Tuesday 10 April 2012

Narrow Water Stamp

A famous Ulster tower-house features on a collection of stamps highlighting some of Britain's most significant sights. The collection - A-Z of the UK Part 2 - was issued on Tuesday.

Narrow Water Castle, not to be confused with new Narrow Water Castle across the road, is near Warrenpoint, located on the County Down bank of the Clanrye River, which enters Carlingford Lough a mile to the south.

It was given into state care in 1956 and is one of the finest 16th-century buildings in Northern Ireland.

There has been a keep on this site since 1212. It was originally built to prevent attacks on Newry via the river by Hugh de Lacy, first Earl of Ulster, as part of the Norman fortifications built in the area.

The original was destroyed in the 1641 Rebellion. The Castle was built for military purposes during the 1560s. It cost £361 to erect (about £62,000 in today's money); the Captain's pay was two shillings (£17) a day.

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