House — 16th/17th century in Drumdutton

Drumdutton Castle (site of): In 1622, Capt Thomas Dutton who had purchased 500 acres from Sir Ralph Bingley had built a house and established a village here (Treadwell 1953-5, 43). The Civil Survey 1654-6 records that it was a 'large dwelling house of stone called Drim, built in a manner of strength, which was burnt in the late war' which followed on the 1641 rebellion (Simmington 1937, 107). It is marked as 'Old Castle' on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map to the N of the church (1879). In 1845, Fagan noted that a small section was then incorporated in a flax kiln 'a few yards south (recte N?) of the old church' (Bk. 2, 9-10). No visible trace of this survives. There is a small shed to the E of the church built against a stretch of wall, c. 4m long by 1.9m high, built of large irregular blocks. This wall may have formed part of the house or its associate out-buildings. The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated. Date of upload: 22 September 2008