Fortification

The National Monuments Service's description

A possible Cromwellian or Jacobean earthwork fort was discovered during an envrionmental impact study for the Arcon Lead-Zinc Mine at Galmoy. Excavation in 1999 confirmed that the monument was an earthen outwork fortification or 'redoubt', probably 17th-century in date, with a pentagonal plan, two demi-bastions (L 7.5m protruding into the fosse) on one side and a hornwork protecting the entranceway. The excavation revealed that the interior was deliberately lowered by removing sod and subsoil. There was no evidence of structures or occupation layers within the interior, and the limited artefactual evidence suggested that the fortification was not in use for a prolonged period. The main defensive bank, constructed of stone, gravel and sand, partially survived as an intermittent concave mound (max. H 0.6m). The bank was built up against a supporting palisade fence, evidenced by a number of post-holes and stake-holes including the main corner posts, braces and supports for a retaining timber palisade across the inner face of the fosse. The enclosing V-shaped fosse (Wth 5-5.5m; D 2-2.6m) turned through 60 degrees to give a diamond-shaped/pentagonal plan. Two salient-angled demi-bastions were noted at the N and W angles of the circuit. A metalled surface extended through a break in the fosse, which was protected by a small, E-W, linear gully (L 15m; Wth 1.3m; D 0.6m), terminating at a large post-hole. This represented one side of an outer defensive hornwork and gatepost. Evidence of a low truncated outer counterscarp bank (Wth 2.6m; D 0.3m) survived along the NW face of the fort, made up of various dumps of earth and possibly revetted with stone. Behind the counterscarp bank was evidence for an outer palisade constructed to form a covered way. In its final phase the fort was burned and partially levelled by pushing the inner and outer banks into the partially silted-up fosse, probably a deliberate act by the builders. It is possible that the fort was destroyed in battle, however, this is not likely as there were no finds of cannon or musket balls, suggesting the fort was not subject to an attack. The quality of the bastions and the crude hornwork both suggest that the fort was hastily thrown up and not meant to be permanent. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 281), Castletown were forfeited by Edmund Shee under Cromwell, which suggests that the fort dates to the 1650s. Local legend tells of a grant by Cromwell to Pierce MacOdo (Coady) of all the land he could see (including Castletown) (Dowling 1978, 24). Excavation produced a small assemblage of animal bone and some military and domestic artefacts, tentatively dated to the 17th or 18th centuries. (Stephens 2000, 141-2).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 9 May 2016

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

Stephens, P. 2000 Clonmantagh Castle, Clonmantagh Lower: settlement. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1999: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 141-2. Bray. Wordwell.

Dowling, A. 1978 An outline of Galmoy (Gabbal Maoth) Parish situated in the Kingdom of Ossory.