Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - motte
Ballylarkin Lower, County Kilkenny, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ballylarkin Lower
- County
- Kilkenny
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 52.72383, -7.42850
- SMR number
- KK013-016----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On a gentle N-facing slope in grassland. There are good views to the N and NW across the Nuenna River valley to the hills beyond and very good views to the W. The ground rises to the E and S, impeding the view in these directions. There is a church (KK013-018001-) and graveyard (KK013-018002-) c. 120m to the NE and a castle (KK013-017001-) c. 100m to the SSW. According to Phelan (1965, 8) Ballylarkin was granted to Robert Shortall between 1202 and 1218 and it became the Shortall's principal seat.
A circular mound (diam. at top 13.8m N-S; 13.3m E-W at top; diam. at base 24.6m N-S; 19.7m E-S; H 2.9m at N) with a level top defined by scarp and slight traces of an external fosse (W 3m; D 0.3m) at the base. The top of the mound slopes downward (0.7m over 2m) towards the SE where the mound is lower (H 1.6m), perhaps indicating a former ramped entrance. There are hawthorn trees growing on the side of the mound which is otherwise grass covered.
See attached photographs:
KK013-016----_01 Motte from the N
KK013-016----_02 Motte from the E
KK013-016----_03 Motte from the S
KK013-016----_04 Detail of stone protruding from S side of motte
KK013-016----_05 Motte from the SW
Compiled by: Jean Farrelly
Date of upload: 12 September 2022
References
Phelan, M. M. 1965 Ballylarkin and the Shortall family. Old Kilkenny Review, 5-8.
Nearby in the register
- Settlement deserted - medievalunder 1 mi
- Cultivation ridgesunder 1 mi
- Earthworkunder 1 mi
- Bawnunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.