House - 17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

An O'Kelly castle at Turrock had been acquired by John Byrt who died in 1588, but it had been lost to Irish rebels by 1596 (Cronin 1980, 113, 117). A castle is marked at Terrig on the Strafford map of c. 1636, which probably also included the townlands of Gortaphuill and Garryphort (Simington 1949, Athlone (225)). In 1641 the four quarters of Turrock, amounting to 525 acres belonged to Michael Pinnocke, who retained the holding through the Cromwellian settlement (ibid. 110).
Situated on a level landscape adjacent to Turrock House. This is a rectangular structure (int. dims 7.6m NNE-SSW; 5.25m WNW-ESE) of one storey and attic surviving complete, except the W wall where the doorway was. A fireplace projects inwards on the S gable and there is a destroyed window on each wall except the N. The joists were set directly into the walls and there are attic windows in the N and S gables. It is probably not the structure depicted on the map but it may be 17th-century in date.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revised upload: 22 October, 2015

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1949 Books of survey and distribution. County of Roscommon. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Cronin, T. 1980 The Elizabethan colony in Co. Roscommon. In Murtagh, H. Irish midland studies: essays in commemoration of N.W. English, 107-20. Old Athlone Society.