What is recorded here

Castle is a circular sand mound forty-five metres wide and up to seven metres high on the west end of an east-west ridge in Ardoyne, County Wicklow. Steep slopes drop south, west and north, while level ground to the east may have held a small bailey. A narrow quarry cuts the east side of the mound, with spoil lying north, proving the castle was built, changed or taken apart by human hands.

Situated on the high W end of a E-W sand ridge with steep slopes to the S, W and N. Level ground to the E indicates the possible location of a small bailey. Circular steep-sided mound (diam. 45m; H. 5-7m) with a flat summit (diam. 18m) surrounded by a berm (Wth 5m) at the S, W and N. There is a slight trace of a fosse inside the berm (Wth 3m) at the N. A narrow quarry is cut into the E side of the motte with spoil to the N. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 17 December 2008

Built in the 12th or 13th century, likely by a local Norman lord or military commander during the Anglo-Norman expansion into Ulster. The site is important as a rare surviving example of early medieval defensive architecture in the region.

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