Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - unclassified
Portlester, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Portlester
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Portlester Ho.
- Latest-edition OS map
- Portlester House
- Coordinates
- 53.53425, -6.92944
- SMR number
- ME035-020----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated on a level landscape with the NW-SE Stonyford River c. 50m to the NE. Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as 'a ruinated castle and bawn about it and a large thatch house and some cottages'. It was owned in 1640 by Sir Luke FitzGerald along with 182 acres there together with other land in Killaconican parish at Crosantown (125 acres), Parkestown (84 acres), Moyfiagher (152 acres) and Muchwood (108 acres) (Simington 1940, 199). There are no visible remains of the castle structure though it possible that elements of it have been incorporated into Portlester House. Two window spandrels of late medieval date have been reused as opposing corner arch stones over an external doorway and a further carved fragment of a lion - probably the crest from a memorial - lies in the rockery adjoining the house; all undoubtedly came from the former fabric of the castle. Portlester House is known to the owners as the site of a castle.
Date of revised upload; 9 June, 2016
References
Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1940 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. V: county of Meath. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.
Nearby in the register
- Earthworkunder 1 mi
- Earthworkunder 1 mi
- Enclosure - large enclosure1 mi
- Ringfort - rath1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.