Woodstock Castle (in Ruins) — Townparks (athy West Urban Ed)

On W edge of flat low-lying poorly drained land which forms part of the flood-plain of the River Barrow which flows 80m to the NE. The religious house (KD035-022006-) of the Crutched Friars founded by Richard de St. Michael in the thirteenth century is 520m to the SSE, also located on the W bank of the River Barrow. A 13th century hall house built by Richard de St. Michael stands on dry ground overlooking the River Barrow to SE and possibly a fording point over the river. The main entrance to the castle faces the River Barrow and it possible that there may have a quay or harbour located on the W bank of the Barrow opposite the castle entrance. A series of linear earthworks forming rectangular features in the poorly drained field to SE may represent the remains of medieval fish-ponds (KD035-021002-). The land to the NW is higher dry ground and does not appear to have formed part of the floodplain. There are archaeological earthworks in the field to the N and S of the castle. Some of the earthworks in the field to the N of the castle may form part of the bawn wall (KD035-021001-) and two storey house (KD035-022003-) depicted on a drawing of the castle dating from 1795 (Costello 1992-3, 87; TCD MS 942/2:51, 56, 58,68). The 1656 Down Survey map of Kildare depicts a settlement (KD035-021003-) in the form a cluster of buildings standing on the W bank of the River Barrow between Woodstock Castle and the religious house (KD035-022006-) of the Crutched Friars (downsurvey.tcd.ie/down-survey-maps.php#c=Kildare). The stone hall-house was probably built in the thirteenth century by Richard de St. Michael, Lord of Rheban (KD030-008----) (Carroll 1892, 103). Richard was son of Robert de St. Michael who witnessed Strongbow’s grant of Aghaboe, Co. Laois (Orpen 2005, 150) in the late 12th century. In 1215 his son Richard paid £100 as a fine to the King to ‘have the land which belonged to his father’ (Cal doc. Ire., 103), these lands included the castle of Rheban (KD030-008----) and the lands of Woodstock. According to Brewer (1826, 40-1) the castle was ‘first erected by Richard de St. Michael, Lord of Rheban, noticed above as the founder of the Crouched Friary (KD035-022006-) (reign of John 1199-1216). In 1315 Robert Bruce took the castles of Rheban (KD030-008----) and Woodstock and later in 1325 Lysagh O’More took possession of the manors of Rheban and Woodstock (Anon. 1793, 161-2). These castles, together with the manors of Woodstock and Rheban (KD030-008----) passed as dowry lands, to Thomas FitzGerald, seventh Earl of Kidlare, in the early 15th century. Some time around 1424, Thomas FitzGerald, seventh Earl of Kildare, then Lord Offaly, married Dorothy, daughter of Anthony O’More [Moore] of Leix, and so gained possession of the manors of Woodstock and Rheban, including the town of Athy, and established within them a court-baron and court-leet’ (Anon. 1809, 99). In 1534 the castle appears to be in the hands of the O’More’s of Leix when in this year it was recorded that ‘O’More to suffer Woodstock and the manor of Athy to be repaired’ (Cal. S.P. Ire., 11). Two years later in 1536 Lord Leonard Grey, Lord Deputy of Ireland wrote to the king stating that he had ‘provided victuals, lime, masons, and carriage, intending to re-edify the castle and bridge of Athy, and the manor of Woodstock’ (Cal. S.P. Ire., 19) In 1835 the castle and bawn was described as following; ‘standing on the western bank of the river barrow, it was designed to command the principal ford on this part of the river, in conjunction with White’s castle (KD035-022010-), situate on the opposite bank, a little lower down-the ford lying between. Tradition assigns it to about the year 1290, and that a descendant oft he earl of Pembroke was its first master; whilst our antiquaries, with more reason, seem inclined to attribute the erection of the present structure to Thomas Fitzgerald, lord of Offaley, and afterwards seventh earl of kildare, who on marrying Dorothea, daughter of Anthony O’More, of Leix, received in dower the manors of Woodstock and Rheban (KD030-008----), in which family it still remains. The plan of the building was originally a regular square; in after times an addition was made to it of a square tower, joining the south side, and built in uniformity with the front facing the river. The walls are of great thickness, and, considering the attacks they have been exposed to, in good preservation. The mullioned windows are much admired, and were elegantly executed. In viewing the interior from what can be collected from the remains, we are struck with the curios arrangements of architecture. A fine arched gateway, and part of the outer court-wall (KD035-021001-) yet remain. Some short time since a stone, of which the following cut is a representation, was discovered in the ruins, and carefully preserved by Holmes Bigham, Esq. the present occupier of the adjoining land; it is the only piece of sculpture of interest that has, even in a mutilated state, survived, from the barbarous taste of disfiguring pleasure-grounds and grottoes with relics, that can be only useful where they are rendered interesting by time. The ford which the castle commanded, and from which Athy derives its name, was called Athelehac, or anciently Athlegar, the ford towards the west; also Ath-trodan, or the cattle for. In 1642, the Marquis of Ormond took Woodstock from the rebels; and subsequently, in 1647, Owen Roe O’Neal surprised it, and put the garrison to the sword; his victory, however, was but of short duration; for Lord Inchiquin compelled him, in a little time after, to surrender it and Athy. The lordship of Woodstock and Castlemitchell was set by the Earl of Kildare to Daniel Hutchison, alderman, for ninety-nine years, from May 1st 1657, at 100l. the first forty-one years, yearly, and 200.l a year during the rest of the lease, with six fat wethers or three pounds’ (Enna 1835, 295-6). The castle had a finely carved fireplace which was still in situ in 1808 when it was described as ‘a noble ruin situated on the banks of the river Barrow, about a mile from Athy, is still remarkable for a curious Chimney-piece in good preservation, adorned with curious figures in bass relief’ (Anon. 1808, 329). The precise location of this fireplace inside the castle has not been identified and it would appear that today there are no remains of the decorated cut-stone fireplace surround. A carved stone of 16th century date depicting a man playing the bag-pipes was taken from the fireplace of Woodstock Castle and is now located at Kilkea Castle (KD037-017002-) (Fitzgerald 1915, 133). For the purposes of clarity in the flowing description, the NE wall of the castle will be described as E facing, NW face as N and so on. Present remains consist of the ruins of an Anglo-Norman thirteenth century hall-house which was first built as a two storey high building with first floor entrance that was later modified over the centuries with the insertion of new floor levels and the rebuilding of an angle tower on the SE angle in the 16th century. New windows, fireplaces and gun-ports were inserted into the castle along with earthen artillery fortifications in the field adjoining the structure. The Urban Survey of Kildare recorded that this building was a ‘thirteenth century structure with sixteenth and seventeenth century additions. An important castle which was the centre of the St. Michael manor of Woodstock’ (Bradley et. al. 1986, 71). A drawing of the castle dating from 1795 shows the W face of the castle as it was drawn from SW looking NE. Several buildings along with the bawn wall are no longer visible today. However some of the earthworks in the field to the N of the castle represent the remains of these structures. On this drawing a single storey ruinous building with exposed rafters is illustrated running E off the SE angle of the castle. The crease line of the roof from this building is still v