Castle in Templetown

Located at the head of a small E-W valley opening out the W where a small strand at the base of cliffs (H c. 20m) and the estuary of the Barrow/Nore/Suir are c. 300m distant. A circular enclosure (diam. c. 40-50m) is marked on the 1839 ed. of the OS 6-inch map with a smaller enclosure (diam. c. 30m) on the 1925 ed., but this location is misplaced, and the monument has recently been identified by Simon Dowling through aerial archaeology. It is a circular grass-covered enclosure (diam. c. 35m) at the head of the valley. This monument has been listed as possible ringwork castle (Barry 1987, Fig. 14). A preceptory of Knights Templar known as Kilcloggan is traditionally said to have been founded by O'More of Laois in the late 12th century (Redmond 1900, 220-5; Gywnn and Hadcock 1970, 330), but is more likely to have been based on a grant of the church of St. Alloch by Henry II in 1172 (Colfer 2002, 196). The grant comprised the parishes of Hook and Templetown. Allock or Eallóg (Doologe) was a son of Díona, daughter of a Saxon king, and Brachan, a Welsh king (Ó Rian 2011, 280-1). The name Kicloggan is a corruption of Cill Eallóg – Alloch’s church. When the Templars were suppressed after 1312, much of their property, including Kilcloggan, was transferred to the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem. The Hospitallers probably established the centre of their manor at Kilcloggan castle (WX049-004001-), c. 1.2km to the NNE, in the 15th century. A comprehensive inventory of the Templars’ chattels ‘in the grange’ at Kilcloggan in 1307 survives, but it does not detail their land-holding or the buildings. However, they did have a chapel (WX049-007001-) separate from the parish church (WX049-008001-) (Hore 1900-11, vol. 4, 275-8; Colfer 2004, 56). Four brothers are named, and there was military equipment for perhaps one knight. There were copious supplies of grain and wine, together with beef and mutton carcasses. Sixty eight fowl were counted together with 7 ducks and 23 geese. There was a fully equipped forge, two ovens, about 70 cattle, perhaps 10 horses, 55 pigs and over 550 sheep. Unusual items were 11 beehives, 40 yards of canvas, and iron for the repair of the windmill (WX049-026----). Seventy four acres were sown with wheat, 6 with winter wheat, 3 of peas and 5 of oats. If the Templars had a caput or centre for their manor it may have been here close to the parish church (WX049-008001-) at Templetown, which is c. 150m E. (Hore 190-11, vol. 4, 259-302; Walsh 1969; 1970) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996).