Greencastle County Down.

Henry III ordered the building of the present castle in 1252, it stands 300 yd. from the shore commanding the entrance to Carlingford Lough. It was soon captured by the Irish, and so began its turbulent history.

In 1312 two daughters of Richard de Burgh 'The Red Earl' who held the castle for the crown were married in Greencastle Castle one to Robert the Bruce later to become king of Scotland.

Four years later in 1316 Robert the Bruce's brother Edward took the castle and ransacked it.

Greencastle was rebuilt in 1261, the Megennis clan took possession of it in 1375.

In 1552 Greencastle and most of the Mourne area came under the control Nicholas Bagenal a native of Staffordshire, after his appointment as Knight Marshall, he lost this title when Mary acceded to the English throne, however Mary's reign was short lived (1553-58) when Elizabeth I came to power in 1568 Bagenal was reinstated.

By the time of Queen Elizabeth I it housed a royal garrison. It was abandoned in the 17th century, after it was bombarded by Cromwell's cannons to prevent its use by the Irish forces.

Close to the castle are the remains of a medieval church and 240 yd. further west is a mound that possibly may have been a motte raised as a predecessor of the castle.