County Armagh

Tandragee Castle

The Mansion House, usually called the castle, was built on the site of an ancient castle on the hill.

Tandragee comes from the Irish Toin re gaoith and means 'back to the wind'.

The original baronial castle was built by the O'Hanlons, who participated in a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I. Because of this, the lands were forfeited to the Crown in the early 1600s, and were granted to Sir Oliver St. John, who peopled the land with English settlers. Viscount Mandeville rebuilt the castle in the early 1800s. Lord and Lady Mandeville became benefactors of the community, establishing an orphanage, three dispensaries, and 25 public schools in the area, each of which was attached to a lending library.



Tandragee Castle,  was built in 1837 by The 6th Duke of Manchester ,  George Montagu as the family's Irish home. The Duke of Manchester acquired the estate through his marriage to Millicent Sparrow (1798–1848).

During the Plantation of Ulster the castle at Tandragee became the property of Sir Oliver St John, Lord Deputy of Ireland. He rebuilt the original stronghold of the O'Hanlon Clan. During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, however, the O'Hanlons attempted to regain their lands - the result was the castle being ruined; it remained so for two hundred year

The castle and estate were sold by The 10th Duke of Manchester (who was born at Tandragee) in the 1950s, and it was purchased by Mr. Hutchinson, a businessman from Tandragee. Today the Castle houses offices for the Tayto potato crisp factory and the park's demesne incorporates a golf course.


‘Tanderagee Idol’, given the name because it stood for some time in the grounds of Ballymore Rectory, Tanderagee, Co. Armagh.   Stone Idols They are thought to be of Iron Age date,


Killeavy Castle, Meigh, Co Armagh 

Killeavy Castle sits on the slopes of Slieve Gullion and is a  Grade I listed building. The building started life as a farm house, built in a gothic style by the Foxall family between 1810 and 1820. In 1836, four stone towers, outbuildings and Tudor-style windows were added and the house became known as Killeavy Castle.















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