Why towns were important

King James believed that towns were an important part of the plantation. He planned to build 14 towns in Ulster. He set aside land in each county for towns.

What was their purpose?

1.      Places where the planters could buy and sell goods.

2.     Places where the planters could go if the Irish attacked them.

3.     Places where the courts could try people who broke the king's law.

Who lived in these towns?

Tradesmen of all sorts lived in these new towns. They were people who had skills, which the other planters needed:

•       Masons and carpenters who built houses for the planters.

•       Smiths who made tools.

•       Cobblers who made shoes.

•       Weavers who made cloth

•       Tailors who made clothes.

Country people came to the towns to sell their animals and crops and to buy the things the tradesmen had made.

Layout of the towns

Many of the large towns had the same layout. The drawing on page 2 shows what it was. Look at the illustration, while you read the description of plantation towns

The Diamond

In the centre was a big open area. It was sometimes square, sometimes triangular, as seen in the layout of Donegal town. This area was usually called the Diamond.

Buildings

The important buildings were on the square. They were:

•       The town hall where official business was carried out.

•       The courthouse and jail, where people who broke the king's laws were taken.

•       Streets

•       The streets were at right angles to the square. The tradesmen lived in these houses.

Houses

These were set out in terraces. They were two storeys high, built of stone and had roofs of either slate or thatch.

School and Church

Each town had a school and Protestant church.

Walls

A wall was built around the bigger towns. It was to keep the planters safe if the Irish attacked them.

•       Cannons were put on the walls (in the bulwarks).

•       A Store of arms was provided.

This layout can still be seen today in towns such as Donegal, Clones, Derry, and Enniskillen.

Derry – Source A

Derry was the biggest town in the Ulster plantation. It had been originally chosen by because, 'It had a very good harbour'. King James hoped that it would become a great port, trading with London and other places. He planned it should have great high walls around it and 400 planter families living there.  In 1619 an engineer called Pynnar visited Derry. This is part of his report:

         The City of London-Derry is now surrounded about by a very strong wall..

         .It is 24 feet high and six feet thick

         It is built of stone

         There are four gates, each 21 feet wide

         Two have drawbridges

         Two have portcullises

         There are nine bulwarks, large enough for cannon.