Aghaviller Castle (in ruins) — Aghaviller

On a rise with land sloping to the N. A round tower (KK031-030001-) lies c. 25m to the SW. A 12th/13th-century church (KK031-030003-) was much modified and heightened in the late 15th/16t century. According to one source in the 16th century Aghaviller formed part of the manor of Knocktopher and in June 1563 was granted by Thomas, Earl of Ormond to Oliver Grace (Anon. 1910, 260). The surviving portion of the church, possibly the chancel (ext. dims. 14.2m E-W; 8.1m N-S; int. dims. 10.45m E-W; 4.6m N-S) is built of roughly coursed rubble masonry. Much of the originally masonry appears to have been retained up to first-floor level. In the late 15th/16th century a pointed vault was inserted with a floor beneath the vault and accommodation added above creating in effect a residential tower (KK031-030004-). In the 1930s ivy was removed from the building, ‘considerable’ repairs to the stone work were carried out, the vault was covered with concrete and tie-bars were inserted at the springing of the vault (OPW topographical files, 1935-6). Further repair works were carried out in 1952 (National Monuments Historic Register). Though none of the original windows of the church survive, the embrasure in the E gable appears original, being partially blocked up in the late 15th/16th century and a round-headed single-light window was inserted, with a smaller flat-headed window above, both with external chamfers. Towards the W end of the S wall a narrow round-headed single-light was inserted into an earlier embrasure. At the E end of the S wall there is a high pointed embrasure, likely to have been a window embrasure but turned into a recess with a small window in the back of the recess which continues through a later buttress. There is a pointed recess in the N wall. The vault, which springs from the N and S walls, is set back to create an offset along the top of the side walls, which facilitated the formwork for the vault. Corbels were inserted c. 1m below the offset to create a first floor. There is a second, higher row of inserted corbels, c. 0.5m below the offset, at the W end of the building, suggesting that there was a loft at this end, possibly before the floor was inserted at the lower level. The lower corbels are contemporary with the blocking of the W window embrasure in the S wall. Externally two large rectangular buttresses were built up against the S wall to offset the additional pressure of the stone vault. A later doorway, possibly 18th century, was inserted in the S wall. The W gable (T 1.55m) has a central pointed doorway (H 2.5m; Wth 1.5m) within a pointed segmental embrasure which may indicate the position of an original chancel arch. The doorway is flanked on either side by a flat-headed rectangular opening (0.65m x 0.7m; 0.65m x 0.5m) with glazing-bar holes. There is evidence of a building running westward from the W wall, the coping stones of the steeply pitched roof are in situ projecting from the external face of the residential tower and the return of the N and S side walls are evident, though the surviving side walls appear to be rebuilt. The roof is contemporary with the residential tower which suggests that this building dates from the late 15th/16th century. It is difficult to assess how much of the W wall is original. There are two small flat-headed loops at first-floor level opening towards the E, one within the recess and one S of it. A pointed doorway (H 1.84m; Wth 1.04m) was inserted at the W end of the N wall to give access to the residential tower. The doorway is rebated externally for a yet, with yet-holes at apex and E jamb. A mural stair rising in the N wall to give access to the upper floors. Broken masonry in the inner N wall indicates where there was access to the first-floor from the stair. The stair also gives access to a vaulted mural chamber built into the haunch of the vault. This chamber is lit by a small single-light window in the W gable. Much of the vault has collapsed. E of the doorway to the mural chamber, the mural stair turns southward into the second-floor chamber. This is a large commodious chamber (int. dims. 5.95m N-S; 10.53m E-W) lit by five windows including a depressed two-light ogee-headed window at the W end of the N wall with a carved headed in two of the spandrels. There is a similar window at the W end of the S wall, a single-light ogee-headed window at the E end of the S wall, an elliptical-headed window in the E gable and a broken out window at the N end of the W gable, only one northern side jamb of which survives. There is a fireplace roughly centrally placed in the N wall, the flat lintel with central keystone and skewbacks, rests on chamfered corbels. The stepped chimney is in good condition. There is a wall cupboard in the centre of the S wall and broken out masonry at the W end of this wall and at the S end of the W gable were also possibly wall cupboards. At the E end of the N wall there is an embrasure, the outer part of which is broken out, though the outer flat lintel of the embrasure projects externally. Immediately beneath this opening there are two corbels which may have supported a garderobe. Presumably a slab rested on the outer surface of the corbels and supported the side walls and external face of the garderobe. It seems unlikely to have supported a machicolation as the entrance to the tower is at the W end of the N wall. Another stone projects out below and between the two corbels which would have blocked a chute, however, this thin slab appears to be a later addition. There is a wall cupboard in the E side wall of the embrasure. At attic level there are the remains of a gable on both the E and W walls. Both have a simple centrally placed single-light window, though the apex of W gable, including the upper portion of the window and its embrasure does not survive. (National Monument No. 334) Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 5 March 2018