14. Scottish plantation castles in the Strabane Area
The Plantation occurred because, frustrated by incremental changes, O’Neill and O’Donnell left for Spain in 1607 in the ‘Flight of the Earls.’ Their land was declared the property of the King and a grand plan developed to bring settlers of the new religion and British customs into the area. The Barony of Strabane was allocated to Scottish ‘Undertakers’ who were granted most of the land on strict conditions including settling Scots and the construction of a strong bawn or courtyard. Castles, with a strongly Scottish flavour,were subsequently built at Strabane, Baronscourt, Mountcastle and Newtonstewart.
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