Site of Castle — Gash

Situated on high ground overlooking Castletown bridge (LA016-017004-) which crosses the River Nore to the N. In 1290, Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester surrendered to the King his castles of Kilkenny and Offerclane (Castletown) and received a regrant of them the next month. In 1306 'it was stated that the manor attached to the castle of Offerlane, located in the far north of Ossory, had once been worth £26 6s 6d per annum to the earl of Gloucester (O'Cleirigh 1999, 171, Cal. doc. Ire. 1302-07, no. 670). An "Extent" of the possessions of Joan, Countess of Gloucester, widow of Earl Gilbert, dating 1307, states 'that there is a castle [viz., that of Castletown] in Offarclan, which belonged to the Countess aforesaid, in which are contained, as well in lordship as in demesne, 29 carucates and 60 acres of land, which formerly were wont to be worth £26 4s. 4d.; but as this castle lies in a strong march, all the lands aforesaid lie waste on account of the war of the Irish, so that nothing can be recovered there from; but the lord the King spends £40 a year of his own on the custody of the castle' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 171-2). Thomas de Cantewelle was constable of the castle in 1309 and held it for the crown. In 1600 the castle was burnt down by Teige Fitzpatrick (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 171-172). Depicted on the 1563 map of leix and Offaly as a castle in 'Balachassan'. According to Carrigan in The History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory the 'old castle which formerly stood on the site now occupied by the P.P. (Parish Priests) house, but of which nothing remains save a large piece of the courtyard wall, a broken turret or two, a gateway, and a half-filled-up fosse (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 171). The SW section of mural tower built of rubble limestone, roughly coursed and with remains of inter-mural stairwell and NE angle tower. A modern school occupies the site of the castle. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007