Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 260. Situated on the E bank of the River Feale, Listowel Castle, the residence of the Fitzmaurice (Mac Maurice) Clan, Lords of Kerry, originally extended from its present position to the river's edge, but this section was demolished. The present fabric of the castle dates probably to the 15th century. The castle stands on the SW side of The Square in the town of Listowel, 25m to the E of the River Feale, with mill 35m to S, medieval church (KE010-061----) and graveyard (KE010-061001-) 600m to the NE. R. C. Chapel 45m to the E, C. of. I Church in the centre of the Square 75m to the NE. Listowel (Lios Tuathail/Tuathal's fort) ringfort (KE010-060----) stands 330m to the ENE. There is documentary evidence that a castle was built in Listowel soon after the Normans arrived in North Kerry, and towards the end of the 13th century, possibly around 1270, Maurice Fitzmaurice also had a castle constructed. Whether these were all built in the same location is not known. The Plea Roll of 32 Edward I, 1303-4 recorded that 'Sibilla, widow of Maurice son of Thomas, seeks against Nicholas son of Maurice one third of a house, watermill, lands (1,060 acres) and rent in Lystothyl (Listowel) in Altry, and of the fishery of the river Feer (Feale) in the same vill, and the third part of a house and lands (2,400 acres) and rent in Viale [Beale KE002-001001-] de Kyllesshene, as her dower' (Orpen 1924-5, 36). In 1582 the Annals of the Four Masters recorded that 'Mac Maurice himself, and the greater number in his country, had been hitherto obedient to the law; but when he saw his territory plundered, and when he heard that the captain had been slain by his sons, he at once destroyed Leacsnamha [Lixnaw], Lisuathail [Listowel KE015-060001-], Biaille [Beale KE002-001001-], and Baile-an-Bhuinneanaigh [Ballybunnion KE004-031002-]' (AFM Vol. 5, 1782).
The castle was captured by Sir Charles Wilmot, temporary commander of the English army in Munster in November 1600 after a three week siege. The siege of Listowel and the capture of the castle was described in Pacata Hibernia as follows; ' Sir Charles Wilmot knowing that Fitzmaurice, the Lord of Lixnaw,had onely one castle, called Listoell, wherein to shelter himselfe, finding no other meanes to compasse the same, determined to besiedge it, and intimated so much to the President [Sir George Carew, President of Munster] by his letters, requesting his advice and allowance therein, who returned answer, That he desired nothing more than to have that Castle gotten for the Queene, and for the manner, left the managing thereof wholly to his discretion. He sate downe before it upon the fifth of November, attempting to get it by a myne; in the which he wrought five or six days, and brought it underneath the Castle wall, being ready to make a bed for the placing of the powder. Suddainely the spring brake foorth in such abundance, as that work became fruitlesse: thereupon new ground was sought, which proved good, the foundation of the Castle was undermined, as farre as the middest of the seller, which the Ward perceiving, made humble suit to be permitted to depart with their lives, which Sir Charles absolutely refused; but if they would simply render themselves the Castle, and all things in it to his discretion, hee would then stay further proceeding in his worke, otherwise they might look in very few hours to bee blowen up. The Ward, which were eighteen in number, came forth, and upon their knees submitted themselves unto him, whom hee caused to bee apprehended; the women and small children hee suffered to depart, of the weaponed men he hanged nine, so many of ours being lost at the siege, which continued more than three weekes; the residue hee detained, until hee had acquainted the President with all these accidents, who gave present order for the execution of the rest' (Ibid. 5-7). In 1612 King James I regranted 'Thomas Fitz-Morris [Fitzmaurice], baron of Lixnawe', lands which included 'the manor, castle, town, and lands of Listowell, containing 4 plowlands, called Illane-Igannyffe, Illane-McLougherie, Ballihowloge, Clieveragh, Aghitroughs, Gort-Icurrin, Gorticrussane, Dromevren, Inshymcgullyreogh and Illanevockane' with the 'power to create tenures; to hold courts leet and baron within the manors of Lixsnawe, Listowell, and Ardfert; to hold a fair on the feast of the Holy cross [September 14] and the day after at Listowell' (Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, 225).
