What is recorded here

Castle in Grange is a low, flat-topped motte, only two metres high, yet it may be the castle Richard de Londres built for Fethard around 1200. The grassy mound still stands beside its shallow fosse, marking the place where a man received a town and gave back a fortress. What is missing is not structure but time; the valley has simply swallowed the height.

Situated on a level landscape with a N-S valley (Wth of top c. 70m; D c. 5-10m) c. 20m to the E. Hervey de Montmorency granted the churches of Shelburne and Bargy baronies to Christchurch, Canterbury, who granted the town of Fethard to Richard de Londres c. 1200 (Hore 1900-11, vol. 4, 310-1) on condition that he build a castle, which may have been the motte, although this mound is rather low. This is a circular, grass-covered and flat-topped mound (diam. of base 25m; diam. of top 13m; H 1.4-2.2m). It is surrounded by a slightly sunken area (Wth 6-11m) N-S-W representing a fosse, with slight traces of an outer bank (Wth 3m; H 0.2m) at SE. The church site (WX050-011001-) is c. 40m to the S, and the castle (WX050-011003-) is c. 25m to the SW. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload/revision: 11 February 2015

Built on a motte in the 12th or 13th century, the castle was likely held by the Hervey de Montmorency family before being granted to Christchurch, Canterbury. It is remembered for its connection to medieval land transfers and ecclesiastical holdings in the region.

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