Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Skool Castle and bawn (LI022-106001-) described by Westropp (1906-7, 187) as following; 'Alleged by Dyneley to have been built by King John (R.S.A.I.,ix., p. 197). 1583 The Earl of Desmond held Awney Manor "duobus lez Sculles in p'orhia de hospital" (Des. R., 3b). 1612 J. Stritch held the C[astle], bawn, water-mill, and two weirs at 'ambo skules," in fee; his son W. succeeded (Inq. Chan., Car. I., No. 89). 1624 Sir W. Parsons held the two Skulls, late estate of Alderman W. Stritch (Pat. R.). 1639 James held the C[astle], bawn, and mills, "in duobus Skules" (Inq. Chan., 234). 1657 C[astle]. held by W. Hurley. 1666 Scuill and Ballyneety confirmed to Capt. A. Ormsby. 1680 Capt. Ingoldesbye held it. Fabric. - Almost levelled; only parts of the north and south walls, 10 feet [3m] and 22 [7m] feet high, stood in 1840 (O.S.L., 8, p. 378)'. Tower House like structure depicted on the 1654-7 Down Survey map of Fedamore Parish (NLI, Ms 718). The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that on the lands of William Stretch late of Limerick there stood in Scoole 'a Castle, a Mill Seate [LI022-106002-] & 8 Cabbins' (Simington 1938, 107). Cropmarks of levelled castle and bawn (LI022-106001-) visible on OSi aerial photographs. The cropmarks are barely visible today on Digital Globe aerial photographs.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 2 March 2020

References

NLI, MS 718 - National Library of Ireland, Parish maps with terriers, showing forfeited lands in County Limerick, commonly known as the "Down Survey", executed under the direction of Sir William Petty, 1657, and copied by Daniel O'Brien, 1786.

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

OSL - Ordnance Survey Letters. Letters written by members of the Ordnance Survey's 'Topographical Department' (T. O'Conor, A. O'Curry, E. Curry, J. O'Donovan and P. O'Keeffe) sent to headquarters from the field (1834-41). MSS in Royal Irish Academy.

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1938 The civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. IV: county of Limerick, with a section of Clanmaurice barony Co. Kerry. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.