Castle - motte

The National Monuments Service's description

Possible motte castle belonging to the Royal Manor of Crumlin which stood in the field immediately E of the medieval St Mary's Church (DU018-038001-) and graveyard (DU018-038002-). In 1290, when Henry Compton was granted the demesne lands of the royal manor of Crumlin, he met with fierce opposition from the tenants of Crumlin who had previously held the farm of the manor (Foley 2013, 7). In 1331, a close letter reveals Saggart to have been an ‘ancient ferm’ and a decade later Crumlin and Newcastle Lyons were described as being ‘of the king’s ancient demesne’ (ibid. 9). According to Foley (2013, 9) 'The classification of these manors as ancient demesne may indicate that they were part of the demesne lands of the Norse'. This earthwork recorded on the 1st ed. OSi map as a hachured enclosure indicative of a ringfort or barrow, however it is depicted as a hachured mound more on the 25-inch OSi map (surveyed 1908) where it is annotated 'Moat' which may suggest that this was a possible motte castle. St Mary's C. of I. church has been built on the site. There was no visible surface trace when inspected in 1994 (SMR file).

Foley, A. 2013 The royal manors of medieval Co. Dublin : crown and community. Four Courts Press Dublin.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 5 January 2023

References

Curtis, E. 1929 The court book of Esker and Crumlin in 1592-1600. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 59, 45-64, 128-48.