Castle — Ballymaloe More

In level parkland; complex of buildings from different periods, now functioning as Ballymaloe House restaurant and guesthouse. Main part of house is wide rectangular block, on E-W axis: S half has 6-bay, 2-storey entrance front facing S, with hipped roof; N half has 7-bay, 3-storey over semi-basement, rear elevation (extra height due to falling ground level), facing N, also with hipped roof. Partially projecting on from W elevation, at junction of two sections, small square tower rising just over roof level of house. Attached to SE corner of house L-shaped 3-storey block. Extending E from house, on line of junction between two sections, is high wall (H c. 5m; L c. 10m); this extends to small square tower, now renovated as accommodation unit. Immediately S of this tower is wide archway; S of archway is group of farm buildings and coach houses, most refurbished. Tower on W side of house stands to three storeys but originally higher. Interior no longer used and entry now via hatch from house. This leads into small chamber (1.25m E-W; 2.6m N-S) covered by pointed vault (axis N-S); wall press in NW corner; original entrance probably in S wall, now blocked. At S end of W wall is recent wooden door giving access to quarried mural passage in W wall to short wooden stairs at N end, ascending to 1st floor level. Opening in which stairs set probably garderobe chute; blocked opening for chute visible at ground floor level on exterior N elevation. First-floor chamber (2.3m N-S; 1.9m E-W) covered by pointed vault (axis E-W); blocked opes in W and S walls of recent appearance. Lintelled door at S end of E wall leads to landing at foot of spiral stairs, which rises in NE corner of tower, lit by slit windows. At 2nd-floor level two lintelled doors lead off from stairs. Door to W into chamber (2.35m N-S; 1.7m E-W) covered by pointed wicker-centred vault (axis N-S); blocked slit window in N wall; blocked ope in W wall of recent appearance; at centre of S wall small brick fireplace. Door to S now accesses roof of house but appears originally to have led to another chamber at this level. Stairs rise to present roof of tower but originally rose higher; imitation crenellations top walls of tower. It appears that this tower may have been attached, at one corner, to larger tower demolished in 19th century when S half of house built; the N half of house apparently built in 18th century against outside of tower/bawn wall, part of tower/bawn wall still survives on W side of house. Low, square tower (c. 4.4m E-W; c. 4.2m N-S) in present yard, probably stood at NE corner of bawn, 2-storey with restored gabled roof; modernised throughout. Entered at ground-floor level by angled door, covered by pointed arch, in W wall. Interior still lit by some original slit windows; gun loops, with small circular openings, variously placed to provide flanking fire from tower. Archway on S side of corner tower has date of '1709' cut on keystone but lower part of gateway may be contemporary with tower. L-shaped block has 4-bay, 3-storey front facing E; restored and re-roofed. Triangular top of N-facing gable framed by brick surround; documentary evidence for production of bricks on estate in 1660s may be associated with this structure (pers. comm. Myrtle Allen). Concave stone cornice along top of side walls stops just short of corners in manner of cornice on Ballinterry House (CO044-03801-), another house thought to have been built in latter part of 17th century. Original tower probably erected in mid-15th century by Fitzgeralds of Imokilly; according to Fleming (1903b, 215) stone plaque, now set into N wall of house, commemorates enlargement of castle by John FitzEdmund FitzGerald; plaque inscribed with date 1602, also his initials and coat-of-arms. Fleming (ibid.) also mentions another stone 'in the yard gate' with a date 1603, but this is no longer evident. Occupied by Lord Broghill after 1641/2 rebellion (Healy 1988, 102); acquired by Hugh Lumley before 1734 (Bence-Jones 1978, 24), who 'added some buildings to the original structure' (Coleman 1908a, 188), probably to N side of earlier tower; about 1820 present entrance front built on site of demolished tower. House passed to present owners in 1948. House contains early 18th-century fireplace from Sunville (CO089-032----). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009