House - 17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

In improved pasture and disused quarried area overlooking river valley to N and E. Prior to quarrying, castle was situated on a high conspicuous rock outcrop. According to the Civil Survey (1654-6), the proprietor in 1640 of 'The Manor castle Towne & lands of Drangan' was 'James, Lord Barron of Dunboyne Irish Papist' in which year it was occupied 'by his Mother Ellan Lady Dowager of Dunboyne' and 'The sd lands hath on them (besides the Cheife & principall Castle) a Mansion house tyled over with slate, & a short butt of a Castle thatched with other decaying thatcht houses within the Bawne' (Simington 1930, vol. 1, 160). The N side of quarry is delineated by the remains of a roughly coursed limestone wall (L 10m; H c. 0.75m), bonded with lime mortar, which may be associated with the castle (TS063-015002-), the bawn (TS063-015001-) or associated buildings within the bawn. The E end of this wall is obscured for c. 2m by dense vegetation. The rubble stone wall (L c. 14m) sitting on top of the quarried rock face continues toward the W end, though the facing has fallen out in places. Quarrying activities encompassing this area make it difficult to decipher the purpose of this wall. An oval depression (dims. 22m N-S; 18m E-W) has been quarried out immediately N of the wall, with quarry spoil to SW. Apart from these fragmentary walls there is no visible trace above ground of the houses associated with the castle and bawn.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

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.