Castle (in ruins)

Situated on an E-facing slope of rising ground on the W bank of the Black River in undulating countryside. Described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as 'a castle out of repaire' (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 55). James Butler is listed as proprietor in 1640 (ibid.). The poorly preserved remains of a rectangular, possibly late medieval building (ext. dims. 32.8m N-S; 19.2m E-W; wall T 1.4m) orientated on a N-S axis with a possible tower at the NE angle. The walls are constructed with coursed limestone rubble with base-batter visible at the NE angle. The E wall survives to first-floor level; the S wall and the S end of the W wall also survive, elsewhere the walls are destroyed. The only visible features are a destroyed opening in the centre of the E wall at first-floor level giving access to the possible tower at the N end of the E wall. On the external face at this point there is a curious stone facing projecting eastwards which contains a segmental-arched embrasure - this possibly belongs to the NE angle tower. There is no evidence of a bawn (TN036-032002-) attached to this building. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 22 September 2008

James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, held Castle (in ruins), Castletown in the 17th century; it is remembered as part of the Butler estates, significant in the context of Anglo-Irish landownership and military history.