What is recorded here

Indicated, Sandfordscourt is a bawn in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where Cantwell’s Castle still stands at the west angle of a grass-grown court. Thomas Cahill removed the surrounding walls and buildings at the close of the 18th century, leaving behind a low ridge and a tower that still mark the shape of the lost residence. The south view is blocked by a small hill, but the open grassland in every other direction suggests a place designed to be seen before it was designed to see.

In rolling grassland, now mainly reclaimed. Good views in all directions except to the S where the vista is blocked by the small hill. The tower house (KK015-021001-), known as Cantwell’s Castle, is situated at the SW end of a low mound (dims. 48m N-S; 41m E-W; H c. 1m) and at the W angle of the bawn. The complete circuit of the bawn (dims. 37m NE-SW; c. 40m NW-SE) is indicated as a dashed line on the 1st ed. 6-inch OS map. The NW wall, N angle and a short length (L 8m) of the NE wall, extending from the N angle, survive. The upstanding bawn (wall T 0.8m) extends 27m NE from the NE face of the N angle to form the NW wall of the bawn and a short length extends SE from the SE face of the S angle. For most of its surviving length the bawn it is no more than 1m high and is grass grown. It only survives to its full height where it meets the tower house. There is a gap (Wth 5m) in the NW wall. According to Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 273-4), the ‘ballium, or court-yard wall, and other buildings connected with the castle, stood till the close of the 18th century, when they were taken down by Mr. Thomas Cahill, who then farmed the townland’. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 1 March 2016

Built by the Cantwells in the late medieval period, Sandfordscourt, also known as Cantwell's Castle, is notable for its strategic location offering panoramic views, which made it an important defensive position.

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