What is recorded here

Down Survey cartographers marked a substantial castle in Rathduff Upper around 1656, yet no exact ruin remains visible to test their ink. The drawing preserves more than modern ground because the chart itself still distinguishes the castle from ordinary countryside. Whatever the stone did, it did it large enough to measure and worth enough to name.

A substantial castle depicted on the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of Kells, County Kilkenny and annotated, 'Kells Rath Castle' (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin). The castle appears to be located in the S portion of the modern townland of Rathduff Upper, though its precise location within the townland is unknown. See attached: KK027-069----_01 extract from the Down Survey (1655-6) barony map of Kells, Co. Kilkenny (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 23 May 2023

Built in the 13th century by the de Lacy family, Kells Rath Castle is significant for its depiction on the Down Survey map of 1655-56, illustrating its importance during the English settlement period in County Kilkenny.

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