Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on an E-W natural ridge in pasture land. Extensive views to the N, E & W, rather restricted to the S by a higher ridge. The surrounding land is well drained pasture. The public road which transects the E side of the castle site forms the townland boundary with Templanstown. The Down Survey map of Demi Fore Barony shows a castle standing in the townland of Kiltoom (Hibernia Regnum) (PUB DS 3/24). 
Moated site of castle bawn consists of a rectangular-shaped area (dims. approx. 40m N-S x 65m E-W) enclosed by a bank, fosse, external bank and outer fosse which is transected at E by a public road running on a N-S axis. Kiltoom Castle site (WM007-026----) stood in SE corner of moated site or bawn. The interior of the embanked area is uneven and may have been cultivated sometime in the recent past. Slopes generally N-S (ridges running in this direction faintly visible). There is a good deal of stone to be seen in the make up of the banks, particularly that at the edge of the scarp. At E side, drain has been recently recut and may have removed some evidence of the original shape of this monument. Portions of the site have been disturbed by quarrying and other activities. At SW corner the line of the inner fosse has been filled in by material having been dumped into it from an area nearby (immediately to the N). Here there is a quarry hole 9m long x 8m wide. Bank at outer top of the scar has been denuded but it best preserved to W and S. At W the outer bank is preserved in a field fence, exact extent of monument to the E is uncertain; at NE and SE bank and fosse practically run to field drain beside road. In field to S are a number of earthworks. These consists of a number of low and badly denuded banks. Immediately visible is a depression (road?) N-S leading towards SW corner of monument. This consists of a shallow fosse with a low bank on either side of it. At right angles to this are a number of low banks defining rectangles but these are not easy to interpret.

See attached ASI plan of site of castle & moated site

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 22 August 2023

References

PUB DS 3/24, Published edition of the Down Survey of Ireland: Hibernia Regnum, known as 'The Down Survey' of the baronies of Ireland, Volume 3.   The ½ Barony of Foore in West Meath County at a scale of 160 perches to 1 inch. 1656-1659. Photolithographical reproduction of Bibliotheque National de France, Hibernia Regnum, Mss. Eng 1-2, 1908.