Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the S side of the road at the W end of Twomileborris village, incorporated in a farmyard. A church and graveyard (TN042-052002-) lie close by to the SE and possible ringwork (TN042-052003-) lies to the E. A number of references mention the Black Castle of 'Burgesleagh' in Eliogarty (Curtis 1937, 36, 169; Curtis 1941, 200, 204, 227, 277) and it is clear that Two Mile Borris in the barony of Eliogarty, which comprises the townland of Blackcastle and is on the Black River, is the site of the castle. The Civil Survey of 1654-6 refers to it as 'one castle in repair' (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 47). The land at Borris is divided between several landowners including 'James Earle of Ormon[,]Piers Butler of Callin in the County of Kilkeny Esqr.[,]Robnett Purcell of Borresleagh and Richard Lawles of Kilkeny gent (ibid.).
A four-storey tower house (ext. dims. 13.8m x 10m) with battlements composed of roughly coursed limestone rubble with cut-stone quoins and external base-batter. A stone outbuilding has been built up against the S end of the W side, obscuring the original entrance. This doorway is 1m above the external ground level, though the base-batter beneath the doorway has subsequently been broken through. On entering the tower house, one is confronted with an elaborate defence system. There is an entrance hall, divided by doorways into three smaller lobbies, and directly facing the entrance there is a cruciform loop through which the defenders could attack. The most unusual feature however is the ceiling of this lobby. Though now gone, it was essentially a large wooden trapdoor which functioned as a enormous murder-hole. Modern openings have been broken through each of the walls on the ground-floor, which at the time of the survey was full of hay. The first and second floors are accessed from mural stairs which rise along the W and N walls. In the NE corner the stairs become spiral just above second-floor level. The first floor has three window embrasures, each containing a flat-headed single-light. In the S wall there is a large off-centre fireplace, the hood of which is missing and the skewback and supporting corbel only survive on E side. Behind the W wall is a mural chamber which contains the murder-hole described above. The second floor has a vaulted roof. There is an embrasure in the E and S wall - both contain blocked lights. There is also a fireplace in the S wall. A doorway in the W wall leads to a mural chamber. Between the second and third floor there is a garderobe chamber entered from the spiral stairs. It runs along the E wall and doglegs to the S, the chute itself being in the S wall. The third floor is the most elaborate. There is a large window embrasure in each wall, two in the N wall. There is a door on either side of the W embrasures. That on the N leads to the battlements while the S opening gives access to a mural chamber. On the W side of the S embrasure there is a door which opens onto steps descending to a mural passage in the W wall. On the E side of the N embrasure there is an ornate cupboard, the base of which, now gone, covered a small hiding-hole. At battlement level only part of the wall-walk remains intact. The base of this feature is indicated externally by a string course. There are well-preserved bartizans at the NE and SW corners.

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1931 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol I: county of Tipperary: eastern and southern baronies. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Curtis, E. (ed.) 1937 Calendar of Ormond Deeds 1509-1547 A.D. Vol. 4. Dublin. The Stationery Office.

Curtis, E. 1941 (ed.) Calendar of Ormond Deeds 1547-1584 A.D. Vol. 5. Dublin. The Stationery Office.