Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

In an undulating meadow. According to local information, a rectangular area (37m E-W; c. 50m N-S) defined by a natural limestone scarp (H 1-1.5m) on its W, N and E sides, is regarded by local tradition as the site of a castle. This could be either of the 'two old castles' referred to in this townland in 1836 (OSNB vol. 1, 33).
Topping the scarp on the W and N sides are gapped sod-covered wall footings (Wth 0.7m; H 0.3m) of large contiguous stones (L 0.5-1m). On the W side, at one point, two courses of the footing are evident. The N half of the interior is level but there is a slope down from the centre to the S where it merges into the surrounding field. At the base of the scarp, outside the N half of the E side, is a subrectangular area of disturbed ground (c. 17m N-S; c. 5m E-W) marked by low sod-covered mounds and heaps of angular stones. This may be the remains of the foundations of the rectangular structure (20m NW-SE; 4.5m SW-NE), divided internally into four separate rooms by cross-walls and known locally as 'the stables', that was noted here in 1991 (SMR (1989) file). A length of mortared wall (6m N-S; T 0.65m; H 2m) stands just outside the SE corner of the rectangular area. Traces of rendering are evident on its E face and there is a roughly circular break (0.7m N-S; H 0.8m) in its centre. Immediately to E is a roughly rectangular area of disturbed ground containing limestone rubble suggesting that it may have been the W wall of a collapsed rectangular structure. Further to S is another rectangular area (c. 10m N-S; c. 5m E-W), recessed into the slope, which may be the trace of a similar structure. A rath (SL038-047----) lies c. 50m to SE.

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