Derry's City Walls

Derry City Walls were built during the period 1613 to 1618 by the ‘Honourable Irish Society’ as defences for early settlers from England and Scotland. The Walls, which are 1.5 km in circumference, form a walkway around the City and look down over the surrounding landscape including the Bogside. The four original gates to the Walled City were Ferryquay Gate, Bishop’s Gate, Butcher Gate and Shipquay Gate.  Three further gates added later were Magazine Gate, New Gate and Castle Gate. The siege of Derry took place in 1688-9. In 1688 the Catholic King James ll was deposed. All of Ireland stayed loyal to James, but Derry (Londonderry) was one of the few places which remained loyal to his opponent King William. A Catholic army attempted to enter the City on December 1688 but a group of Apprentice Boys shut the gates against them. This began the siege of Derry in which many thousands of people died of starvation. The siege lasted for months and ended on the 28th July 1689 when ships broke a wooden boom erected by the Catholic Army across the river. Provisions were brought into the City and the siege was lifted in the following days.