Castle

This tower house was probably built by a member of the D’Exeter family, of whom there is very little documentary evidence. Catherine D’ Exeter is commemorated on a cross at Nevinstown (ME025-013----), but the D’Exeters had lost their land by the 17the century (Wilde 1850, 149-50). A gabled house at Carrickdexter (13) in Slane parish and barony is depicted on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) the Lord of Slane owned 185 acres at Carrick Desert and Piggshills in 1640 and the property included ‘a castle, a stone house with a stable, a weare and two mills’ (Simington 1940, 346). It is situated on a bluff by a weir on the N bank of a SW-NE section of the River Boyne, which is c. 130m to the SE. This is a three-storey tower house (int. dims 9.05m NE-SW; 6.7m NW-SE) with a stairs tower at the N angle and a garderobe tower at the S. It is entered through a pointed doorway towards the N end of the NW side and a pointed doorway leads to the newel stairs. The ground floor has a NE-SW barrel vault and two double-splay loops in the SE wall are its only original features. An inserted flat-arched doorway in the NE wall leads to the house (ME019-033001-) attached on this side. A pointed doorway leads from the newel stairs to the first floor that has a narrow window on each wall except the NE and also has a fireplace on the SE wall. A lintelled doorway leads to the garderobe tower at the S angle but there is no communication with the attached house. A lintelled doorway leads from the newel stairs to the second floor which has a narrow window on each wall except the NE. There is a fireplace in the SE wall, a lintelled doorway leads to the garderobe tower at S, and a flat-arched doorway in the NE wall leads to the attached house. The first and second floors were supported on corbels in the SE and NW walls with beam-holes in the other walls. The parapet does not survive, but corner turrets, partly supported on piers on the inner edge of the wall-walks survive over each angle. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revised upload: 22 June 2016

Built by a member of the D’Exeter family, likely in the 14th or early 15th century, Slanecastle Demesne is remembered for its association with Catherine D’Exeter, commemorated at Nevinstown, reflecting the family's presence in the region during the medieval period.