{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{coord|54.1148|-6.2828|display=title|region:GB_scale:5000}} {{short description|16th-century tower house in Northern Ireland}} right|thumb|300px|Narrow Water Castle, looking south (the road is to the left of the picture)
'''Narrow Water Castle''' ({{langx|ga|Caisleán an Chaoil}};<ref>{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water, County Down |url=http://www.placenamesni.org/resultdetails.php?entry=15025 |access-date=29 November 2021 |publisher=Placenames NI}}</ref> Ulster-Scots: ''Narra Wattèr Castle'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jordan's Castle, Ulster-Scots translation |url=http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/jordanscastleus.pdf |access-date=22 October 2012 |publisher=Department of the Environment |archive-date=3 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903154517/http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/jordanscastleus.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> is a 16th-century tower house and bawn near Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland. It is beside the A2 road and on the County Down bank of the Clanrye (Newry) River, which enters Carlingford Lough {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} to the south.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water Keep Warrenpoint |url=https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/narrow-water-keep-warrenpoint-p676281 |access-date=29 November 2021 |website=Discover Northern Ireland |publisher=Tourism Northern Ireland |quote=tower-house and bawn built about 1568 at a point where the Newry River meets Carlingford Lough}}</ref> It is a historic monument in state care in the townland of Narrow Water, in Newry and Mourne District Council district, at grid ref: J1256 1939.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water Castle |url=http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/state_care_monuments_2007.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722033155/http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/state_care_monuments_2007.pdf |archive-date=2012-07-22 |access-date=2007-12-04 |website=Environment and Heritage Service NI - State Care Historic Monuments}}</ref>
==History== thumb|upright|Western facade of the tower house Originally the site of a 13th century Norman keep (associated with Hugh de Lacy),<ref name="curiousireland">{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water Castle, Warrenpoint. County Down 1560 |url=https://curiousireland.ie/narrow-water-castle-warrenpoint-co-down-1560/ |access-date=29 November 2021 |website=curiousireland.ie}}</ref> a replacement tower house and bawn was built at Narrow Water (by the Magennis family) in the 16th century.<ref name="curiousireland" /><ref name="bbc">{{Cite web |date=10 April 2012 |title=Narrow Water Castle goes on Royal Mail stamp |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-17659270 |access-date=29 November 2021 |website=bbc.com |publisher=BBC}}</ref> The replacement structure, built in the 1560s, was a typical example of the tower houses built throughout Ireland at the time. This kind of building, often rectangular in plan and three or more storeys high, comprised a series of superimposed chambers, with stairs, closets and latrines built within the walls (which are 1.5 metres or five feet thick in places).
The castle was damaged during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and sold to the Hall family in the 1670s. It was occupied by the Hall family until they built an "Elizabethan revival style" mansion (also called "Narrow Water Castle") in the early 19th century.<ref name="official">{{Cite web |title=The Castle |url=http://narrowwatercastle.co.uk/?page_id=23 |access-date=29 November 2021 |website=narrowwatercastle.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=22 September 2007 |title=Scion of gentry kept Narrow Water Castle in family |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/scion-of-gentry-kept-narrow-water-castle-in-family-1.964914 |access-date=29 November 2021 |website=irishtimes.com |publisher=Irish Times |quote=The Narrow Water estate includes the old Narrow Water Castle, built in 1212 by Sir Hugh de Lacey. This original castle is still standing [..] In 1816, this Roger Hall also decided to build a new castle, adjoining Mount Hall. The new Narrow Water Castle was built in Elizabethan Revival style}}</ref>
The original (16th century) Narrow Water Castle keep was given into state care in 1956.<ref name="bbc" /> The more recent (19th century) mansion remains a private residence of the Hall family.<ref name="official" />
On 27 August 1979, 18 British Army soldiers were killed by a Provisional IRA ambush near Narrow Water Castle (see Narrow Water ambush). It was the greatest single loss of life for the British Army during The Troubles.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 August 1979 |title=On this day - 27 August |publisher=BBC News |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/27/newsid_3891000/3891055.stm |access-date=2008-04-26}}</ref>
A bridge was proposed to be built near the castle in the early 21st century. However, in July 2013, Louth County Council announced that the projected costs were prohibitive and the project was not progressed at that stage.<ref name="bbc-bridge">{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water bridge plan put on hold |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-23246878 |date = 9 July 2013 |access-date=10 July 2013 |publisher=BBC News}}</ref> In 2023, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar committed to examining the feasibility of co-funding a Narrow Water Bridge.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water Bridge project moves to tender stage 1 |url=https://www.rod.ie/about/news/narrow-water-bridge-project-moves-tender-stage |website=ROD.ie | date = 10 January 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Narrow Water Bridge - Northern Ireland Roads Site |url=http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/roads/carlingfordloughbridge.html |website=WesleyJohnston.com | date = April 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Breslin |first=John |date=15 March 2023 |title=Hopes grow proposed Narrow Water bridge could be named after US President Joe Biden |url=https://www.irishnews.com/news/republicofirelandnews/2023/03/15/news/headline-3138326/ |website=The Irish News }}</ref>
== See also == *List of castles in Northern Ireland
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Narrow Water Castle}} *[http://www.narrowwatercastle.co.uk Narrow Water Castle Official Site]
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Category:Castles in County Down Category:Tower houses in Northern Ireland