What is recorded here

Castle (in Ruins), Lismaine stood almost perfect on a Kilkenny bluff until 1820, when men took most of it down. A branch of the Purcell family lived inside its four storeys, watched the Nore valley through gun-loops and flat-headed lights, then surrendered the building to forgetting. Only a fragment of the north wall remains now, but the missing rooms are easy to see because the field still holds the shape of a house that refused to leave quietly.

On level bluff above the Nore valley, the River Nore is c. 70m to the NW, in pasture. There are good views in all directions. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 199), 'Lismain castle, over the Nore, was almost perfect till 1820, when most of it was taken down. Only a fragment of one of the side-walls now remains. It belonged to a branch of the Purcell family'. Only portion of the N wall (T 1.45m) survives of this building (dims. c. 12m x 7m based on foundations) which was at least four-storeys high and aligned roughly N-S (NNW-SSE). The doorway at ground-floor level in the N wall has been robbed out, it was defended on either side by gun-loops. There are corbels at first, second and third-floor level to carry wooden floors. Surviving features include a flat-headed single light at first and second-floor level and the remains of a window embrasure in the NE angle at first-floor level. There are earthworks (KK009-065002-) in the field surrounding the tower house. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 8 February 2018

Built by the de Lismaine family in the late 12th or early 13th century, Lismaine Castle is notable for its strategic location offering panoramic views, which made it an important defensive position overlooking the River Nore.

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