Historic town

The National Monuments Service's description

The town of Castlemartyr established itself in the environs of a tower house and bawn (vol. 2, 5571). It was known as Ballymartyr in the 16th century and was later referred to as Leperstown, after a leper house (vol. 2, 5786) in the nearby village of Ballyoughteragh. At the time of the Desmond confiscations the castle and domain was granted to Sir Walter Raleigh. It was sold subsequently to Sir Richard Boyle whose son, the Earl of Orrery, established the present town, to the E of the castle, in the 17th century. During the Cromwellian wars the town was frequently plundered and partially destroyed. The town was incorporated by a charter of Charles 2nd in 1675 as a free borough. There is a 16th/17th-century house (vol. 2, 5571) immediately to the W of the tower house. (Zajac et al. 1995, 19-20)

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009).

Date of upload: 22 December 2009

References

Power, D., Byrne, E., Egan, U., Lane, S. and Sleeman, M. 1994 Archaeological inventory of county Cork, vol. 2: East and South Cork. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Zajac, S., Cronin, J. and Kiely, J. 1995 Urban archaeological survey - county Cork (2 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.