Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

In gently undulating pasture, on a low rise. 'Grennon' castle is one of four castles mentioned in 1569 in a dispute between the Earl of Desmond and the Earl of Ormond (Butler 1914, 11). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) 'On the s[ai]d lands stands a castle Garrisoned and thirtie thatcht houses & cabins. The s[ai]d castle & lands of Grenane is a mannor with the Royalties of a court leete & barron' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 42). The proprietor of 'The Castle & Towne of Grenane & Ballyhosty' in 1640 is given as the Countess of Ormond and the tenant was 'Sr Hardres Waller Tennt. by mortgage & long lease yett unexpird' (ibid.). There is no visible trace of the castle above ground. It stood within an oblong area (dims. 52m N-S; 39m E-W), currently defined by a timber fence from W-E and by a linear stone field wall (long axis E-W) along the S. Within this enclosure there is a sub-oval, sunken area (dims. 36m E-W; 26m N-S) which is defined by a bank (overall Wth 6.6m; Wth at top 2.2m; int. H 0.35m; ext. H 0.7m) to the S and by scarp (Wth 2.2m; H 0.2m) to the N, E and W. The area within has low humps and hollows although no discernible feature is evident due to the high and dense growth of vegetation. A higher area of ground is noted within the NW quadrant.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1934 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. II: county of Tipperary - Western and Northern baronies. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Butler, W.F. 1914 Clan and settler in Ormond. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 20, 1-16.