Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Two ruinous medieval castles are depicted standing in the townland of Tullynally on the 1657 Down Survey map of the barony of Fore (NLI, MS 723-4). The terrier of the 1657 Down Survey map of Mayne parish lists Thomas FitzSyman (FitzSymons/FitzSimons) an Irish papist as the owner of the lands of Tullynally in 1641 (NLI, MS 723-4). These forfeited lands were granted to Henry Pakenham in the second half of the 17th century, who built a new square shaped castle or fortified house (WM003-092----) possibly on or close to the site of the medieval castles depicted on the 1657 Down Survey map of the barony of Fore. The second medieval castle may have been located 150m W of Pakenham Hall. According to the landowner, Thomas Pakenham this location is traditionally believed to be the site of the first castle of Tullynally. Present remains consist of a wide low natural rise outlined by a steep straight scarp at S. The E and W sides are bounded by a gentle natural slope which has been only slightly modified by tree planting. The N side is rather irregular and appears to have been partly quarried away in the past. The top of the rise is a wide, fairly flat platform. In its present state the site appears to be of no archaeological significance.

Compiled by: Frank Coyne & Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 6 December 2016

References

NLI, MS 723-4 - National Library of Ireland, The parish maps of the Down Survey for the County of Westmeath, attested by W. Petty, in 1659. Copied by Daniel O'Brien. A set of 67 maps with accompanying terriers in two volumes, 1786-7. Dublin.