Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on top of a low hill, but with wide views across north Co. Wexford. The castle was built on the site of a possible ringwork castle (WX015-003007-) in the early thirteenth century, probably in 1224-26 by William Marshall the younger who was in Ireland at the time as Justiciar, the principal government officer. The castle was captured by Irish forces in 1315-16, 1331 and in 1357-8 but it fell finally to the Kavanaghs in 1360, who held it for two centuries. They surrendered it to the royal authority in 1543, and in 1583 it was part of a grant to Sir Thomas Masterson. The Mastersons appear to have held the castle throughout the 1640's, but in 1649 they surrendered it to the Cromwellian general Coote. It has been virtually abandoned since then until it was conserved by the OPW. (Hore 1910)

Only the SW and NE walls of a large keep (int. dims. c. 27.5m NW-SE; c. 18.5m NE-SW) with two drum towers remain. It was excavated by P. D. Sweetman (1979) who recovered the rock-cut fosse (Wth of top 5m; D 3.5m) with an entrance causeway at the S side and evidence of the curtain wall, a possible second entrance and a possible outer fosse on the E side. The walls at SE and SW may have been built on an earthen bank of a ringwork castle (WX015-003007-). Further evidence of the fosse was found (03E1813) on the NW side (McLoughlin 2006a), but excavation c. 20m to the SE (01E1182) failed to produce any related material (Tierney 2003). The keep has 3 storeys, but is lacking a cross-wall. There are cross-loops on the ground floor but there are larger trefoil windows on the upper floors. The SE tower contains a chapel with a groin-vaulted roof at the first floor. The castle is a National monument. (Stalley 1971, 26, pl. II; Adams 1904, 177–81; Harbison 1970, 247–8; Bradley and King 1990, 52-3)

This is a National Monument in state guardianship: No. 521.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 30 April, 2012

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 3/1968).

References

Hore, P. H. 1910 Ferns, Co. Wexford. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, vol. 40, 297-315.

McLoughlin, C. 2006a Archaeological testing report, Clone, Ferns, Co. Wexford. Archaeological licence No. 06E0287. Unpublished report. Stafford McLoughlin Archaeology.

Sweetman, P.D. 1979 Archaeological excavations at Ferns Castle, Co. Wexford. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 79C, 217-45.

Stalley, R.A. 1971 Architecture and sculpture in Ireland 1150-1350. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.

Tierney, M. 2003 Castleland, Ferns. In I. Bennett. Excavations 2001. Summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 402, No. 1302. Wordwell, Bray.

Bradley, J. and King, H. 1990 Urban archaeological survey - county Wexford. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

Adams, C.L. 1904 Castles of Ireland. London. Elliot Stock.

Harbison, P. 1970 Guide to the national monuments in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.