Castle - motte

The National Monuments Service's description

The Duffry was granted was granted by Strongbow to Robert de Quency and it descended through the marriage of his daughter, Maud, to Philip de Prendergast to that family. Gerald de Prendergast held Dufferth together with Ayrmellach by 9 knights fees in 1247 and in 1324 Ineschorthy (Duffry) was held by Maurice de Rupe. Around 1425 the heir of John Rochford held the barony of Duffry (Brooks1950, 129-131). This motte was probably built by a Prendergast knight or tennant.
It is located at the W end of a low E-W ridge with a slight E-W valley just to the S. There is a S-N stream c. 160m to the W, which turns NE around the base of the ridge. This is a flat topped mound (diam. of top 22m; diam. of base 35m; H 5.5m at S to 3.8m at N) in mixed woodland with a slight berm (Wth 1.5-2m) separating it from a fosse (Wth of top 7m; int. D 0.8-1.8m; ext. D 0.5m at S to 1.4m at N). Beyond the fosse a berm (Wth c. 10m) rises up (H c. 1.5m) to the level of the surrounding land (max. ext. diam. c. 80m). Killegney church site (WX024-045001-) is c. 300m to the SW, and moated site (WX024-042----) is c. 280m to the WSW, across the stream. A paved area was encountered in digging on the motte (Harte 1925, 103).

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: 25 June, 2012
Amended: 28 April, 2014

References

Brooks E.St. J. (ed.) 1950 Knights' fees in Counties Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny (13th-15th century). Dublin. Stationery Office.

Harte, L. 1925 The parish of Cloghbawn. The Past, vol. 3, 100-06.