Castle - motte

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on a level, low-lying landscape. Mulrankin was held by the Brown family from the beginning of the conquest. Sir William de Brun and his son Sir Nicholas landed at Bannow with FitzStephen in 1169, and both are witnesses to Montmorency’s charter to Dunbrody abbey in 1175 (Hore 1900-11, vol. 3, 40). William Brun held Molinranchan in 1247 by half a knight’s fee and Nicholas Brun held Molyraucan by the same fee in 1307 from the Bigod estate (Brooks 1950, 34-5). This motte was probably their caput before other castles were built around the parish. It is described as the mount or moat of Oldhall in the Civil Survey (1654-6) where it is a significant point on the boundary between Mulrankin and Kilmore parishes (Simington 1953, 132, 155). It is marked only on the 1940 ed. of the OS-6 inch map where it is described in gothic lettering as a Tumulus. This is a flat-topped grass and scrub-covered earthen mound (diam. of base c. 18 22m; H 2-2.3m). There is no visible fosse or outer bank, although the slight dip of an old quarry is visible to the S. Archaeological testing (05E1335) to the S and E produced no related archaeological material (McLoughlin 2008).

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: 17 October, 2013

References

McLoughlin, C. 2008 Oldhall. No archaeological significance. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2005: summary accounts of excavations in Ireland, 407, No. 1662. Dublin. Wordwell.

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1961 The Civil Survey A.D. 1654–56. Vol. X: Miscellanea, including a map showing changes to the county and barony boundaries since the Civil Survey (1654–56), 10 vols. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

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