What is recorded here

Ballynavin Castle began as unfinished walls around a small corn mill and ten cottages, belonging to Cormuck McEgan when the Civil Survey passed through Tipperary. Nobody knows whether he stood at the window, watched the brooke or left before the stones dried, but that uncertainty gives the house more life than a complete date would. The castle was partly knocked down in the 1800s and its thick wall and hidden stairwell were swallowed into the present home, so the old place still breathes inside the new one.

Situated on a low rise of ground in undulating countryside with good views in all directions. Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as a 'new castle not finished the walls onely standing A smale water Cornemill upon a little brooke running through the sd lands, three thatcht houses and tenn cottages' (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 287). Cormuck McEgan is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). Nineteenth-century house located on site of castle; possible portion of bawn wall attached to NW side of house with gun loop visible. It has been suggested that the E wall of the house represents the wall of the 17th century castle (Feehan 1987, SMR File). The house was described by Feehan in 1987 as following: 'The castle was partially knocked in the 1800's and the remainder was incorporated into the present two storey house with basement, which exists today. The original 8ft (2.4m) thick wall of the castle and the stairwell of the original spiral staircase are there, but not easily visible' (SMR file). The house was described by the NIAH as following: 'Detached five-bay two-storey house over basement with attic, largely built c.1650 and altered and extended c. 1780. Single-storey flat-roofed addition to rear. Pitched slate roof with skylights and three rendered chimneystacks. Rendered walls. Timber sash windows with limestone sills, six-over-six pane to front with tw0-over-two pane to basement and variety of two-over-two, six-over-six, eight-over-eight and bull's eye windows to rear. Tripartite window to east gable and round-headed and two dormers with carved bargeboards to rear elevation. Cut stone doorcase with pilasters to front entrance having blind cobweb fanlight and limestone steps over basement. Single-storey outbuilding with double height space having pyramidal slate roof and with pitched slate roof to remaining bays. Single-storey outbuilding to north-west of house having segmental-headed carriage arches with two-storey with attic gable-fronted central block with carriage arch and pitched corrugated sheet roofs. Medieval bawn wall with gun loop adjoins north-west gable of house. Double-arched bridge spans river directly to front of house' (www.buildingsofireland.ie) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 6 July 2016

Ballynavin Castle was likely built in the mid-17th century, as noted in the Civil Survey of 1654–56, which described it as a new but unfinished structure. Its strategic location on elevated ground suggests it was intended for defensive or territorial purposes, typical of the period's conflicts and land consolidation.

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