Castle - tower house

The National Monuments Service's description

Balkwych was held by Martin Cod for the service of a quarter of a knight in 1247 from the Valence property, and in 1324 Hugh Lampet held Balyur (Balyen) for the same service (Brooks 1950, 124-6). In 1390 a jury found that Rathaspick (WX042-008----) and Ballyhire were held jointly by military service, but the two properties had been separated at some stage, Rathaspick going to Codd and Ballyhire to Lampert (Hore 1925, 16-7). Rathaspick may have been held by a money rent as it does not appear in any of the feodaries. Jack Lampert owned a castle, a stone hall and 100 acres at Ballyhire when he died in 1624 (Jeffrey 1979, 7-8). Philip Lampert owned 100 acres at Ballywith and 10 at Ballyhire in 1640 (Simington 1953, 307), and James Lampert with eight dependents was listed for transplantation in 1653 (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 502). The castle and an attached structure are depicted on the barony and parish map of the Down Survey (1656-8). The castle is located in a low-lying landscape. The base of a tower (ext. dims. 8.5m N-S; 8.45m E-W; H 1.2-2.3m) survives with no discernible features. Archaeological testing (97E0357) identified an E-W bawn wall S of the castle, and while some cobbled surfaces were recorded no other structures were identified (O’Donovan 1998).

See the attached view from the Down Survey parish map (N at right) 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.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 3 January 2014

References

Hore, P. H. 1925 The barony of Forth. Part 3. The Past, vol. 3, 9-40.

O'Donovan, E. 1998 Ballyhire castle, St. Helens. Environs of castle. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1997: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 194, No. 603, Bray. Wordwell.

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

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.