Castle (in ruins)

Located on flat land with good views in all directions with medieval church (OF033-005001-) to N. Poorly preserved three storey high Tower house of which only two storeys survive. The Tower house (dims. 8.5m N-S; 9.5m E-W; wall T 1.5m) which is square in plan was constructed with uncoursed limestone rubble with evidence of wickerwork centring in its arch construction. No evidence of a door or stairs probably because they existed on the destroyed E wall. Ground floor window set in a widely splayed embrasure in N wall. Large segmental arched garderobe chute outlet on the external face of N wall which was sloped in order to throw the waste away from the base of the wall. The garderobe was located on the destroyed second floor. Destroyed window located on the S wall at ground floor level. Flat headed windows set in widely splayed embrasures at first floor level. In the NW angle of the building at first floor level there is an angle loop which is set in an embrasure in the corner of the building less than 0.5m away from the window on the N wall. This light is too narrow to be used for defensive or domestic purposes. Floors were carried on wooden beams. To the W of the Tower house are the possible wall footings of the original bawn wall (OF033-005005-). (Comerford 1883, 311; O' Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, 30) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 23 May 2011

Built in the late 15th or early 16th century, Clonyhurk Castle was likely constructed by a member of the MacMahon family, who were prominent Gaelic lords in the area. The site is historically significant as it represents the defensive and residential architecture of the late medieval period in the region.