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Castle

Castle, motte and bailey

What is recorded here

Castle is a motte and bailey in Garrydague, County Kilkenny, where an oval mound overlooks a narrow fording point in a rock-cut stream. The mound rises 2.4m above a shallow fosse, while the eastern slope drops to a crescent-shaped terrace that serves as the bailey. Its position controls access across the water, suggesting it was built to watch, stop or tax movement through the valley.
In a valley on the W side of a rock-cut stream gorge, in rolling grassland. There are good views in all directions. An oval mound (diam. of top 11m N-S; 8m E-W, H 2.4) with fosse (Wth 3m; D 0.6m) at base on N, S and W. At E the ground drops steeply (H 4m) to a crescent-shaped flat area (dims. 20m N-S; 8m E-W). This motte appears to have been strategically located to avail of a fording point in the river. The natural terrace below the mound forms a bailey (H 2.5m above stream) and is at a point in the stream where it can be easily forded. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 31 January 2018

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What survives
Recorded monument

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