Castle in Gowly, house in County Leitrim

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

What is recorded here

Read the whole record

it is located on a promontory, which was once an island known as Castle Island, near the S shore of Lough Scur in an area of scrub and rock outcrop. The house was built by John Reynolds, who was amongst one of the first of the Mac Raghnall to anglicise the name to Reynolds. He supported initiatives by the government to settle Leitrim, probably as a means of escaping the overlordship of O’Rourke. John Reynolds, or Seán na gCeann (of the heads), received a grant of over 2,000 acres as the manor of Lough Scur in 1621-2 (Mac an Ghalloglaigh 1971, 236, 253), and his son, Humphry, describes it in his will of 1660 as 20 cartrons or townlands, but the house is not mentioned (O’Connell 1960, 226). The house is depicted on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony and parish maps together with the watchtower (LE024-048----) on Prison Island c. 150m to the NW. The house was a roofless ruin by 1797 (Grose 1792, vol. 2, 91-2) and has survived almost unchanged since, although with a dense cover of ivy. The house is a rectangular, roofless, five-bay, three-storey house (int. dims 14m E-W; 6.25m N-S) surviving almost complete, except for the E gable. The house has rectangular windows from which no dressed stone survives, although some square hood-moulding fragments are visible. There is a destroyed doorway in the centre of the S wall, and a semi-circular newel stair tower with gun-loops projects from the centre of the N wall, but the stair does not survive. The remains of fireplaces can be identified on both gables and in the N wall adjacent to the stairs tower. South of the house are low earthen banks suggesting outhouses, and a roadway (Wth 9m) approaches the house from the S. (Lewis 1837, vol. 2, 217) See the attached view from the Down Survey parish map (N at right) reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (Ms 717). 1960, Some Co. Leitrim wills. Breifne, vol. 1, 3, 225-41.

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record LE024-050

Places near here

Picture notes

Grose, Francis, 1731?-1791; Ledwich, Edward, 1738-1823, continuator, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Adie Jackson, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
John M, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Computer-made picture. It does not show this playground.
Fifiheavey, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pampuco, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Suse, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Willow, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.5

Castle JohnCastle · 3 yd

Explorer Tom Castle John has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a castle with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Otter IslandIsland · 218 yd

Explorer Tom Otter Island has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a island with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Whiskey IslandIslet · 241 yd

Explorer Tom Whiskey Island has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a islet with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Fionn McCumhail CottageHouse · 892 yd

Explorer Tom Fionn McCumhail Cottage has caught my eye in Keshcarrigan, County Leitrim. I bet a house with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Keshcarrigan Vocational SchoolCollege · 1022 yd

Explorer Tom Keshcarrigan Vocational School has caught my eye in Keshcarrigan, County Leitrim. I bet a college with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Finn McCool's MonumentArchaeological place · 1.0 mi

Explorer Tom Finn McCool's Monument has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a archaeological place with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Children's playground1.1 miComputer-made picture. It does not show this playground.

Explorer Tom Children's playground has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a children's playground with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

CastleforeCastle, tower house · 1.7 mi

Explorer Tom Castlefore has caught my eye in Kilmacsherwell, County Leitrim. I bet a castle, tower house with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Graveyard4.7 mi

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Commons has caught my eye in Commons, County Leitrim. I bet a graveyard with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Sliabh an IarainnMountain / peak · 4.8 mi

Explorer Tom Sliabh an Iarainn has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a mountain / peak with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

Shannon-Erne WaterwayVisitor information · 5.2 mi

Explorer Tom Shannon-Erne Waterway has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a visitor information with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

European ash5.2 mi

Explorer Tom European ash has caught my eye in County Leitrim. I bet a european ash with a name like that could keep me talking all afternoon; I'm already inventing a daft little scene for it, and I'll stop before it turns into history.

More castles and forts in County Leitrim · All of County Leitrim

Add to this placeAdd a picture Add a detailed tip Add a story

Explore the map1,118,976 places to discover