What is recorded here

Magherareagh is a flattened castle motte in County Tipperary, reduced from a twenty-foot tower to a broad grassy disc whose north face has been quarried away. In 1303 it held a new hall, old wooden chapel, kitchens, stables and a mill, all already worn and leaking life into the flat pasture beside the church. What is left is not grandeur but shape: a circle large enough to remember that people built there, lived there, and let it rot back into the field.

Situated on a natural hillock in flat pasture with a church and graveyard (TN034-090001-) immediately to the W. The poorly preserved remains of a circular flat-topped motte (H 4-5m; top diam. 15m E-W; base diam. E-W 30m approx.) the N face of which has been quarried away. Described in 1945 as a well-preserved motte (H 20ft. top; diam. 43yds; base diam. 80 yds) with enclosing fosse at base. No visible remains of enclosing fosse. No visible remains of the castle constructed on top of the motte in 1303 as mentioned in the Red Book of Ormond (Cunningham 1987, 151). The extent of the manor in 1303 describes the manor as consisting of 'a new hall, an old wooden chapel, and other rooms (kitchen, larder, fish-house, stable granary, sheepcote and malt kiln). They have stood there for many years and are in bad repair. There is a cowhouse inside the fosse in poor repair and a grange in good condition. Long ago there was a dovecote worth 12d. a year. They say also that there is a certain mill there together with the fisheries of all the ponds there which they value at £6-13-4 a year less upkeep.' (Empey 1985, 80). Described as the grange of Hyncheaule in 1339 (Cal. inq. post mortem, vol. 8, 184). 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

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