Castle - motte

The National Monuments Service's description

The barony of Otyny (modern Barony of Clane) was granted to Adam de Hereford, who in turn granted it to his brother Richard, and the De Hereford's were probably responsible for the erection of the motte in the late-12th century (Bradley et al. 1986, vol. 2, 141-2). According to Cooke-Trench (1899-1902, 109) there was a local tradition that the top of the monument sank c. 1830 and skeletons were found there. In 1940, Leask described the motte as being surrounded by a concentric bank and ditch and noted a report that it was being dug away (SMR file). It stands on level pasture at the S end of Clane village, where it would have controlled an important crossing point (KD014-026008-) on the River Liffey c. 160m to the E. It is a high, conical, steep-sided, flat-topped mound (H c. 8m; diams. at base c. 47m E-W; c. 41m N-S; diam. at summit c. 14m). The sides are overgrown with mature trees and briar, but disturbance at the NE sector c. 1970 revealed a composition of 'gravel and small boulders and a thick layer of brown earth' (SMR file). At its base at N, a small area is denuded of sod-cover and reveals a banded-composition comprising a narrow layer of small angular, fist-sized stones (H 0.3m) with a layer of clay above (H 0.5m) and a second layer of stones (H 0.5m) above again. A shallow fosse (Wth 3.3m; D 0.7m) girdles the base W-N-SSE, but there is no visible trace of the bank noted by Leask. A holy well (KD014-026009-) lies c. 3m to the W.
In 2003, archaeological excavation (Excavation Licence No. 03E0904: www.excavations.ie) in advance of a commercial development revealed two pits of medieval origin immediately S of the motte. One was sub rectangular in shape (dims. L 3m; Wth 2.5m; D1.5m) and waterlogged, and contained charcoal fill and 35 sherds of medieval pottery along with some animal bone. The second was smaller and roughly circular (diam. c. 0.8m) with a single fill containing five sherds of medieval pottery. Several fragments of ditches, truncated by modern activity, were also discovered but none contained medieval material.

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 88/1940).

References

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1986 Urban Archaeological Survey - County Kildare (4 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.