Gateway

The National Monuments Service's description

Castle Gate on Dublin Castle: Known as 'Castle Gate' and Bedford Tower this is located at the existing entrance in Castle Street. Formerly it comprised two round towers between which was a gate, portcullis and drawbridge. The towers were re-built in 1617 and were finally demolished in the 18th century. The turret on the old Genealogical Office is built on the remains of the W tower. Excavations in 1985-86 exposed the tower portion N of a large rectangular barbican aligned on the main entrance (Lynch and Manning 1986, 17-18; Lynch and Manning 2001, 169-204). There was a drawbridge put in about midway across the moat (Healy 1973, 16-17; Youngs, Clarke and Barry 1987, 178; Clarke 2002, 22).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 23 November 2022

References

Clarke, H.B. 2002 Irish Historic Towns Atlas No. 11: Dublin, part I, to 1610. Royal Irish Academy. Dublin.

Healy, P. 1973 The town walls of Dublin. In E. Gillespie (ed.), The Liberties of Dublin, 16-23. Dublin. O'Brien.

Lynch, A. and Manning, C. 2001 Excavations at Dublin Castle, 1985-7. In S. Duffy (ed.), Medieval Dublin II, 169-204. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

Clarke, H.B. 1978 Dublin c. 840 - c. 1540: the medieval town in the modern city. Dublin.

Youngs, S.M., Clarke, J. and Barry, T.B. 1987 Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1986. Medieval Archaeology 31, 110-91.