What is recorded here

Castle, motte in Ballygrania stands as a steep earthen cone within the demesne of Markree Castle, its oval summit still holding the shape of a vanished guard tower. The mound probably watched a ford near Ballygrania Bridge, directing whoever controlled the crossing along the Arrow or Unshin River. A rectangular bank lies beside it through scrub, perhaps a bailey where horses, tools and frightened people once waited out the dark. Grass and pasture have since softened the warning, but the mound still rises like a forgotten command.

In pasture, within the demesne of Markree Castle (SL026-038----). 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 a rectangular area (50m E-W; 15m N-S), possibly a bailey (SL026-031001-) which is raised c. 2.5m above the 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. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

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