Mill Mount

Medieval mill that is depicted on the Down Survey (1655-6) parish map of Monasteroris and Ballynakill (Fitzpatrick and O'Brien 1998, 108) may have been located in the vicinity of Mill Mount House. A disused mill-race runs past Mill Mount House and acts as a defensive moat in front of the gatehouse into Monasteroris castle (OF011-011----). The 1550 survey of Offaly recorded that there were two castles at Monasteroris, 'one newlie builded and thother all runyose', in addition to the ruined walls of the friary 'burnyd and rasid' and a mill and orchard (Curtis 1929, 326, Fitzpatrick and O'Brien 1998, 108-9). In 1574 a second land grant to Nicholas Harberte included the old town of Monasteroris with its dissolved friary, two castles and 20 cottages which was then renamed Harbartiston ( Fiants, vol. 2, no. 485; Fitzpatrick and O'Brien 1988, 109). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011