Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

'Killanhue' (Cullenhugh) Castle is depicted standing on a flat-topped mound or hillock in the N quadrant of the townland close to the E shoreline of Lough Iron on the 1655-9 Down Survey map of Leny parish (NLI, MS 723-4). The castle is depicted as standing in 'Killinhue' on the Down Survey map of Corkaree barony. Edmond Walsh is listed in 1641 as an 'Irish Papist' and owner of 248 acres of lands in Killanhue (ibid.). The terrier of the Down Survey parish map of Leny recorded that ‘there are in this parish six castles vizt. at Rathbennett (WM011-060----), Farrow (WM011-055----) Cullanhue Ballinafid (WM011-077----) each one & at Ballinilack two castles (WM006-048----/-049----)’ (ibid.).

The medieval castle is not depicted on any edition of the OS 6-inch maps. Cullenhue House was identified by the SMR as a potential site for the medieval castle and this area was visited in 1983. No evidence of any medieval stonework or any other evidence to suggest that the medieval castle was located at this house which dates from the post-1700 period. The castle is shown standing on top of a hillock or rise of ground close to the area where the Inny River enters Lough Iron. A flat topped hillock with steeply scarped sides is located in the area depicted on the Down Survey map. There are possible traces of a building consisting of a sunken area on the top of the hillock and possible bank running along edge of mound which may represent the wall footings of the levelled castle.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 13 July 2017

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.