Settlement deserted - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

On level ground in gently undulating terrain, under grass. There is a meandering stream, visible on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map, which runs NE-SW, N of the motte (KK023-032----), moated site (KK023-031004-) and enclosure (KK023-031005-).View impeded to E and W by rising ground, elsewhere fair to good, though impeded by hedgerow and by forestry to S. The former medieval parish church of Tullaghanbrogue (KK023-030001-) (Carrigan 1905, vol. 3, 385-6), is located c. 200m to the W. Orpen (1909, 333) associates the motte with the manor of Tullaghanbrogue, and states that, ‘William de St. Leger also held the manor of Tullaghanbrogue, with which the St. Legers were connected up to Cromwellian times’. He goes on to say that to ‘the north-east of the mote [bretage], in the same field, the foundations of buildings are still traceable’ (ibid.). Carrigan (ibid., 387-9), refers to an Inquisition at Thomastown in 1607 when “Edmund Sentleger, of Tullaghanbroge, is seised in fee of the manor and town of Tullaghanbroge”, and a similar Inquisition of 1626-7. During the Cromwellian confiscations of 1653 the St. Leger estate was forfeited and in 1666 “Tullaghane (to be called and known for ever by the name of Cuffe’s grove)’ was granted to Joseph Cuffe (ibid.).
Among the earthworks there are some discernible monuments, including a low castle-mound or motte (KK023-032----), a small moated site (KK023-031004-) and a large enclosure (KK023-031005-). The area of the field S of the large enclosure has a lot of earthworks which appear to be the result of small scale quarrying activity. The OS Ortho aerial image shows earthworks immediately N of the meandering stream, which was subsequently straightened. These earthworks do not form a readily discernible pattern on the ground. They may be related to the settlement or could be associated with field drainage.
According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 386), ‘Opposite this field, at the other side of the road from the churchyard [presumably of the medieval church of Grove] to Grange chapel [the RC church c. 1.3km to the E], is another field of great fertility, in which there is a well, probably a holy well [KK023-031002-] in former times. Close to the well is a slight mound, together with many traces of foundations, which are said to mark the site of an ancient monastery. The part of the field lying east of this is known as “the glebe”’. This area, S of the road, is very disturbed as it was completely forested and has since been clear-felled and replanted. There is no visible trace of any earthworks in this field at ground level.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 21 March 2017

References

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