What is recorded here

Ballynagarde and Williamstown still argue over the castle's identity, shifting its border line on successive maps while the bawn remains clear in both. Bourke, Brittas, Arthur and Clayton all touched the same stones across a century, each taking a room, a story or the whole structure except one. The castle may have worn many names and owners, but the bawn kept its shape, enclosing whatever the dispute excluded.

Castle (LI022-053001-) and bawn located in the townland of Williamstown on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map, however shown standing in the townland of Ballynagarde on the revised Cassini OSi 6-inch map. Westropp (1906-7, 90) recorded the following details about Williamstown or Ballywillin Castle and bawn; 'Perhaps Ballywillin C[astle], 1583 (Des. R., 37). 1625 Theo, or Tibbott Bourke, Williamstown C[astle]. except the "Geist Hall" (Inq. Chan., Car. I., 11). 1636 John, his son, held a room in it, with the bawn and a stone house in the north part of the C[astle]. (lb., Car. IL, 180). 1655 Lord Brittas, Dr. T. Arthur, and others claimed the C[astle]. and bawen (C.S., xxi., p. 35). 1666 Granted to Col. Clayton and W. Matthews, except the middle story, confirmed to Dr. Arthur's daughters (Act Sett.). Fabric - Fitzgerald describes it as a tower without outworks (I,p. 297). It was repaired and modernised by the Crokers, so O'Donovan failed to find it in 1840 (O.S.L. 8, pp. 151, 366)'. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Theobald Lord Baron of Brittas, an Irish Papist, was the owner of Williamstown which contained 'a Castle and a Bawen' (Simington 1938, 81). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 4 December 2020

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