What is recorded here

Castle, motte and bailey in Ballygrania stands as a steep earthen mound and raised rectangular yard within the demesne of Markree Castle, probably built to command a ford near Ballygrania Bridge. The mound rises 5.5m with an oval summit, while the bailey extends 50m east-west and 15m north-south, separated by a narrow fosse and hidden beneath dense scrub. A person may have watched river traffic from that height, judged danger by the movement below, and pulled the ford into human life.

In pasture, within the demesne of Markree Castle (SL026-038----). The possible motte (SL026-031----) consists of an oval steep-sided conical earthen mound (H 5.5m), with an oval summit (30.5m N-S; 21.5m E-W) which slopes down gently from the rim towards the centre. Attached to the N side of the mound, but separated from it by a fosse (Wth 3m; D 0.5m), is the possible bailey, a rectangular area (50m E-W; 15m N-S) which is raised c. 2.5m above external ground level. This area is covered by dense scrub overgrowth, but the mound is under grass. The castle was probably built to command a ford, in the vicinity of Ballygrania Bridge c. 400m to the W, across the Arrow or Unshin River. Compiled by: Archaeological Survey Unit, UCC with revisions by Patrick F. O'Donovan and Paul Walsh Date of upload: 20 June 2011

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