Castle - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

Ballymagir, as this area was originally called, was held by the Devereux family from the 13th century, and it became a centre, together with Adamstown (WX031-019001-) in Bantry barony, of their extensive possessions in Wexford. Macherneyin (Adamstown) and Ballymagir were held by the service of two knights’ fees by Alina de Heding in 1247. Alina was the daughter of Sir Alexander de Heddon and she married Sir Hugh Devereux, after which Ballymagir, in Ballymagir or Killag parish, and Adamstown were retained by the Devereux family as a single entity. Both were the property of Stephen Devereux in 1324 (Brooks 1950, 96-100). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Nicholas Devereux owned the castle at Ballymagir and 668 acres in the parish as well as most of Adamstown parish and its castle (Simington 1953, 149, 201-02), but he was listed for transportation to Connaught with 31 dependents in 1653 (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 503). However, a Court of Claims returned Ballymagir to Colonel Nicholas Devereux in the 1660s, but by the 19th century it had passed to the Loftus estate and the name had changed to Richfield (Jeffrey 1970, 45-6).
Ballymagir castle is within the moated site (WX046-052001-) and is located on a level landscape but the tidal sea of Ballyteige Lough, called Mablen Haven in the Civil Survey (1654-6) (Simington 1953, 149), reached to within c. 500m to the S until the drainage schemes of the mid to late 19th century reclaimed the land to the other side of Ballyteige Burrow, so the sea is now over 2km distant. References to the castle date only from the 17th century (Jeffrey 1970, 43-50). This is a rectangular tower (ext. dims 11.4m N-S; 7.1m E-W) with a base-batter that became incorporated into a later house. There is a pointed doorway (Wth 1.35m; H 1.95m) towards the W end of the S wall. Only the ground floor with two E-W barrel-vaulted chambers lacking evidence of a floor beneath the vaults survives in the original form. It was converted into a dwelling house and incorporated into a newer house on its N side in a later century. Examination of the fabric by B. Murtagh in 2007 identified access points from the tower to a building extending out to the W, of which there is no other evidence. This western building may have been constructed entirely of wood.

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: 20 August, 2013