Get the full App experience Download it to your iPhone or Android smartphone and discover how the Ulster-Scots helped shape the landscape and culture of this region This Project is supported by the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) Ulster-Scots Academy Illustrations from top Prehen House today Coat of arms from the front of the house, bearing the motto ‘Vi Et Virtute’ - ‘By Strength and Valour’ Local tourist information 44 Foyle Street Derry/ Londonderry BT48 6AT Tel: (028) 7126 7284 Email: [email protected] Web: www.derryvisitor.com Why not also visit Tower Museum The Guildhall First Derry Presbyterian Church & Blue Coat School Visitor Centre ULSTER-SCOTS HERITAGE PEACE BRIDGE CRAIGAVON BRIDGE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R I V E R F O Y L E AN 18TH CENTURY MANSION HOUSE WITH 17TH CENTURY SCOTTISH ORIGINS Prehen House is one of the finest early eighteenth-century houses in Ulster. It was built c.1740 to designs by the distinguished architect Michael Priestley. Around the same time, Honoria Tomkins, daughter and heiress of Alexander Tomkins, whose family had resided at Prehen since the 1660s, married Andrew Knox, MP for County Donegal. Andrew Knox was descended from Bishop Andrew Knox, born in Ranfurly, Renfrewshire, who had moved to County Donegal from Scotland in 1611. Generations of the Knox family have played a prominent role in the history of Derry. Prehen House is today the home of the Peck family, descendants of the Knoxes of Prehen. The most famous story connected with Prehen House concerns Mary Ann Knox, granddaughter of Andrew Knox MP. John MacNaughton, a spendthrift member of the north Antrim gentry, had tried to entice Mary Ann into marrying him, but her family would have none of it, believing he was only after her fortune. Undeterred, MacNaughton plotted to seize Mary Ann by force when the Knox family decided to journey to Dublin in November 1761. At Cloghcor, near Strabane, MacNaughton and his accomplices rushed out to attack the coach. In the ensuing fight MacNaughton fired a shot that fatally wounded Mary Ann – it was believed that he actually intended to kill her father. MacNaughton was captured, stood trial in Lifford and was found guilty of murder. The date set for his execution was 15 December 1761. When he first threw himself off the scaffold the rope around his neck broke. Some thought this would allow him a chance to escape, while others interpreted it as a sign of his innocence. However, reputedly declaring that no-one would ever remember him as ‘Half-Hanged MacNaughton’, he waited until a fresh rope was fastened around his neck. This rope did not fail. Ironically, he has been known ever since as ‘Half-Hanged MacNaughton’. PREHEN HOUSE PLEASE NOTE THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY - ACCESS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT OWNER’S PERMISSION DOWNLOAD THE CITY CENTRE WALKING TRAIL APP ARCHAEOLOGY AT PREHEN A number of years ago an unusual piece of curving masonry was noticed by local historian Annesley Malley, attached to stone outbuildings. Excavations subsequently revealed the existence of a large circular stone-built flanker (a gun turret) from an early 1600s fortified house or bawn. A single gun loop survives pointing roughly north through the wall of the flanker. Some foundations may yet survive beneath the ground surface. The flanker was reworked a number of times as a garden feature in the later eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and fragments of fine creamware plates and old bottles, possibly from picnicking and entertaining in the garden, were found. DSO Signs v 2 750 x 500 AW 23/8/13 15:41 Page 6

(MAG) Ulster-Scots Academy PREHEN HOUSE€¦ · Ulster-Scots helped shape the landscape and culture ofthis region This Project is supported by the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG)

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Page 1: (MAG) Ulster-Scots Academy PREHEN HOUSE€¦ · Ulster-Scots helped shape the landscape and culture ofthis region This Project is supported by the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG)

Get the full App experienceDownload it to your iPhoneor Android smartphoneand discover how theUlster-Scots helped shapethe landscape and cultureof this region

This Project is supported by the MinisterialAdvisory Group (MAG) Ulster-Scots Academy

Illustrations from topPrehen House today

Coat of arms from the front of the house, bearingthe motto ‘Vi Et Virtute’ - ‘By Strength and Valour’

Local tourist information44 Foyle StreetDerry/LondonderryBT48 6ATTel: (028) 7126 7284Email: [email protected]: www.derryvisitor.com

Why not also visitTower MuseumThe GuildhallFirst Derry Presbyterian Church& Blue Coat School Visitor Centre

ULSTER-SCOTS HERITAGE

PEACE BRIDGE

CRAIGAVONBRIDGE

LEAN 18TH CENTURY MANSION HOUSE WITH

17TH CENTURY SCOTTISH ORIGINSPrehen House is one of the finest early eighteenth-century houses in Ulster. It was builtc.1740 to designs by the distinguished architect Michael Priestley. Around the same time,Honoria Tomkins, daughter and heiress of Alexander Tomkins, whose family had resided atPrehen since the 1660s, married Andrew Knox, MP for County Donegal.

Andrew Knox was descended from Bishop Andrew Knox, born in Ranfurly, Renfrewshire,who had moved to County Donegal from Scotland in 1611. Generations of the Knox familyhave played a prominent role in the history of Derry. Prehen House is today the home of thePeck family, descendants of the Knoxes of Prehen.

The most famous story connected with Prehen House concerns Mary Ann Knox,granddaughter of Andrew Knox MP. John MacNaughton, a spendthrift member of the northAntrim gentry, had tried to entice Mary Ann into marrying him, but her family would havenone of it, believing he was only after her fortune. Undeterred, MacNaughton plotted to seizeMary Ann by force when the Knox family decided to journey to Dublin in November 1761.

At Cloghcor, near Strabane, MacNaughton and his accomplices rushed out to attack thecoach. In the ensuing fight MacNaughton fired a shot that fatally wounded Mary Ann – itwas believed that he actually intended to kill her father. MacNaughton was captured, stoodtrial in Lifford and was found guilty of murder.

The date set for his execution was 15 December 1761. When he first threw himself off thescaffold the rope around his neck broke. Some thought this would allow him a chance toescape, while others interpreted it as a sign of his innocence. However, reputedly declaringthat no-one would ever remember him as ‘Half-Hanged MacNaughton’, he waited until afresh rope was fastened around his neck. This rope did not fail. Ironically, he has been knownever since as ‘Half-Hanged MacNaughton’.

PREHEN HOUSE

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY -ACCESS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUTOWNER’S PERMISSION

DOWNLOAD THECITY CENTRE WALKINGTRAIL APP

ARCHAEOLOGY AT PREHENA number of years ago an unusual piece of curving masonrywas noticed by local historian Annesley Malley, attached to stoneoutbuildings. Excavations subsequently revealed the existenceof a large circular stone-built flanker (a gun turret) from an early1600s fortified house or bawn. A single gun loop survives pointingroughly north through the wall of the flanker. Some foundationsmay yet survive beneath the ground surface. The flanker wasreworked a number of times as a garden feature in the latereighteenth and nineteenth centuries and fragments of finecreamware plates and old bottles, possibly from picnickingand entertaining in the garden, were found.

DSO Signs v 2 750 x 500 AW 23/8/13 15:41 Page 6