House - 16th/17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

A building at the southern end of a bastioned fort (WM024-004001-) may be the site of the 'Strong House' of the 'Widow White' described by George Story in 1691. The earthwork marked 'Camp (Site of)' (WM024-004001-) on the 1910 edition of the OS 6-inch map indicates the location of a Jacobite bastioned fort indicated on a sketch map of Ballymore from 1691 as 'The Fort of Ballymore' (Story 1693, 318). This fortification is located at the base of a motte and bailey (WM024-004----) on it southern side and appears to have incorporated the motte as a defensive feature of the bastioned fort. A small circular structure is indicated on top of the motte while two smaller rectangular structures are indicated in the bailey on the northern side of the motte. A church and graveyard (WM004-005----/005001-) are located 275m to the SW of the artillery fort and the village of Ballymore (WM024-179----) is 430m to the south. A circular castle (WM024-034----) is 660m to the south. The site of this building was recorded in 1983 as 'The site of a building located near the S. end of the 'camp' is indicated on an estate map of 1827 (NLI 16 J 10 (6) ). No trace of this building nor any indication or extent could be discerned on the ground' (SMR File). This building may be the same building as indicated on the 1837 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is depicted beside the 'Pier of Draw Bridge'. This house or building was described in June 1691 by George Story, a chaplain in the Williamite army as 'This isthmus had been formerly fortified with a double ditch, and within that a stone wall, and then there stood a pretty strong house, where one widow White lived the year before, when Lieutenant-General Douglas march'd that way to Athlone' (Story 1693, 88).

Complied by Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 11 November 2009

References

Story, G. 1693 An impartial history of the wars of Ireland, with a continuation thereof. London. Chiswell.

NLI, 16 J. 10 (6) – National Library of Ireland, Map of part of the lands of Ballymore in the parish of Ballymore, barony of Racondra, Co. Westmeath, part of the estate of G. M. Maunsell. Surveyed by John Logan of Dublin. Coloured map, 17 by 22 inches, mounted on linen, May, 1827. Dublin.