Taaffe's Castle
About
Taaffe's Castle is a fortified townhouse of the early 16th century standing on the seaward side of the village, most likely built as a merchant's trading depot when the tide came in much closer than it does now. It is a tall, blunt tower with a battlemented range beside it, and it reads better than any guidebook does as an illustration of what Carlingford's medieval wealth was built on: seaborne trade, in a town small enough that the merchant's house had to double as his warehouse and his defence. It is a National Monument. It is not open to walk inside, so this is a look-at rather than a go-into, but it stands directly on the street and costs nothing.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓An early 16th-century fortified townhouse, probably a merchant's trading depot
- ✓A National Monument standing directly on the street in the middle of the village
- ✓Sits on what was once the waterline, before the ground in front of it was reclaimed
Tips
- →There is no interior access; this is a street-level look.
- →Combine it with the Mint and the Tholsel in one twenty-minute loop of the village centre.
- →There is a bar in the village trading under the same name, which is a separate business from the monument.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
King John's Castle (Carlingford Castle)
The Norman castle above the harbour, begun around 1190 and named for King John's 1210 visit, reopened for guided tours in season after a long Office of Public Works conservation programme.
Carlingford Heritage Centre
A heritage centre in the restored medieval Holy Trinity church, and the organisation behind Carlingford's guided town and castle tours.
The Mint
A 15th or 16th-century limestone tower house named for a 1467 minting licence, with five carved ogee windows showing a horse, a bust, a bird, a snake and Celtic interlace.