Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - motte
Churchland, County Offaly, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Churchland
- County
- Offaly
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Ramparts
- Coordinates
- 53.06960, -7.79387
- SMR number
- OF039-003009-
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
National Monument No. 497, consisting of a poorly preserved church (OF039-003005-), base of round tower (OF039-003003-), low motte (OF039-003009-), possible souterrain (OF039-003026-) and building (OF039-003008-) all of which is contained within the impressive remains of a bivallate ecclesiastical enclosure (OF039-003001-). Low flat topped rectangular shaped mound (H 3m; top diam 20m; base diam 25m) enclosed by wide flat bottomed fosse (Wth 5m; ext. D 1m) with enclosure around nearby monastic site (OF039-003----) forming part of its outer defences and therefore may have been contemporary with the construction of the ringwork. Part of the top has been quarried away due to an excavation carried out under the supervision of a local priest in the 1900's. The top of the earthwork measures approx. 0.5m high above the surrounding countryside. (O' Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 59; Cooke 1875, 166-76; Harbison 1970, 207)
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien.
Date of upload: 23 May 2011
References
Harbison, P. 1970 Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.
Cooke, T.L. 1875 The early history of the town of Birr. Dublin. Robertson.
O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1933 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the King's County collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Bray.
Nearby in the register
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Cross-slabunder 1 mi
- Buildingunder 1 mi
- Headstoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.