Battery

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on high ground to the NW of Bunratty Castle (CL062-001004-) this consists of a rectangular mound measuring c. 23m E-W by 30m N-S at the base and 11.7m E-W by 18m N-S on the top (Bradley et al. 1988, 21). Westropp (1915, 315) suggested that this may have been the original motte castle and recorded a fosse and outer mound or ‘bailey’. The fosse has been removed by landscaping and the sub-rectangular lawn, south of the mound, which is raised about 1-3m above surrounding ground level may be identified with Westropp’s ‘bailey’ (Bradley et al. 1988, ). The mound was partially excavated by John Hunt in 1959 (Hunt 1959) who also discovered the lower courses of a possible 16th century house (CL062-001008-) beside it. He considered that the mound was not the original Anglo-Norman motte but a gun emplacement erected for four cannon mentioned by Admiral Penn in his account of the defense of the castle (O’Brien 1990): this position would have defended the broad deep channel of water then separating the castle from the high ground to the N. He further suggested that ‘some sort of 'Herd' or fence of stout logs or perhaps gabions of basketwork and earth would presumably have been erected on the top edge of the mound to protect the guns and gunners from musket and cannon shot. The subsequent burning of this, after the capture of the castle by the Confederates, would account for the burned material in its present position in the fosse.’ (Hunt 1959, 89). The precise location of the original motte castle has been the subject of some debate (see Westropp 1915) and an alternative location has been suggested on the opposite side of the road to the W of the Castle Hotel and church as a more suitable position for such a structure (Hunt 1959, 105; see also Bradley et al. 1988, 21).

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 21 May 2014

References

Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H.A. 1988 Urban archaeological survey - county Clare. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Hunt, J. 1959 Bunratty Mound. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 8, no. 2, 88-9.

Westropp, T.J. 1915 The earthworks and castle of Bunratty, Co. Clare. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 3, no. 4, 314-28.