Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the E bank of the River Shannon where it takes a slight curve to the W, probably because rock is diverting it. The castle is marked, though not named on the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map, and is described as 'Port Castle ruins' on Taylor and Skinner's map of 1788 (Andrews 1969, 234). The site is now occupied by a farmyard and there are no visible remains of a castle at ground level, although it is possible that fabric of a later medieval building such as a tower house could be incorporated into existing buildings. A fragment of a date stone of 1766 from Port Shan House in the boundary of the entrance to the house has the inscription: ‘Laugh Lin / Glyn Undert / ake Er 1766’ (McHugh 2018, 18). According to M’Parlan (1802, 111) Bryan Conyngham was then in residence but by the Griffith Valuation of 1856 George Latimer was the proprietor of the whole townland. Archaeological testing (18E0591) in the vicinity discovered a small spread of burnt stone, but no evidence of the castle came to light (McHugh 2018). See: Excavations.ie 2018:358

See the attached view from the Down Survey barony map (N at left) reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (Ms 717).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Leitrim' compiled by Michael J. Moore (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2003). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 23 September 2008
Amended: 10 January 2020

References

McHugh, T. 2018 Archaeological testing for proposed mixed development at Port, Co. Leitrim. Licence No. 18E0591. Unpublished report, Fadó Archaeology

McParlan, M.D. 1802 Statistical survey of the county Leitrim. Dublin.

Andrews, J.H. (ed.) 1969 Maps of the roads of Ireland. Shannon. Irish University Press.