Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Fernegenel, consisting of most of the barony of Shelmaliere East, was held from Strongbow by Maurice de Prendergast by the service of five knights’ fees, but by 1247 it was held by Gerard de Rupe (Roche) from de Valency. Artramon, or Ardcroman as it was known, was held by the Roches into the early 16th century but it had passed by marriage to the Mastersons by the early seventeenth century (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 119, 121; Jeffrey 1979, 91 2). The castle was captured by Walter Roche of Newcastle (WX037-016----) in 1641. According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Edward Masterson owned the castle at Ardcroman, which was described as in ‘indifferent repair’, as well as a total of 700 acres in Ardtramon parish, at Ardcroman, Ballyregan, Crory, Galbally, and the unknown Eilephockan, Ballyleckie and Illanegappull (Simington 1953, 109).

It is situated on a slight rise towards the bottom of a gentle S-facing slope on the N shore of the inner Wexford harbour. The stone, including dressed stone, is largely of an Old Red Sandstone conglomerate. This is a four storey tower (ext. dims. 8.55m E-W; 8m N-S) with a base batter and quoins but it only survives to the base of the parapet (H 14.25m). The pointed granite entrance with a yett is located towards the W end of the S wall. The entrance is further protected by machicolation on the parapet and a murder hole inside the doorway. The lobby leads through a lintelled doorway to the ground floor (int. dims 5.55m E-W; 4.85m N-S), where there are three embrasures but no other original features. Mural stairs rise in the S wall to a lintelled doorway to the first floor under the E-W barrel vault. This floor is supported on three corbels in the S wall and a rebate on the N wall and there are rectangular windows in the W and E walls.

The stairs continue in the S wall to a lintelled doorway at the S end of the E wall that gives access to the second floor. This floor has a simple window in each wall, those on the N and W walls are destroyed but are in curved embrasures with seats. There is a fireplace with the flue projecting on the outer face of the wall at the S end of the W wall, and a recess at the W end of the S wall controls the murder-hole. There is a garderobe at the NW angle entered by a lintelled doorway in the N wall. The ceiling was supported on corbels in the N wall and a rebate in the S wall.

The stairs continue in the E wall, and a lintelled doorway provides access to the third floor at the centre of the wall. There are windows in curved embrasures with seats in the N, S and W walls, and the arched embrasures have traces of wicker-centering. The S window is destroyed but the W one is rectangular and the N window is round-headed. A garderobe at the NW angle is entered from a lintelled doorway in the N wall and there are cupboards at the NE and SW angles, but there is no fireplace on this floor. The mural stairs continue in the E wall to the destroyed parapet level, but a brick vault was built over the third floor. The church (WX037 005001 ) is c. 170m to the N, and the holy well (WX037-006----) is c. 50m to the N.

See the attached section from the Down Survey (1656-8) parish map (N at left) reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (Ms 725)

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.

Cmpiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 13 December, 2012

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1953 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. IX: county of Wexford. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

Jeffrey, W.H. 1979 The castles of County Wexford. Typescript prepared by the Old Wexford Society, Ed. E. Culleton.