Castle - motte and bailey

The National Monuments Service's description

Levelled in 1964 after excavation by the OPW, the site lay on high ground close to the W bank of the River Kilcurry and consisted of a motte (diam. at base 15m, at top 8m, H 3m), and an oval bailey (c. 60m by 50m). The remains of a small mound to the SE of the motte were situated on the perimeter of the bailey, illustrated by Wright (1758, bk I, pl. II) with a bank enclosing the entire site. Aerial photos by St Joseph (CUCAP: ATA 78 and ASV 91) show clearly the remains of the enclosure and the two mounds. The excavation in 1964 (Oibre no. 2 (1965), 22) revealed that the site consisted of a motte and bailey which occupied about one third of an acre and were enclosed by a bank and fosse. The motte, which was flat-topped, had the remains of a wooden tower (LH004-053002-) surrounded by a palisade of timber posts and earth. The bailey was defined by a wide fosse and outer bank and contained the remains of a smaller mound (LH004-053003-) which was in turn enclosed by a fosse. Sherds of medieval pottery, two iron arrowheads and an iron rowel spur were recovered, indicating a thirteenth-century occupation. (Wright 1758, bk I, pl. II; Oibre no. 2 (1965), 22).

The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 17 July 2007

References

Wright, T. 1748 Louthiana: or an introduction to the antiquities of Ireland. London. Thomas Payne.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com