Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

The townland of Greenhills was known as Bishopcourt in the 16th century when the bishopric possessed one castle, one hall, etc. (Valkenburg 1970, 536). The fairly well preserved remains of a small square, four storied, vaulted tower (int. L 2.55m; Wth 2.55m), built of rubble masonry, projects from the SW angle of a later, 17th century house (KD023-034002-). The S, W and N walls of the angle tower are battered, as is a short length of wall (L 6.6m; T 1.3m) which continues S from the SE corner. At ground level, a robbed out ope (Wth 1.5m; H 1.8m) in the W wall, with a loop to S, gives access from outside the later house to the N, while a very narrow passage (Wth 0.6m) in the N wall of the tower gives internal access from the main house. The N wall also contains a blocked loop. Internally, the S wall has been refaced to take a small fireplace (Wth 0.3m; H 0.6m) and chimney flue. The W wall contains a partially robbed out window embrasure. There is vaulted arch (H 3.25m) over the ground floor and faint traces of wickerwork centring are visible in the surviving plaster under the arch. Access to first floor-level is from the main house via a short narrow, splaying passage (Wth 0.6 – 0.9m) on a squinch in the external NE angle. This level was lit by a loop in the E wall, a now robbed out window in the W wall, and there is a blocked window embrasure in the S wall. The scar lines of the springing of an arch can be seen in the E and W walls, suggesting a now robbed vault once roofed this level. Second floor level is marked by opposing joist holes in the E and W walls, and an offset in the N wall, and while access from the main house is bricked and plastered over, externally a passage way on a squinch is visible. This level is lit by a large robbed out window in the S wall and a small window in the W wall. Third floor level is densely ivy covered, but some joist holes are visible in the E wall. A block of dressed limestone incorporated into an outbuilding wall, and two similar pieces lying nearby may have come from this tower. (Healy 1982, SMR file).

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 12 May 2016

References

Valkenburg, A. 1970 Walter Wellesley, Bishop of Kildare, 147?-1539. Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society 14, 518-43.

Healy, P. 1982 Report on ancient features on or adjoining the proposed Kilcullen by-pass, County Kildare. An Foras Forbartha. Unpublished report. Dublin.