Fenit Castle (in ruins) — Fenit Within

Fenit Castle described in 1841 as follows; 'There is a castle in ruins on Fennit Island standing on a limestone rock at the North East extremity of the island, and over the shore of the Barrow (An Bhearabhainn). (The Barrow is an inlet to the sea, or harbour, the entrance of which is about twelve chains wide for about three quarters of a mile after which it extends to two and a half miles long and half a mile in width. It lies on the North East side of the Townland of fennit and West of Ballynahaglish Parish. See Name Book of Fennit Parish). It stands perpendicularly on the very extremity of the rock, which is washed on all sides by the waters of the sea, excepting on the South West, where it is joined to the island by a narrow neck. The building was constructed of lime stone and Lime and sand mortar, and the work was grouted. It was about sixty feet [18.3m] high and the walls seven feet nine inches [2.35m] thick at the ground, and seven feet four inches [2.2m] a little higher up. The windows on it were of chiselled lime stone, were divided into four compartments and had each two points outside. They ere large inside, constructed of mason work, and had segment arches. There are still some remaining on the ruin. The South East angle of this castle is razed to the foundation. Part of South wall joined to West wall and part of East wall joined to North wall remain. The West and North walls retain their original height, and part of a stone arch remains attached to them on the inside. The castle measured twenty nine feet [8.8m] at the ground from North to South on the outside, and thirty three feet four inches [10.1m] from East to West on the same side' (OSL). Castle described by the ASI in 1999 as follows; ‘Rectangular four story tower house standing on highest point of NW corner of D-shaped promontory. N and W walls of tower stand directly cliff-face overlooking sea. Remainder of promontory slopes back towards a narrow neck which joins it to the mainland. Promontory covered by grazed scotch grass. There are two lumps of masonry lying on promontory SE of the tower which stands to full height, except SE section which stands only a few courses high. Tower is built of roughly coursed limestone blocks with prominent base batter to a height of c. 2m. Tower entered through ground floor doorway near S end of E wall, and through first floor doorway near n end of E wall. Only the sill stone and the lower courses of the S side of the ground floor doorway survive. On N side of doorway there is a guard chamber or porters room. Doorway into main ground floor chamber is now missing. The centre of N and W walls have similar window embrasures. Window in N wall is double splayed. Opposite each other at W end of N and S walls are two wall presses. One on S side only partially survives, the one at N covered by two large lintels. First floor entrance door located near N end of E wall. Door surround set into rectangular recess, set back c. 20cm from external wall face. At foot of recess at either corner are two corbels cut into the upper inside face are semi-circular notch to support drawbridge mechanism. Door surround has a two centre pointed arch with a chamfer only on the arch itself. Doorway gives access to a mural passage tuning S. Approx. 1 from N face of passage is N side of doorway into main first floor chamber. In centre of N wall of main chamber is a lintelled doorway which gives access to a mural chamber turning at right angle to the E. Small wall press at N end of W wall. Single slit window in centre of N wall and garderobe opening at E end of chamber. The first floor chamber was covered by a pointed stone vault on an E-W axis, now destroyed. The vault is intact only at the W end. Small tower on SW corner of second floor allows access to W wall-walk. Rough evidence for dripstone on S, W and N walls show level of wall-walk. Crenellations appear deliberately slighted. Promontory on which tower is located, to the SE of the castle is a terraced step. This side of the promontory has been artificially raised in an attempt to level up the area outside the tower. Levelling up layer visible c. 1m thick, visible above bedrock on SE side of site where is section is exposed by sea’ (SMR File). See attached photographs of Fenit Castle © Garry Dickinson (cc-by-sa/2.0). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 April 2022