Castle Caulfield

Castle Caulfield, sometimes also known as Ballydonelly Castle, lies in the village of Castlecaulfield, west of the town of Dungannon, in County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland.

Castle Caulfield was built as a mansion between 1611 and 1619 by Sir Toby Caulfield on the site of an earlier defended residence of the O'Donnelly family. A peculiar gate house on one side of the castle ruin is thought to contain parts of this earlier fort.

The castle was originally U-shaped but the northwest wing is now missing which gives it an L-shaped appearance. The building is 3 stories high with attics, many large mullioned windows and tall chimney stacks.

During the Irish Rebellion of 1641 the castle was burned by Patrick Donnelly. Not long afterwards it was repaired and reoccupied by the Caulfield family until the 1660s.

St Oliver Plunkett is known to have held a service at the castle in 1670. About 1700 Castle Caulfield fell into disuse. John Wesley preached there in 1767 but the castle was already a ruin then. At present it is just an empty shell of its former grandeur.

A nice castle ruin. It is freely accessible.

Gallery