Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

On terrace in gently rising ground, c. 80m to N of Awbeg River. Rectangular 4-storey tower (11.6m E-W; 8.2m N-S); formerly connected on N side to 19th-century country house (see photographs in Grove White 1905-25, vol. 1, opp. 82, 90; see plan Cotter 1994, 76), now entirely demolished. North wall of tower much altered especially by insertion of fireplaces into outside face of wall at ground- and 1st-floor levels.
Entered through ground-floor door near N end of E wall; surround in two plain orders with pointed arch, yett hole through N jamb. Much-damaged lobby inside, covered by vault with murder hole, gives access N into vaulted guard room (1.8m E-W; 1.2m N-S) with inserted door in N wall, and S into vaulted passage leading to base of spiral stairs in SE corner of tower. On W side of passage is door into main ground-floor chamber (6.9m E-W; 5.6m N-S); lit by two much-ruined slit windows in S wall, central window in W wall with splayed and lintelled embrasure and single ogee-headed light flanked by two splayed gun loops.
Spiral stairs once rose to full height of tower, giving access to main 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-floor chambers, to 1st-floor mural chamber in E wall and to 2nd-floor mural chamber in S wall; steps no longer survive above 1st-floor level.
Main 1st-floor chamber lit by central window in W and N walls; N window blocked on W side by inserted flue but appears to have been similar to W window which has square-set and vaulted embrasure on inside, with single flat-headed light set in rear splayed and lintelled embrasure; this light is also flanked by splayed gun loops. First-floor mural chamber in E wall has blocked angled gunloop in NW corner and in centre of E wall.
Main 2nd-floor chamber lit by similar and opposite windows near W end of N and S walls: square-set and lintelled embrasures with double ogee-headed lights, divided by transom, and covered by hood moulding; S light blocked. Central door in W wall gives access to mural chamber, as does door in E wall which has semi-elliptical arch, there is possibly another such door in N wall but in area much disturbed by inserted flue; all four mural chambers (the fourth in S wall entered directly from stairs) containing openings for gable-shaped gun loops (see below). Chamber in E wall is vaulted and lit by double flat-headed light with hood moulding; chamber in S wall is lintelled and may have garderobe at W end though this area now filled with rubble.
Main 3rd-floor chamber is attic which extends E to gabled end-wall over area occupied by mural chambers below; lit by single-light window in E and W gables, flat headed light in N wall. Central fireplace in both gable walls; lintelled entrance to box machicolation over entrance, door situated under window in E gable. Edges of both gables poorly preserved as is stack at apexes; gutter stones to drain wall walks survive atop N and S walls but battlements largely fallen.
Notable features of tower are gable-shaped gun loops positioned centrally on each external wall face; loop on S face somewhat smaller than others but flanked by recessed right-angled gun loops. Other defensive features include near-identical bartizans atop NE and SW corners and small box machicolation high up over entrance door. Another notable feature is the absence of a vault over any of the main chambers.
Castle of Nagles (Healy 1988, 371-3), who continued to reside here into 19th century (Grove White 1905-25, vol. 1, 82-9). Gable-shaped and right-angled gun loops closely paralleled at Raheen (3091) and Carrignacurra (9468) castles which were built c. 1590; Cotter (1994, 140) dates Ballinamona to early 17th century on cartographic evidence. Sheela-na-Gig (14625) discovered here in 19th century, but now lost.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009