House - fortified house

The National Monuments Service's description

Known as the 'Castle of Tulla', it was constructed by Billy George, an ancestor of the Georges of Mullaghmore (O'Byrne 1856, 70). Situated in gently undulating countryside. An early seventeenth-century three storey fortified house with a fourth storey at the E end (L c. 19.6m, Wth c. 0.25m, wall T 1.45m), built of roughly coursed limestone. It has a series of large triple-light cut-limestone windows with hood- mouldings on first, second and third floor levels. At ground floor level there are a series of small rectangular windows (dims. 0.6 x 0.5m) with glazing-bar-holes. There are three fireplaces in both the W and S walls. Remains of a wall runs in an E-W direction E of the house and remains of a rectangular shaped-platform to the N of the house.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 17 December 2007

References

O'Byrne, D. 1856 The history of the Queen's county. John O'Daly. Dublin.