Moat Castle

A castle at Moylagh (38) in Moylagh parish and Fore barony is depicted as adjacent to the church on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony and parish maps (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) Richard Barnwall of Crickstown (ME039-006----) owned 182 acres at Moylagh in 1640, including ‘a ruinous castle with a bawn, a church with a steeple (tower) and 20 cabins’ (Simington 1940, 266). It is situated on top of the motte (ME015-033002-), which is at the summit of a NNW-SSE ridge. Only the N wall (H c. 8m) of this building survives, orientated E-W and supported by buttresses. The scar of the roof of a structure attached to the N can be seen in its outer face. Moylagh parish church (ME015-032----) is c. 90m to the N and the settlement (ME015-034----) is just to the E and NE. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revised upload: 8 June 2016

A local castle; wider significance not recorded.