What is recorded here

Half a kilometre south of the castle, a vast rectangular garden still holds its shape in the grass. Earthen banks and shallow ditches mark its edges, while a fading avenue cuts through the west, suggesting rooms or walks now lost to time. The design belonged to the castle, yet it has outlived every building that once looked down upon it.

Immediately S of Harristown Castle (KD024-028003-). Shown on an estate map of c. 1645 (Tickell 1958, ff 320) and on Noble and Keenan's 1752 and Taylor’s 1783 maps of County Kildare. A large rectangular area (c. 240m ENE-WSW; c. 200m N-S) is defined along its N by a low scarp (H 1m), along the E by a broad, low earthen bank (int. H 1.1m; Wth 12m; ext. H 0.4m), and elsewhere by a shallow fosse (Wth 2-3m; D 0.2-0.4m). Internally, an avenue runs NNW-SSE separating the W-third of the interior from the remainder. Well defined at its S end (Wth 3.5m) by two low, broad earthen banks (Wth 7.7-10.5m; int H 0.3-0.8m; ext H 0.4m), the feature fades out towards the NNW. Also at its S end, the avenue forms the W limits of a rectangular area (50m NNW-SSE; 33m ENE-WSW) which is defined by a low scarp (H 0.9m) along the N, a fosse (Wth 1m; D 1.1m) along the E, and a broad, low bank (Wth 12m; int H 0.2m; ext H 1.2m) along the S. An ornamental canal (KD029-038003-) runs SSE from the S limits of these features. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 02 July 2012

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