Kilclief Castle

This impressive tower-house was reputedly built by John Sely, bishop of Down, between 1413 and 1441 when he was dismissed for living with Letticia Thomas, a married woman. This makes it the earliest datable tower-house in Co. Down, and this monument is often used to date other tower-houses in the county.

Its features include the high machicolation arch between projecting towers, a local feature displayed here, at Audley’s Castle and at Margaret’s and Jordan’s Castles in Ardglass. The machicolation protects the entrance leading to a spiral stair in the south-east tower.

In the north-east tower is a latrine shaft with access from three of the four floors. As at Jordan’s Castle, the ground floor chamber has a semicircular barrel vault built on wicker centring. On the second floor a 13th century coffin-lid from the nearby church was reused as a lintel for the fireplace and on the third floor crosses can be seen cut into a window. The two-light window in the east wall is a modern reconstruction based on a surviving fragment.