Castle in Derrypatrick

A roofless gabled structure is depicted adjacent to the church at Dirpatrick (26) on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map of Deece (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Walter Plunkett of Dirpatrick owned 175 acres there in 1640 including ‘an old stone house, a park of trees and some thatched houses’ (Simington 1940, 142). The house is depicted as an oblong structure (dims c. 15m NW-SE; c. 5m NE-SW) with a rectangular enclosure (dims c. 25m NE-SW; c. 25m NW-SE) attached to the NE on the 1836 ed. of the OS 6-inch map, and it is located on a low E-W ridge. A raised rectangular and grass-covered area (dims 8.5m E-W; 6.5m N-S; max. H c. 2m) marks the site of the house. It is situated at the NW angle of a large enclosure or bawn (dims c. 50m N-S; c. 30m E-W) defined on all sides except the N by earthen banks (at W: Wth 8m; H 0.8-1m) and external fosses or hollow ways (at S: Wth of top 5.5m; D 0.5m). The field system (ME043-012----) extended around the house E-S-W but all the remains were removed c. 2013 (Bing). The parish church of Derrypatrick (ME043-010----) is c. 60m to the N. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987).