What is recorded here

Kilbride Castle stood as a large rectangular bawn in County Westmeath, its shadow stretching across a walled garden and a farmyard where cut limestone still lies scattered. The nearest house keeps a rounded bay with a spiral stair, perhaps the last surviving angle tower of that forgotten defensive wall. A kidney-shaped pond sits sixty metres south, possibly a medieval fish pond transformed into an eighteenth-century landscape feature. The place preserves layers of human ambition, from military strength to domestic beauty, all buried beneath ordinary fields and quiet roads.

The monument was inspected in 1980 and described as a large rectangular castle (WM033-010----). A farmyard is located to the N of the castle, Kilbride House is 40m to the NE and a walled garden is located immediately to the W of the castle. The W end of Kilbride House contains a projecting rounded bay which appears to be the remains of a small tower possibly the NE angle tower of a bawn that enclosed Kilbride Castle (WM033-010----). Within this small angle tower are the remains of a spiral stairs. To the S of Kilbride House running alongside the road are the remains of a two storey dovecote incorporated into the 19th century walled courtyard of the house. Some pieces of cut limestone of medieval date can be seen in the farmyard to the N of the castle. A small kidney-shaped pond c. 20m to the SE of the castle is probably post-1770 in date with a small rockery on a platform to one side. It may be possible that this pond could represent the remains of an earlier medieval fish-pond associated with the nearby castle that was then converted into a landscape pond feature of Kilbride House. Alternatively this pond may be part of the 18th century landscaping of Kilbride House. The pond is c. 60m S of Kilbride House. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 04 July 2013

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.