Castle - motte

The National Monuments Service's description

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

In a commanding position in gently undulating terrain, in tillage. A large gravel mound (H 7.3m; diam. at top 16m N-S; 20.2m E-W; base c. 36m E-W), possibly partly natural in origin. The S side from WSE-ESE was severely truncated in the 1970s, leaving a steep cut section exposed. There is no visible evidence at ground level of a fosse or associated bailey. O'Toole (1933, 257) identifies Castlegrace as the site of a castle near Tullow, built by Hugh de Lacy in 1175 for his brother-in-law, Raymond Le Gros. He identifies a structure (CW013-055----) incorporated in the former outhouses of Castlegrace farm at this castle (ibid.). However, the reference is more likely to apply to the motte. Preservation Order number: 6/1978.

See attached photographs:
CW013-054----_01 S and E faces from SE
CW013-054----_02 S face
CW013-054----_03 N face
CW013-054----_04 NE face

Date of revised upload: 27 November 2018

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 6/1978).

References

O'Toole, E. 1933 The parish of Ballon, Co. Carlow. Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 11, 201-310.