harry averys castle

The Harry Avery who gave his name to the castle was Henry Aimbreidh O'Neill, who died in 1392. The castle, commanding the valley of the River Derg close to Newtownstewart, was probably - though not certainly - built by him, and is unusual in being a stone castle located within what was Gaelic Ulster at the time. Even more curious are the two towers visible from afar which give the impression of being a gate-tower of an earlier century guarding the access to the castle ward behind them (like the gatehouse at Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim).

The two towers do guard an entrance, but it leads into a covered hall where a staircase rose to the main living area at first-floor level, so that the towers function more as a tower-house than a fortified gate. The raised area behind the towers is partially man-made and was protected by a curtain wall, in which traces of one latrine tower may still be seen.