Overlooking Drogheda, Millmount is an artificial hill that may have been a prehistoric burial ground like Newgrange, but has never been excavated. The Normans constructed a motte-and-bailey fort on top of this convenient command post overlooking the bridge. It was followed by a castle, which in turn was replaced by a Martello tower in 1808. A section of the army barracks now houses the Millmount Museum, where exhibits include three wonderful late-18th-century guild banners. Several craft workshops are also here.
The tower played a dramatic role in the 1922 Civil War, when it was Drogheda's chief defensive feature and suffered heavy shelling from Free State forces. It has been aesthetically restored and offers great views over the town below.
Other museum highlights include a room devoted to Cromwell’s brutal siege of Drogheda and the Battle of the Boyne. The pretty, cobbled basement is full of gadgets and kitchen utensils from bygone times. Across the courtyard, the Governor's House opens for temporary exhibitions.
Just northwest of Millmount, the 13th-century Butter Gate has a distinctive tower and an arched passageway.
