Site of Court — Bruff

Bruff Castle (LI032-115001-) and Court was described in 1840 as follows; ‘the ruins of the old Castle of Bruff, formerly the residence of Sit Henry Hartstonge, and after him of his widow, Lady Hartstonge, are situated on the north bank of the River (Morning Star) immediately to the west of the bridge and near the Church of Bruff. It measures thirty five feet [10.6m] from north to south outside and eighteen and a half feet [5.6m] from east to west. The doorway, which is quadrangular, is placed on the eastern side and is at present (the threshold is raised with stone work) but four feet ten inches [1.47m] high, two feet two inches [0.66m] in width at the top and at the bottom two feet three and a half inches [0.71m]. Over the ground floor there is a stone arch which springs from the ground. The highest part of the walls now remaining is not more than about twenty four feet [7.3m] in height; the greater portion of them is little higher than the first arch. The only place I could measure the thickness of the walls is at the doorway and where the arch springs; here the thickness if three feet [0.9m]. The features on the upper part of the walls are all destroyed. The first of ground floor of this castle is now inhabited by a poor family in the town of Bruff. To the north east of the Castle there is a quadrangular building called the Court, which measures twenty seven and a half feet [8.4m] in length on the outside but its breadth could not be easily determined. It is now thatched with straw and its features closed up with stone work’ (O’Flanagan 1929, 36-7). The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that the four daughters of Sir Thomas Standish were the owners in Bruff of 'a Castle Bawne orchard, tucking mill, grist mill, a fishing weare out of repayre' (Simington 1938, 128). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 10 December 2020