Prehen House

Prehen House is one of the North West’s most historic buildings. Situated next to the famous woods, it commands stunning views of Derry, the river Foyle and the hills beyond.

Prehen is intimately linked with the history of Derry. Records reveal that it was inhabited by 1640; in 1738 the Knox family began their great association with Prehen when Andrew Knox, the MP for Donegal married Honoria Tomkins, the Prehen heiress.

In Victorian times the colourful Colonel George Knox was one of Derry’s most eminent figures. But with World War I looming his grandson Baron George Carl Otto Louis von Scheffler Knox was put under house arrest. Soon after the 3,641 acre estate was seized as ‘enemy property’.

Happily, the house was brought back into another branch of the Knox family and today the North West has a wonderful heirloom forever linked with the history of the City.