A substantial portion of the front of the present castle remains. Listowel Castle and its setting were described in 1845 as; 'an interesting ruined castle with an imposing portcullis, which belonged to the Lords of Kerry; a commodious chapel, partly clothed in ivy, and a neat church; but this last stands in the centre of the market-place' (Fisher 1847, 5).
Listowel Castle was described in 1841 as follows; 'The old castle of Listowel was situated on the north side of the River Feal. There are two square towers connected by a wall of equal height with themselves, and spanned by an arch at top in the place. Between the arch and this wall is a space through which boiling water, stones, and other weapons were thrown on the assailants of the castle. The castle itself extended between these towers and the river, and was totally destroyed. The towers and wall are built of limestone and lime and sand mortar; and the work is grouted. The length of both towers, including the wall between them, from east to west, is fifty-seven feet [17.4m] outside; and the extent of them from north to south is eighteen feet [5.5m]. The length of the wall between both is twelve feet seven inches [3.8m]. The tower on the west side measures nine feet two inches [2.8m] by seven feet four inches [2.2m] on the inside. There is a square doorway of chiselled limestone on its south side, and a stone arch is seen from the ground on the inside. There was no means of ascending to the upper apartments in it. The wall of it is six feet three inches [1.9m] thick. The tower on the east side measures eight feet seven inches [2.6m] by seven feet eleven inches [2.4m]. Some of the windows on the towers are pointed and some are square; all are small. The windows are constructed of cut limestone; and the quoin stones are also cut. the height of the tower is about fifty feet [15m]' (O'Donovan 1983, 25-6).
Present remains consists of two towers connected by a wall and high arches and is similar in design to Bunratty Castle (Co. Clare). The material used in the construction of the castle is limestone with lime and sand mortar. The window stones and quoin stones are also limestone and the quoin stones are cut.
Front East Tower: The bottom window is splayed, a typical feature of many tower-houses. The three window loops on the E tower all have pointed arches. As with the lower windows, these loops are surrounded by cut limestone blocks. These windows could be used for defence but, as they had a very narrow field of vision, it seems their primary purpose was to provide light and air.
Front West Tower: Again the bottom window is heavily splayed. This tower also has three pointed window loops surrounded by cut limestone blocks. In addition there are two smaller square-headed windows slits. Both towers have a slight batter all around their base.
Central Wall: A large pointed arch connects both towers at the top. The arch stands out from the wall so that the space between it and the wall forms a large machicolation over the door, from which missiles could be thrown down on an attacker. On the central wall in the angle of the wall on both sides are five square-headed slits (2 E, 3 W), through which defenders could provide covering fire for the door. The door has a pointed arch and is set in the centre of a large long rectangular recess which also includes a round-headed window loop. There are also three square-headed window slits and a pointed window loop further up the wall. The door, arch, and windows are

References

Toal, C. 1995 North Kerry Archaeological Survey. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority.

Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I - Irish patent rolls of James I: facsimile of the Irish record commissioners' calendar prepared prior to 1830, with foreword by M.C. Griffith (Irish Manuscripts Commission, Dublin, 1966)

AFM - Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters from the earliest period to the year 1616, ed. and trans. John O'Donovan (7 vols., Dublin, 1851; reprint New York, 1966)

O'Donovan, J. 1983 The antiquities of the county of Kerry. Cork. Royal Carbery Books.

Fisher, L. J. 1847 Letters from the Kingdom of Kerry in the year 1845. Dublin.

Gaughan, Fr. A. 1973 Listowel and its vicinity.

Bourke, M.J. 1920 The Fitzmaurices, Lords of Kerry. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 26, 10-18.

Hurley, F. M. 2000 Listowel Castle, Listowel. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 1998: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 94, No. 281. Wordwell, Bray.

Orpen, G. H. 1924-5 The Origin of the Fitzmaurices, Barons of Kerry and Lixnaw. The Genealogists' Magazine Vol.1, 9-14, 34-37, 69-70.