Castle (ruin) — Knockalegan (kilmaine By.)

In average pasture, at the E edge of a broad expanse of flat, lowlying damp ground, affording good views SW, W and NW. From a point c. 40m to E of the castle, ground rises gradually to form a N−S ridge, which overlooks the castle and restricts views to E. A prominent hillock c. 60m to SE of the castle is effectively a small spur of that ridge. Indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a rectangular building named ‘Castle (ruin)’ with a rectangular walled enclosure (possibly a bawn) (MA111-018001-) immediately to N; it is shown on the 1930 edition as an oblong or rectangular hachured feature, named ‘Castle (Site of)’ and the rectangular enclosure at N is not shown. The remains consist of a low, subrectangular grass-covered mound (c. 18m E−W; c. 12m N−S), with a fairly well defined scarp (H 0.7m; Wth slope 2.8-3m) on the S and W sides. The N and E sides are poorly defined and partly obscured by scattered heaps of large boulders, with an irregular cairn of loose stones at the E end. Stones and boulders also cover the uneven top of the mound. Some of the stone scatter may be displaced rubble from the castle, but much of it seems to be the result of field clearance. There are no obvious pieces of masonry or cut stone and no in situ traces of walling can be seen in the mound. The E edge of the mound is irregular and ragged suggesting that the mound has been truncated at this end; the current E−W dimension appears shorter than shown on the 6-inch maps. It may have originally extended to E by a further 10-13m or so. Nettles grow densely on the top of the mound, and a broad band of nettles extends E−W at the base of the mound on the N side, perhaps indicating the line of a razed wall. Slight traces of the rectangular enclosure or possible bawn (MA111-018001-), shown on the 1838 6-inch map, can be seen to N of the mound. Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of upload: 16 December 2022