Historic town

The National Monuments Service's description

The church was founded here in 812 AD (US 1986, 85), and was attached to Bangor. It was plundered in 842, 867, 1040 and 1106; this last recording burning was probably of a wooden structure. The earliest remains of this foundation consist of the round tower and a doorway of twelfth century date. The town was granted to Walter de Riddlesford c. 1181, when he may have built a castle here, although it was probably built at Kilkea (see below) (Orpen 1892, 11), and founded the Fratres Cruciferi priory between 1199 and 1216. The borough was established at this time. The murage grant in 1295 may indicate a walled town. The castle referred to in the town name was built by Gearoid More by 1507, although no castle survives in the town. The Irish name Diseart Diarmada means Dermot's HeRmitage, probably a reference to the Early Christian church site.

Castledermot (Castledermot Town)
OS 38:13:6 (229,003) 'Town Wall (Site of), Town Wall (in Ruins)' OD 200-300 27821,18940
OS 40:1:3 (219,576) 'Town Wall (Site of), Town Wall (in Ruins)' OD 200-300 27811,18499
Town defences The visible remains consist of two short portions of roughly coursed limestone. One of the surviving sections lies in the convent grounds, near the friary (see below) (L 13.5m; H 2.5m); the other section is just to the N (L 11m; H 3m) where it runs into the Carlow gate, at which point there is a wide basal batter and two bar holes. The walls were pierced by three gates; the Dublin (at the N), Friary (at the S) and Carlow (at the W) Gates, none of which survive. The walls originally enclosed a pear-shaped area, (dims c. 550m x 375m) and had an overall length of c. 1460m. The course of the eastern wall is not clear, but it was probably bounded by the River Lerr.
38:45(02)/40:2(01)*

Date of upload: 8 September 2016