Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Grange Castle situated on top of rock outcrop identified by the OS as 'Ceathair Chinn Chon, one of the seats of the King of Cashel' (O'Kelly 1944, 51). According to Lynch (1895, 251) this rock was called 'Grange Rock' and that the stones from Grange Castle were used in the construction of Raheen House located 460m to the SW (ibid.). On the 1838 ed. OS 6-inch map Raheen House is annotated as 'in ruins'. Cathair Chinn Chon was identified by O'Donovan as a stone fort or cashel standing near Rockbarton, the residence of Lord Guillamore (Lynch 1917, 231).
Castle described in 1840 as following; 'situated on the top of a solid rock about thirty five feet [10.6m] high, are the remains of an old Castle the walls of which are very much injured. The length outside was about forty feet [12m] and the breadth about thirty feet [9m] but on account of the shattered conditions of its walls its dimensions inside cannot be taken nor even outside with any precision. The west wall remains to the height of about ten feet [3m] and small portions of the rest of the walls also remain; these walls were about six and a half feet [1.9m] in thickness and built of rather small grouted limestones. The rock on which this Castle was erected is called in the Name Book Cahercon Rock, but this name I could not find known to the inhabitants, who say that, Carraig A Mhéara (Mhiara) is the name of the Rock' (OSL vol. 2, 34).
Castle described by Westropp (1906-7, 179) as following; '1186 It is one of the "Granges"
of Magio (Nahava, Coracoimgillain, Naglochmib, Cathercornii, Loc Geir, which belongs to the village of Loc Geir, Camuis and Imlevi), and is probably that of Loc Geir (charter). 1348-9 The Abbot of Magio accounts for issues of lands in Grangehawe (Gransha) in the king's hands by attainder of Maur., Earl of Desmond (Pipe R., 13). 1583 Graunsha de Lough (Gur), or Castleanedroyde (Peyton, p. 10). 1655 Grangew, Lord Bath (C.S., xxxi., p. 15). Fabric. Foundations 40 feet [12m] by 30 feet [9m] over all, and fragments 10 feet [3m] high and 6½ feet [1.9m] thick; on Carriganilea Rock (O.S.L., 8, p. 96).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 12 March 2019

References

O'Kelly, M.J. 1944 A survey of the antiquities in the barony of Small County, Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 4, 16-53.

Lynch, J. F. 1895 Lough Gur. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 1, 241-258, 289-302.

Lynch, J.F. 1917 Notes and queries: Cathair Chinn Conn. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 23, 231-2.

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.