Crevenish Castle

Crevenish Castle is a ruined tower house with an attached bawn on the shore of Lower Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It stands about 3 km south-west of the village of Kesh and is a typical relic of the Plantation of Ulster.

What is Crevenish Castle?

The castle is a fortified residence from the early 17th century, built in the period when English and Scottish settlers received confiscated Irish land in Ulster. A bawn is a walled enclosure that surrounded such a house and gave shelter to people and livestock. Today the building is a ruin, but it is still one of the recognisable landmarks of this part of Fermanagh.

Who built it and when?

The castle is credited to Thomas Blennerhasset, an English planter from Norfolk, who built it around 1618. It was first known as Castle Hassett. Blennerhasset managed to establish a small settlement of English families nearby, which was far from easy, as attracting settlers to the Plantation lands was a common difficulty.

What happened to it later?

After Thomas, the estate passed to his son Sir Leonard Blennerhasset, who died in 1639. During the rising of 1641 the castle came into the hands of the Maguires: Leonard's widow Deborah married Rory Maguire, one of the leaders of the rebellion in Fermanagh. The property later returned to the Blennerhassett family. By 1697 the house was reported to be ruinous, and it was never restored.

What can you see today?

Roughly two and a half storeys of the walls still stand. The remains include a square tower and windows with narrow loopholes, which show that defence mattered as much as comfort. In the grounds are the tombstones of the Blennerhassett family. Archaeologists have also recorded a limekiln at the site, probably contemporary with the nearby early 17th-century bawn and church.

Can you visit?

The castle is privately owned. It is best admired from the outside and from the surrounding public paths and roads, and visitors should respect the property and not climb on the walls. The ruin sits at grid reference H165626 (about 54.512, -7.745), which makes it easy to find on a map.

Is it worth a stop?

Yes, if you are in the Lough Erne area and enjoy history. Crevenish combines a lakeside setting with a story about planters, rebellion and decline. It pairs naturally with a visit to Kesh and other Plantation-era sites in County Fermanagh.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Crevenish Castle? In County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, around 3 km south-west of Kesh on the shore of Lower Lough Erne.

Who built Crevenish Castle? Thomas Blennerhasset, an English planter, around 1618.

Can I go inside? No public access is arranged; the castle is privately owned.

Is it a ruin? Yes. It was already described as ruinous in 1697, and about two and a half storeys survive.