Block house on Island to south of Soldiers Point, Fair Road, Greencastle, Newry, Co. Down

This is the site of a block house, a defensive structure, of probable late 16th to mid-17th century date, situated on an island south of Soldiers Point, at the entrance to Carlingford Lough. The building held a strategic position for the defence of Newry and Carlingford. Very little of the original structure survives; only a partial gable and foundation walling remain, located on the summit of an exposed, rocky outcrop. The island, formerly known as Great Island, was referred to as Block-house Island by Harris in 1744. A circa 1655 Civil Survey documents a stone fort or castle built by the Marquis of Ormond on a rock in the entrance to the Lough, which likely refers to this structure. It was noted as “Ruins of Artillery Fort” on current Ordnance Survey maps. The island now has no accessible landing place. Although not shown on the 1835 Ordnance Survey map, the revised 1859 map depicts it as “Block House – in ruins”, suggesting it was in existence prior. It is now considered a derelict monument.