Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Stands at the SE end of a possible bawn (KD007-001001-) in gently undulating pasture, liable to flood, c. 130m NE of the River Boyne. Built c. 1462 to guard a ford (KD007-002----) on the River Boyne when, according to Berry (1914, 23), '£40 was granted to Sir Robert Preston Lord of Gormanstown and Sir Thomas Plunket upon the county of Meath to raise the said castle ... and also that the four baronies of Meath next adjoining to the said ford shall perform all manner of carriage of stones, lime, sand and trees, necessary to the said castle … to find meat and drink for all the masons, workmen of the said castle ...' . According to Fitzgerald (1917, 409-10) the E end, containing the doorway, collapsed in 1916 , and the surviving three-storied rectangular portion (int. dims. L 6.85m E-W; Wth; 5.1m; H c. 10m) is constructed of roughly coursed limestone blocks with a slight base-batter and well-dressed quoins. The ground-floor is lit by three round-headed loops in plank-centred, curving splayed embrasures, centrally placed in the S, W and N walls, with the W wall embrasure also containing a musket loop. Beam-slot holes in the N and S walls mark first-floor level, access to which is via spiral stairs in the SE angle. The first floor is lit by similarly positioned, but pointed-arched loops, with those in the W and N walls flanked by musket loops. A barrel-vaulted ceiling springs from the N and S walls. An intramural chamber at the W end of the S wall contains a garderobe, whose ope is near present outer ground level, and an intramural stairs (now inaccessible) in the E half of the S wall gave access to second-floor level. The castle, which is in the ownership of Kildare County Council, was stabilised in 1985 but carries a 'Dangerous Building' warning notice .

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011