Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

John Fleming of Siddan owned 500 acres and the Castle there in 1640 (Simington 1940, 360), and one of the two ruinous buildings that are depicted at Suddan on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map of Slane is in roughly this location. Polecastle, the townland to the E of Siddan, is included with it in the Down Survey map. Taylor and Skinner's map (1783, 260) depicts two ruins at Suddan S of the old Ardee to Kells road c. 250m to the S. The present location is depicted as the SW quadrant of an embanked enclosure described as the ‘Site of Siddan Castle’ on the 1836 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. The field is known locally as the Moat field, but there is no reason other than the OS maps to think that the castle was located here. It is situated at the S end of a N-S ridge. There is a flat-topped, grass-covered mound (diam. of top 13m N-S; 11.m E-W; H 0.4m at N to 3m) here.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 7 June 2016

Shown as ruined castle on and as fragment of ringfort bank on 1837 OS 6" map. Flat-topped mound (diam. 13m N-S, 11m E-W, H 0.4-3m), now on site.

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1940 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. V: county of Meath. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Taylor and Skinner 1778 (Reprint 1969) Maps of the Roads of Ireland. Shannon. Irish University Press.