Dan Winter's Cottage EHOD 2025

About

Nestled in the heart of Orchard County, close to the village of Loughgall, stands Ireland’s longest thatched mud-walled cottage. Built by the Winter family in 1623 and lovingly preserved for over 400 years this charming cottage offers an immersive journey into History, personal memories and local heritage.

The cottage consists of a living quarters, Spirit Grocers and weaving quarters and was the focal point of the Battle of the Diamond in 1795. Dan Winter lived in this cottage at the time of The Battle where he carried out his business of a publican and a grocer and during the battle his home and business was attacked. The living quarters, Spirit grocers and weaver’s quarters were ransacked and the thatched roof of the cottage was set on fire. The beams in the ceilings of the living quarters soon became scorched from the heat of the blaze and are still visible to the present day. After the battle, Dan Winter gathered with the victors around a spring well in a field opposite the cottage and vowed to form a society for their mutual protection making this the birthplace of Orangeism. This society was later officially formed in Sloan’s house, Loughgall and is now known as the Orange Order. The cottage also has a very important link to the linen industry in Ulster as County Armagh along with Antrim and Down was a part of the linen triangle in the 17th century. King William was the main influence to promote and reform our linen industry and in 1685 he invited Louis Crommelin, a French linen weaver to Northern Ireland to reform the Irish linen industry. The original weaving loom is still maintained in the weaver’s quarters of the cottage and is in full working order. This cottage is the last of its kind within Ireland that still maintains the original weaving loom. Generations of the Winter family have lived here since the cottage was built in 1623. Present day owner, Colin Winter was reared in the cottage and he will tell you about it’s history and his life growing up here with his parents, 3 brothers and 6 sisters who lived here until 1988.