DDiscover AloneMapAbout

Castle in Leixlip

Castle, tower house

What is recorded here

Located at the E-end of the town. According to Bradley et al. (1986 vol. 3, 307-8), the earliest evidence for this building is in 1562 when it was granted to William Vernon. In 1570 it was granted to Nicholas White, and in 1654, the Civil Survey notes that 'Black Castle' was on the lands of the earl of Kildare. At the…

Read the whole record
Located at the E-end of the town. According to Bradley et al. (1986 vol. 3, 307-8), the earliest evidence for this building is in 1562 when it was granted to William Vernon. In 1570 it was granted to Nicholas White, and in 1654, the Civil Survey notes that 'Black Castle' was on the lands of the earl of Kildare. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was described as, 'a residence so modernised as to be indistinguishable except to one well acquainted with the locality'. The present structure is inhabited. It is a tall, narrow, four-storied, rectangular building (int. dims. L 7.5m E-W; Wth 6.5m N-S; wall T c. 0.65m), with a possible cellar, said by the present owner to be closed-up. There is a modern, single-storied extension to the S. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record KD011-004005

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.

What do you know about this place?Tap to add a comment or ask a question

What you write will be public.

Places near here

Photo credits
  • National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
  • Gdonlon, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • JP, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Edge977, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
  • DiggingSpace, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • jwd, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
Black CastleHouse · 1 yd

Explorer Tom Black Castle was saved by a hero nobody remembers writing down his name. It’s a tower house so modernised it looks like a normal house. Pretend you're a local who knows all its hidden secrets here.

Ivy HouseHouse · 135 yd

Explorer Tom Ivy House in Leixlip watched a poet fall into the ditch next door and write about it poorly. It’s got that extra bay on the side just to show off a bit more. Pick a stone, any stone, and imagine it’s from its foundation.

Guinness' BreweryMemorial · 187 yd

Explorer Tom Guinness' Brewery in County Kildare would cope on a reality show by just staring at the cameras and waiting for them to get bored and leave. It’s a memorial that probably thinks everyone here is too thirsty to notice the history properly. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.

Leixlip MonumentMemorial · 389 yd

Explorer Tom Leixlip Monument would say in a job interview that he’s really good at standing still and absorbing bad weather without complaining. He’d probably get the role but then quit because the office coffee was terrible and the colleagues were too talkative. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.

Ice HouseIcehouse · 414 yd

Explorer Tom Ice House in Cooldrinagh was marked on old maps but has since disappeared from later editions. It used to store ice for the lodge, which seems like a great idea that went wrong. Wave to the cold spot.

Sli Na Sláinte Leixlip SliWalking route · 737 yd

Explorer Tom Sli Na Sláinte Leixlip Sli only plays 'Mull of Kintyre' on loop because it thinks it’s a beach even though there isn’t one. It refuses to acknowledge its own location, preferring to imagine seagulls and sand rather than suburban tarmac and passing trams. Perfect detour when the satnav has a meltdown.

St. Catherines WellsHoly well · 905 yd

Explorer Tom St. Catherines Wells in St. Catherine's Park has two wells side by side, one for drinking, one for eyes. It’s basically a spa day for your eyelids. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.

Squirrel WoodWood · 992 yd

Explorer Tom Squirrel Wood smells like wet cardboard mixed with pure, unadulterated squirrel anxiety according to my nose. It’s a pungent aroma that tells you exactly how stressed out the little guys are right now. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Leixlip Spa - SpringSpring · 1.0 miThe Wonderful BarnHeritage attraction · 1.1 mi

Explorer Tom The Wonderful Barn in Leixlip has strict rules: don’t touch anything, but definitely pretend you’re about to touch something dramatic. It’s heritage gold, wrapped up in a package that looks like it fell off a very stylish truck. Bring someone who’ll believe anything, because the stories here are wild.

Castletown HouseHeritage attraction · 2.1 mi

Explorer Tom Castletown House had a fox take charge of the kitchen for three days before anyone noticed. Desmond Guinness saved it in 1967, which is cool, but the fox story is way better and totally true. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch, because you deserve the credit.

Griffeen Valley WalkWalking route · 2.4 mi

Explorer Tom Griffeen Valley Walk is where the rabbits hold their weekly council and decide which tourists are too serious to be tolerated. I heard they tax anyone who walks with purpose, so keep your stride lazy and your grin wide. Bring someone who'll believe anything about rabbit taxes.

More castles and forts in County Kildare · All of County Kildare

Add to this placeAdd a picture Add a detailed tip Add a story

Explore the map1,093,392 places to discover

Next place · or swipeBlack Castle