Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Medieval castle known as 'Thom Cor Castle' in the city of Limerick (LI005-017----) described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 259) as following; 'This stood at the junction of Mungret St. and John St. in the Irish town. It appears on the 1580 map (Hardiman Mss, TCD) but was demolished in 1696 and a market house (LI005-017100-) was built on the site at a cost of £210 (Westropp 1906-7, 79).
Westropp (1906-7, 79) recorded the following details on Thom Core Castle; 'It stood in the Irish Town at the junction of Mungret-street and John-street, and appears in the 1580 map (Hardiman 57). 1402 T. Balbeyn, called " Cor," leaves in his will dated March 28th, "my castle which I built in the suburbs of Limerick," leaving it to the Corporation, if his brother Henry, of
Bristol, should not care to live in Limerick (Arthur MSS., Len., p. 236). 1650-54 Capt. T. Holmes repaired Core castle at a cost of £70. Also paid J. Tomson "for repair of Tom Core C[astle]." (Acct. R. 12b 13). 1657 It was held by Dr. T. Arthur, and was then a "cytadle" (C.S.,xxviii., p. 6). 1659 The C[astle]. and the three citadels were garrisoned by 200 men (C.S.P.L, p. 687). 1668 Lord Orrery was granted the front stone house adjoining Tho: Core's C[astle]. (Act. Sett.). 1696 A market house [LI005-017100-] ordered to be built on the site of Thorn Core C[astle], which is to be demolished (White MSS., Len., p. 295). This was done at a cost of £21'.
According to Hodkinson (2005, 119), Thom Cor Castle was possibly an example of a late 14th century tower house. In 1402 the castle is mentioned in the will of 'Thomas Balbein, alias Cor ' where it is described 'My castle which I built in the suburb of Limerick' (ibid.) Hodkinson recorded that the 'castle measured 50ft by 30ft (c 15.25 by 9.2 m), which puts it towards the upper end of local tower house sizes' (ibid.) In the late 1980s he wrote that he 'spent several days test trenching the site of a new development at this corner to see if any foundations of the castle remained. None were noted (ibid.)'. This castle was depicted on several maps of the City including one dating from 1587 where the castle is shown as a 'tall thin tower with what appears to be an attached lower portion. Both parts are equipped with cannon' (Hodkinson 2005, 119; MPF 1/96). In 1633 the castle is depicted on a map in Pacata Hibernia as a 'round tower with a gabled roof on the lower section' (ibid., 124). A late 16th/early 17th century map of the city depicts the castle as a 'squat, rectangular, freestanding building at the road junction, with an apparently separate crenellated building to the southwest' (ibid.; TCD, MS 1209/57). Hodkinson (2005, 125) has suggested the castle may have had two doors as depicted on the Hunt map with one door leading to the ground floor, the second door giving access to the upper floors.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 21 November 2019

References

TCD, MS 1209/57 Trinity College Dublin, Citie of Limrick, per Joanes. Hardiman Atlas. Dublin.

Hodkinson, B. 2005 A 14th Century Tower House in Limerick City? Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 135, 119-29.

National Archives Kew, MPF 1/96 The Plotte of the Citie of Limbrick' perspective view of the city and base town, showing King's castle, church, chapel, gates, drawbridge and bridge, ramparts, moat; and the harbour with drawings of sailing vessels. [?Drawn by Francis Jobson]. 1587

Westropp, T.J. 1906-7 The ancient castles of the county of Limerick. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 26, 54-264.

Bradley, J., Halpin, A., and King, H.A. 1989 Urban archaeological survey - county Limerick (3 vols.). Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.