Bawn in Archerstown

Archerstown Castle (WM008-047---) and bawn is mentioned in the terrier of the 1655-9 Down Survey map of Little Castletown parish (NLI, MS 723-4). The terrier recorded that 'There is a Castle in Archerstowne in repaire with a Bawne an Orchard and some Ash Trees and A chappell of Ease (WM008-045----) in Repaire' (ibid.). In 1641 the castle and lands of Archerstown belonged to William Goulding [Golding]. The 17th century Down Survey parish map of Little Castletown depicts a castle to the W and in close proximity to a chapel of ease (WM008-045----). The castle ruins are marked on Larkin's 1808 map of County Westmeath (NLI, MS 46,580). The area where this castle ruin is marked was visited in 1980 and described as following; 'There is nothing now visible in the field indicated to suggest the presence of a structure. A rectangular enclosure against the field fence (running NW-SE, see OS 6 inch) on the N side of the field outlined by a very faint low bank with a narrow shallow outer fosse may be no more than an old field’ (ASI Field Report 21/03/1980). There are earthworks visible in this area on Digital Globe aerial photograph taken November 2011 which may be the remains of the ruins marked on Larkin's 1808 map of Co. Westmeath. Compiled by: Frank Coyne and Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 April 2017

Archerstown Castle and its bawn were likely held by Protestant settlers during the 17th century, following the Confederate Wars and land redistribution under the Cromwellian conquest. It is remembered as part of the post-1650 settlement pattern in Ireland, reflecting the reconfiguration of land ownership and military control in the region.