Castle - hall-house

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a gentle W-facing slope. Rathubenei was part of the grant of William Marshall to Tintern Abbey (WX045-027001-) as confirmed by Richard II in 1382 (Hore 1900-11, vol. 2, 19), but it is not listed amongst its possessions when it was suppressed in 1541 (White 1943, 358-61). Historical references to the castle are not specific but date from the early 15th century when it was held by John Barry. By the 17th century it had passed to John Allen (Jeffrey 1979, 167 9), and according to the Civil Survey (1654-6) the ruined castle and 240 acres at Rathumney were owned by Sir Caesar Colclough of Tintern (Simington 1953, 179), together with the rest of the Tintern land.
The castle is an oblong building (ext. dims. 25m N-S; 9m E-W) with a hall in the centre, a kitchen to the N off an E-W through passage, and a private chamber with a fireplace to the S. No internal walls survive. Apart from the tall but destroyed hall windows and the destroyed doorways only three double-splay lights, a slop stone and a doorway from the kitchen to the bawn on the W side survive on the ground floor. A first floor has chambers with fireplaces over the ground floor chamber S of the hall. A tower, originally with a stairs and garderobe is offset to the E and S. The castle is located at the NE corner of a bawn (dims. 38m N-S; 31m E-W) defined by slight scarps at S and W in the field to the W and evidenced by tie-stones towards the N end of the W wall of the castle, although a masonry bawn might not have been built. Rathumney church site (WX040-029001-) is c. 350m to the ESE. This is a National monument. (Harbison 1970, 248-9)

This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 229.

See the attached aerial views _2 from SW; _5 from NE; _7 interior from SE; _8 interior from S: _23 interior of SW wall; _54 exterior of SW wall

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: 21 February, 2013

References

White, N.B. 1943 Extents of Irish monastic possessions, 1540-1541. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

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.

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