Castle - motte and bailey

The National Monuments Service's description

Built by de Lacy in 1211 and dismantled in 1224-6 by Cathal O'Reilly. A very substantial motte with exceptionally well-preserved bailey enclosed by a well-defined fosse and substantial earthen bank. Both have been levelled from NE-ENE-E. Motte consists of a high (H c. 8m), steep-sided, flat-topped subcircular mound (dims of base c. 48m NNW-SSE; c. 45m WNW-ESE). The summit is oval in plan (dims c. 26m NE-SW; c. 18m NW-SE). A wide, deep fosse runs between the motte and bailey at NNW. Bailey is crescentic in plan. Site has been planted with deciduous trees and a number of relatively modern garden demesne features have been incorporated into its fabric. These include an icehouse built into the N of the bailey, a stone passageway built through the outer bank of the bailey at NNW, a low concave stone wall built into the base of the motte at SE and a demesne wall set against the outer bank at S. (Henry 1987, 9; Davies 1947a, 79-81)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 22 December 2008

References

Davies, O. 1947a The castles of county Cavan. Part 1. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 11, 74-100.

Henry, W. 1987 Upper Lough Erne in 1739. Dublin.