Lombards Castle

On W side of main street in Buttevant town (14631). Small rectangular tower (5m N-S; 4m E-W), standing to two storeys, with wall (L 15.2m) extending S from midway along S face of tower. This wall forms E wall of rectangular structure; S wall (L 8.2m) and return of W wall (L 5.6m) also survive. Only S half of ground-floor of tower accessible; this is lintelled chamber (1.1m N-S; 1.6m E-W) entered through ruinous ope in W wall; small slit window in S wall, with groove cut in E jamb acting as loop covering outside of wall to S. First-floor chamber (2.2m N-S; 1.6m E-W) entered through lintelled door in W wall, lit by single-light window in each wall except E where replaced by large rectangular ope (see photograph in Grove White 1905-25, vol. 1, opp. 350); chamber covered by rounded wicker-centred vault. Wall to S of tower (T 1.2m) survives to just below height of tower for short section (L c. 1m), terminating at 1st-floor level in N jamb of window embrasure with window seat. Beyond this, central section of wall reduced in height to c. 1.5m. This section has an inserted garage door, immediately S of which is jamb of cut-stone door surround, visible in photograph of 1907 with pointed arch (Grove White ibid.). Southern section of wall (7m-15.2m S of tower) survives to near height of tower, much rebuilt. Blocked ope with pointed arch visible, sill c. 0.5m above pavement level, with blocked square window ope to S, broken end of cross-wall extending E to N; at 1st-floor level, upper part of twin-light ogee-headed window with broken hood moulding visible, also S side of embrasure at broken N end of higher portion. Present end of wall not marked by quoins; turns to W, then to N to form S end of structure. West wall has recess (H 1.7m; Wth 1.6m) towards S end, flat-arched fireplace to N. Broken end of cross wall visible on internal face of E wall; W wall of tower has broken end of cross-wall up to full height of W facade; 1st-floor doorway implies entrance from former structure to W. In early 19th century Lewis (1837, vol. 1, 236) described Lombard's Castle as 'quadrangular building flanked at each angle by a square tower' (present tower would be at NE corner of such plan); however, drawing by Windele of c. 1851 (Grove White ibid., 364) shows building much as today but with gable at S end, in line with present end of S wall, also two tall chimney stacks, one just N of S gable, where fireplace now is, and the second immediately S of tower, atop E wall. The 1842 OS 6-inch map shows tower as part of structure extending further to W (c. 18m E-W); rectangular structure extends to S of tower (L c. 40m N-S including tower; Wth c. 8m), with shallow projections to E and W towards S end (S end of projection is c. 15m S of tower). Drawing and surviving remains indicate building of late 16th/early 17th-century date, probably mansion of wealthy [Lombard] family (Brash 1852a, 96), possibly inhabited by them up to early 1730s (Grove White ibid., 364); used as school in 18th and early 19th century (Smith 1750, vol. 1, 314; Lewis ibid.); reduced and restored by Rev. Buckley in 1886 (Grove White ibid.). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

Lombards Castle, Buttevant was built by the Lombard family in the 13th century and held by them for several generations. It is remembered as a notable medieval defensive structure in the region, reflecting the strategic importance of Buttevant in southern Ireland during the Anglo-Norman period.