Gatehouse

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated at the E end of Fethard Castle (WX050-011003-), and pre-dating it. The gatehouse passage (int. Wth 2.95m) is vaulted and the entrance (Wth 2.34m) has hinge-stones for a drawbridge at S but no other elaborate defences. At the N end a passage has been broken into the ground floor of the E wing of the castle at a point where there was a cupboard in the castle’s N wall, but the buildings are not bonded and the gatehouse walls have a slight batter, which the walls of the E wing of the castle abut. The first floor of the gatehouse has window embrasures in the N, E (2) and S walls that were destroyed, blocked, or widened. The remnants of a stairs in the W wall rises northwards to the second floor that has embrasures in the N, E and S walls that were inserted or widened. There is a chimney in the NE angle and a cavity at the S end of the W wall, which may indicated the inclusion of wood or the construction of a hidden safe. From the hall in the E wing of the castle a stairs also rises to the second floor of the gatehouse. The string-course for the wall-walk survives over the second floor, but nothing else of the parapet.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload; 12 February, 2014