The Barbican or outer defense gate located at the junction of Laurence Street and Chord Road is  St Laurence Gate .Widely regarded as on of the finest of its type in Europe it dates back to the Th century . The gate led to the  Friary of St Laurence which was located to the East . Part of the old town wall is located to the south of the gate at Featherbed Lane and visitors can see the hight and width of the medieval walls .

Twice the walls and gates of Dragged held face against invasion , firstly when Edward Bruce , brother of Scotland's King Robert Bruce attacked the town in 1317 and again in 1642 when Sir Phelim O'Neill tried to take Drogheda from the garrison commander Tichbourne .