Prehen House, Derry City
This Early Georgian Style manor house is located in a picturesque area outside the city of Derry. The estate is made up of 3, 641 acres adjacent to protected woodlands and features glorious views of the city, the River Foyle, and surrounding areas.
The Prehen family first occupied the estate in 1640. In 1738 Andrew Knox, MP of Donegal, married the heiress of Prehen House, Honoria Tomkins, and their union began a long line of Knoxes, featuring some colorful and noteworthy descendants, including:
•Colonel George Knox, who was one of Derry’s most well known citizens.
•The Colonel’s grandson, Baron George Carl Otto Louis Von Scheffler Knox, who inherited the estate and subsequently lost it when it was seized as enemy property during WWI because of the Baron’s German connections. Members of another branch on the family tree later regained ownership of the estate, and the Baron’s grandson held his wedding celebration there in 1988.
•Dylwith Knox was instrumental in breaking the Enigma Codes.
•Mgr Ronald Knox was known for his Bible translations.
Prehen House is also noteworthy because of its close association with a popular local legend, that of “Half-Hanged Mc Naughten”.
According to the story, Mc Naughten was a gambling man in deep debt. He was kindly taken in by his friend Andrew Knox, owner of the estate in the mid 1700’s. Andrew’s daughter, Mary Ann, fell in love with Mc Naughten and he convinced her to marry him secretly. Andrew found them out, and knew that Mc Naughten had married her for her considerable dowry, needed to continue his gambling. Andrew tried to spirit Mary Ann away to Dublin on November 10, 1761, but Mc Naughten caught up with the party, and instigated a shootout during which he killed Mary Ann.
Mc Naughten was convicted of the killing and subsequently hanged. During the first attempt, the hanging rope broke, presenting him with the opportunity to escape. Mc Naughten declined, saying that he wished not to be remembered as a half-hanged man.
The execution proceeded, the nickname remained, and the tale of “Half-Hanged Mc Naughten” remains popular in the annals of Derry folklore.