

Preliminary archaeological investigations in December 2000 revealed a vaulted undercroft or cellar, and excavations scheduled to take place over the next few months will uncover more exciting evidence about the history and origin of Bagenal's Castle.

The drawing below is an interpretation of how the restored castle may look, but the scale of restoration will be dependent on agreement with the HLF, Environment and Heritage Service and NMDC.

Bagenal's Castle drawing

National importance

The rediscovery of Bagenal's Castle has created intense interest in the archaeological world, not least because it is the only known surviving castle in Ireland for which the original plans and elevations survive. The architectural plans of 1570-80 and a map of the same date survive in the London Public Records Office. In light of its undoubted heritage value, the Castle is protected by Environment and Heritage Service as a Scheduled Monument.