Burt Castle

Burt Castle: The earliest known reference to this castle is in a grant of lands to Sir John O'Doherty in 1587. The 1601 view (Davies and Swan 1939, 190) depicts it at its fullest extent and the accompanying description records 'the strong castle of Burt O'doghertes chief holde, nowe in possession of one Hugh Boye (O Doherty), seated on the top of a hill, with a thick rampier, two casemates and 5 peeces of artillery . . . this hill is almost compassed with the sea, save on one side, and there is a bogg'. It was occupied by English forces in 1601-2, but on the reestablishment of peace was regranted to Cahir O'Doherty. When he revolted the castle was captured in 1608 and after the Plantation, the estate was leased to Thomas Chichester, who in 1611, 'hath rebuylded Byrte Castle, and errected a large house of stone (DG046-015004-) within the bawne (DG046-015003-) and two houses (DG046-015005-) of timber without the bawne'. It was subsequently granted to Sir Charles Chichester and was probably still inhabited as late as 1690. Some parts of the castle had been demolished in the early 19th century; it was roofless in 1833 and many of the windows were destroyed c. 1890 (Davies and Swan 1939, 188-9; Hunter 1975, 82). Situated on the top of an isolated hill, it was surrounded by Lough Swilly on the W, S and E and by a bog on the N; much of this land and sea has been reclaimed. The top of the hill was enclosed by a rampart and external fosse (DG046-015002-); the latter, which was of 'extraordinary dimensions' in 1833 (M'Loughlin, 1833-4, 92) and could still be traced in 1938 (Davies and Swan 1939, 190), has been almost completely ploughed out and is visible now only as a slight depression. The small stretch of bank which is incorporated in modern field walls to the SW of the keep might be the remains of the original enclosing rampart. The walls of the keep which are battered to first-floor level are built of rough boulders and rubble laid in a coarse sea-sand mortar and were apparently harled on the outside. The keep is three storeys in would indicate a date in the later 16th century for this height and has circular towers at the NE and SW tower-house corners, a plan which is typically Scottish in character. The SW tower contains a spiral stairs, a number of the steps of which are broken and it is fitted with four gun-loops to each complete turn. The 1601 view indicates that the entrance to the keep was in the E wall and in this, it is supported by the presence of a large, central, ragged gap in that position This is an unusual location for a doorway in a tower-house of this type. It is more likely to have been in the S wall where it is flanked on the interior by a small chamber on the E, the stairs on the W and a door opposite it in the inner cross-wall. In this position one would expect to find a murder hole in the floor of the upper chamber. This floor has completely fallen however, and there is a large gap in the S wall. There are fragmentary remains of a barrel-vault, aligned N-S, in the main chamber on the ground floor. It was lighted by a window in the W wall, now devoid of dressings. A passage through the NE corner gives access to the tower which is defended by three gun-loops and is corbel-vaulted with mortared slabs. The first floor was entered from the stairs by a lintelled passageway with a gun-loop in the W wall. A lintelled doorway with drawbar-socket in the E wall of the passage leads into a small chamber; it was lighted by windows in the S and E walls. It has a slightly pointed vault, aligned E-W, and preserves traces of wicker centering, the rough corbels and beam-hole supports for which survive. There are three windows in the main chamber; that in the E wall has completely fallen and there are fragmentary remains of a fireplace beside it on the S. The window embrasures have masonry rear-arches; that on the N is supported by slabs and that on the W was apparently supported by timber beams. The NE tower room is corbel-vaulted and is defended by four gun-loops at varying levels. There is a small garderobe recess set in the thickness of the N wall at the entrance to this tower; the shaft discharges at ground-floor level. The plan of the second floor is similar to that below it, and has a small chamber with a slightly pointed vault, entered from the passage on the SW; it is lighted by rectangular windows in the S and E walls. The main chamber was supported on E-W joists, and is lighted by a large window in the W wall and a single-light window with deeply splayed ingoings in the N wall. The latter is unique in possessing the cut-stone dressings; it has a blunt-pointed head and the ope is moulded with a simple quarter round. The embrasures have masonry rear-arches which were supported by wooden beams on the W and by wooden beams and slabs (in situ) on the N. The NE tower room was corbel-vaulted and has three gun-loops. The stairs in the SW tower continued to an upper storey or attic. The 1601 view depicts the keep as having at least one corner turret or bartizan; no visible trace of this survives, though one is recorded as having fallen in a storm in 1825 (McLoughlin 1833-4, 92). The presence of numerous gun-loops would indicate a date in the later 16th century for this tower-house. 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