What is recorded here

New Castle rose fifty feet above the Shannon and Griodane waters, holding fifteen acres of orchard for the Roche family before passing through Holcroft and the Duke of York. Its thick walls and high gables survived until the west side and south turret collapsed around 1800, leaving a broken box that still defies the rain. An improbable tradition claims King William lived inside during the siege of Limerick, but the stones offer no proof, only a vacant chamber where human ambition once resisted the river.

Newcastle Clanwilliam described by Westropp (1906-7, 87) as following; '1583 Castelenoo C[astle], held by W. Bourke, also called "Castellano Trylan" and "Nestermoy" (Des. R., 37; Peyton, 257). 1607 Dom. Roche owned Newcastle-Clanwilliam, meared with the water called Griodane on the west, and the Shannon on the north (Inq. Chan., 2a). 1619 H. Holcroft was granted the C[astle]. and bawn of Newcastle (Pat. R.). 1623 1655 Jordan Roche held it, with fifteen acres of orchard (Inq. Chan. II., C.S. xxix., p. 9), granted to Duke of York, and sold, 1703, to Hollow Blades Company. Fabric - A late peel tower; the west wall and a side turret had fallen before 1840; the latter, it is said, in 1800. It is about 50 feet high [15m], and measures 27½ feet [8.4m] by 21 feet 8 inches [6.6m], with large windows and high gables and chimneys. An improbable tradition makes it the residence of King William during the siege of Limerick (O.S.L., 9, 24)'. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that in 1640 Jordane Roche late of Limerick of held in New Castle a 'castle and fifteen Acres of an Orchard mearing on the North'(Simington 1938, 465). Castle described in 1840 as following; 'in the townland of Newcastle stands on a rock a Castle of the same name. It is all perfect except the west wall which is entirely destroyed. It is fifty seven feet four inches [17.5m] by twenty one feet eight inches [6.6m] and the people assert that it had a square tower at the south west corner which fell, with the west side about forty years since [c. 1800]. The remaining walls are fifty feet [15.25m] high and five feet six inches [1.7m] in thickness, and have windows and apertures for five stories [OSL Parish of Kilmurry'. A Temporary Preservation Order was placed on the monument in 1984 (TPO 1 of 1984) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 09 January 2020

Newcastle was held by William Bourke in 1583 and later by Dom Roche in 1607, reflecting the shifting ownership of land in the region during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It is remembered as part of the historical landscape of Clanwilliam, illustrating early colonial settlement patterns in Ireland.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.