Bright Castle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Ruins of Bright Castle, County Down | |
  Location in Northern Ireland | |
 | |
| Location | Bright, County Down, Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Region | Ulster |
| Coordinates | 54°16′10″N 5°41′15″W / 54.2694°N 5.6875°W |
| Type | Tower house |
| History | |
| Builder | Unknown |
| Material | Stone |
| Founded | Late 15th or early 16th century |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Ownership | Public |
| Public access | Yes |
| Designation | Scheduled Historic Monument |
Bright Castle is a tower house near Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. The ruined structure, which is a Scheduled Historic Monument in the townland of Bright,[1] lies within Down District Council area, on Coniamstown Road, at grid ref: J5066 3822.[2] It is sited on the edge of a ridge, overlooking the surrounding countryside.
The castle originally consisted of three storeys. Today, only the east wall remains fully intact, while the north and south walls extend partially westward by approximately 2 to 3 metres. The rest of the structure has disappeared.[3]
The surviving east wall measures approximately 6.4 metres in length and 1.15 metres in thickness. The other walls are about 1.3 metres thick at ground level, narrowing to 1 metre on the upper floors. The ground floor was originally covered by a barrel vault, which remains partially visible in the side walls and gable. Lighting was provided by three small hourglass-shaped windows.[3]
The first storey was lit by larger windows in the east wall. A stone-framed window is also present at the second-storey level. Drainage from the parapet was directed outward through channels that exit at a string course on the exterior of the east elevation. A parapet walk still survives around the top of the standing structure. Architectural evidence suggests it may have had square corner turrets, similar to those at Margaret's Castle in Ardglass, although these features no longer survive.[3]