Loftus Hall 5.57

Loftus Hall is a large mansion house on the Hook peninsula, County Wexford, Ireland. Built on the site of the original Redmond Hall, it is said by locals to have been haunted by the devil and the ghost of a young woman.Redmond HallIn about 1170, Raymond Le Gros accompanied Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, to Ireland. He acquired certain lands in County Wexford on which he built The Hall, at Houseland near Portersgate. The Redmond family replaced their original castle with another in about 1350, during the time of the Black Death. This second castle was also known as The Hall or Redmond Hall.Attack during the Irish Confederate WarsIn 1642, the future Loftus Hall – then still known as Redmond's Hall – was attacked by English soldiers loyal to Charles I of England. The Irish Confederate Wars had broken out in 1641 and hostilities commenced in Wexford in 1642. An English garrison of around 100 men under the command of Lord Esmonde was based at Duncannon Fort on Waterford Harbour. On 23 February, this garrison was reinforced by a further 200 soldiers under the command of Captain Anthony Weldon and Captain Thomas Aston along with six cannon.On 19 June a party of these soldiers from the fort were attacked by a group of Irish Confederates under the command of Captain Rossiter and Major James Butler at Shielbaggan while on their way to Tintern. The English were routed and driven back to the fort. Redmond's Hall was clearly visible to the beleaguered garrison at Duncannon. The Hall's owner, Alexander Redmond, was known to be sympathetic to the rebels. The Hall was known as a place that gave assistance to the rebels. Captain Aston believed it could be easily taken and on 20 July 1642 took ship from Duncannon with around ninety men and two small cannon, landing near the Hall.