Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - motte
Dunbrin Lower, County Laois, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Dunbrin Lower
- County
- Laois
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 52.97287, -6.97569
- SMR number
- LA020-002----
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 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
It is situated at the base of a gentle slope on the floodplains of the nearby River Barrow. A raised oval-shaped area (max. dims. c. 22m E-W, c. 25m N-S, H 4.8m at N), defined by a low bank (Wth c. 2.2m, ext. H c. 1.8m) at N and W and by a flat bottomed fosse (Wth c. 4.8m) at E and N. Motte partially destroyed at E and S by quarrying. Reference to a rath here (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 184). This site is directly opposite Ardree, Co. Kildare which Orpen states was a flourishing Anglo-Norman manor (1907, 249). He mentions that Anglo-Norman pottery was found on the summit of the motte.
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'Hanlon, Rev. J. and O'Leary, Rev. E. 1907 (Reprint 1981) History of the Queen's county, vol. 1. Kilkenny. Roberts Books Ltd.
Orpen, G.H. 1907 Motes and Norman castles in Ireland. English Historical Review 22, 228-54.
Nearby in the register
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.