Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Castle - tower house
Belclare, County Sligo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Belclare
- County
- Sligo
- Country
- Ireland
- Latest-edition OS map
- Castle (in Ruins)
- Coordinates
- 54.03236, -8.93647
- SMR number
- SL036-042----
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
In pasture, on a terrace overlooking the Bellanamean River. Only the ivy-clad N corner now stands of a rectangular structure (int. c. 7m NW-SE; c. 5m NE-SW) otherwise reduced to sod-covered foundations. The corner stands to approximately third-floor level and incorporates the remains of a spiral stone stairs (diam. c. 0.9m). Two windows lighting the stairs survive, each with a flat rear arch and a broken light. In the 1940s the tower was described as 'square in shape ... and approximately 30 feet [9.14m] high ... with no architectural features' (ITA). There are no visible remains of the 'court yard, enclosed by a very thick strong wall' mentioned by Mason (1816, vol. 2, 358-9). A castle of the O'Hara's (Mason 1816, vol. 2, 358-9; O'Rorke [1889], vol. 2, 149).
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).
Date of upload: 18 January 2008
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - cashelunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - cashelunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.