Kenneth Allen · CC BY-SA 2.0 Why visit
Derry City Walls is worth allowing time for because it combines a structure whose engineering, design and relationship with its surroundings can be read on site. The site is more useful than a quick photograph: its surviving features give clear evidence of how the place developed and how people used it. Key things to concentrate on are key structural details, the building’s relationship with the surrounding streetscape or landscape and historic urban setting. Its position in or near Derry~Londonderry also makes it a practical anchor for exploring the surrounding region without reducing the visit to a simple landmark stop.
What you will see
- key structural details.
- the building’s relationship with the surrounding streetscape or landscape.
- historic urban setting.
History
Derry’s stone walls were built between 1613 and 1619 during the Plantation of Ulster. The circuit survives substantially complete, enclosing the historic core and its four original gateways, later supplemented by additional gates.
Photographs
Kenneth Allen · CC BY-SA 2.0 · full attribution on the image credits page.
Visitor tips
- 1
Allow enough time for the principal features rather than treating the stop only as a photograph.
- 2
Check the official visitor page shortly before travel for access, booking and any temporary restrictions.
About Northern Ireland
Causeway Coast geology and castles, Belfast’s maritime history and Derry’s complete historic walls.
Open the United Kingdom guide
