What is recorded here

Killallon Castle stood as a tower on a hill beside the parish church during the Down Survey of 1656-8. Christopher Earle of Fingal owned the estate, which included the castle, a bawn, two mills and six cabins near a ruined church. A length of masonry wall now lies hidden beneath the soil, waiting for someone to dig it out and remember the shape of that lost household.

A castle is depicted as a tower on a hill in the vicinity of the parish church of Killallon on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map of Fore (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Christopher Earle of Fingal owned 550 acres there, including ‘a castle with a bawn, a ruinate church with six cabins a Corne Mill and a Tuck Mill’ (Simington 1940, 259). It is not indicated on any ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Just north of the bailey (ME022-010----) and situated on a rise in an undulating landscape, a length of masonry wall has been exposed in digging, and this is believed to be the remains of the castle. The motte (ME022-010----) is c. 75m to the S and the church (ME022-012----) is c. 100m to the ESE. 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 revision: 9 June 2016

Christopher E. held the castle in the mid-17th century, as recorded in the Civil Survey (1654-6). Its depiction on the Down Survey map (1656-8) highlights its presence in the local landscape during the post-Tudor land settlement period in Ireland.

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