Mural tower (Historic Town) in Unknown Townland

Fitzsymon's (Fitzsimon's) Tower later called Brown's Castle stood 60m to the N of the New Gate (DU018-020377-) standing between the New Gate to the S and Gormond's (Wormwood/Ormonde) Gate (DU018-020029-) 40m to the N. The tower stood between Bridge Street Upper and St. Augustine Street and prior to the 13th-century may have stood on the corner of Dublin City Walls. In 1261 the Dublin White Book recorded a grant to; 'John Garget, citizen: A tower upon Gurmund's Gate [DU018-020029-], and the tower which is situated in the corner of the old wall of the city, in the lower part of the plantation of William the Clerk, towards the south, with all the adjacent land appertaining to the city and lying between the tower upon Gurmund's Gate, and the abovenamed tower, towards the south, and between the new wall of the city, towards the west, and the land which Walter Tailor held from the city, towards the east' (CARD Vol. 1, 94). The Dublin White Book recorded a grant to; 'Roger Esseburn, citizen: A tower between the tower on Gurhmund's Gate and the tower on the New Gate, with all the city ground, between Gurhmund's Gate and that tower, on both sides of the wall, and between the new wall of the city, towards the west, and the land which Walter Tailor formerly held, towards the east' (CARD Vol. 1, 126). In 1492 the Dublin Assembly Roll recorded a grant to; 'Reynold Talbot, merchaunt, have, occupie and enjoy the toure betwyx the New Gate and Gormonds Gate to hym and to his assignes duryng the terme of lx. yere next ensuyng the forsaid day and yere, payng yereli therfor to the saide citte vi.d. at ii. festes of the yere, Ester and Mighalmas, by even [porcions]; soe that the said Reynold doe make a rofe of tymmyr of oke over the said toure coverette with bordes within the first ii. yere of the said terme [at] the propre costes of the said Rynold. And that eny graunt, yift or acte made of the said toure, by auctorite of assemble or otherwise, to eny person or persones before ys tyme, be utterly voide and of none effect in lawe. And that the saide Reynold, his heirs and assignes, leve the said toure stiff and stanch at the end of the said terme sufficientli covered' (CARD Vol. 1, 377). Fitzsimon's Tower on the Dublin City walls (DU018-020001-) was described in 1585 as follows; 'From the northe towre of the Newe gate [DU018-020377-] to the towre in Mr. Nicholas Fitzsymons pocession is 180 foote [55m] distant, the wall 4 foote [1.2m] thicke and 22 foote [6.7m] hie, with a buttris withowte as befor, and no rampier within but howses close joyning to the wall within. The said towre in Mr. FitzSymons pocession is a sqware towre, fowre storie hie, with three loftes and no vawte [vault], 2 lowps [loops] in the loer storie, three lowps in the second storie, fowre lowps in the third storie, and fowre lowps in the fowrthe storie, the towre 32 foote [9.8m] hie, sixten foote [4.9m] sqware, and three foote [0.9m] thicke. From the towre in Mr. Fitzsymons pocession to Gormondes gate [DU018-020029-] is 140 foote [43m] distant, the wall 20 foote [6m] hie, and 5 foote [1.5m] thicke, and no rampier within, with a buttris withowte as befor' (CARD Vol. 2, 554). Gilbert (1854, vol. 1, 262) recorded that; 'In the early part of the seventeenth century this tower was styled "Browne's Castle," from its proprietor, Richard Browne, who kept his mayoralty in 1614, 1615, and 1620, in this building, in a back room of which the proscribed Roman Catholic Priests used to celebrate Mass privately in the reign of James I. Browne's Castle was subsequently converted into an inn, which acquired the name of the "Black Dog," from the sign of a Talbot or hound there suspended'. Known as Fitzsymon's Tower in 1585 or 'Brown's castle' after Richard Brown who was Lord mayor in 1614, 1615 and 1620 (Clarke 2002, 21). The castle or mural tower was illustrated by Hooper and Newton for Francis Grose in 1791. No surface remains visible. See attached drawing of Brown's Castle taken from Francis Grose's Antiquities of Ireland. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 28 April 2023