The Castle and Town of Carrickfergus, Ireland, c.1560 (pen & ink & w/c on paper)

Part of the Cotton Manuscripts collection, this bird’s-eye view of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, is by an unknown draughtsman. Drawn during the reign of Elizabeth I, it has been suggested that the view may have been prepared to accompany a request for money from the constable of the castle, William Peers, which was required to refurbish the town’s defences. Significantly, the castle and harbour are prominent in the foreground, and are seen from the standpoint of a possible invader. The pictorial detail shown in this view was not seen as at odds with the practical nature of such plans in the Tudor period. Among the various sorts buildings that make up the town are a former friary labelled as ‘the freres’, a church, the market cross and beehive huts, illustrating the diversity of the town’s population. Full title: The Castle and Town of Carrickfergus, Ireland Created: about 1560 Format: Watercolour / Pen and Ink Shelfmark: Cotton MS Augustus I ii 42