Indicated — Drummond Etra

The fortified house that was known as Essex castle (MO031-034----) was built by the second earl of Essex in 1628-33, and became the core of Carrickmacross town. A drawing of the castle from 1734 and published by Shirley (1845, 112) shows the castle overlooking the river with a two-arched bridge, a mill and a well nearby. The core of this bridge could survive within the wide bridge complex (Wth c. 20m) now leading across the NW-SE stream to Castle Street and the Main Street of Carrickmacross. Castle Street is partly excavated into the side of the valley, and the limestone walls retaining the slope have numerous graffiti commemorating historical events.Archaeological monitoring (08E0260) for a sewage scheme in Carrickmacross identified very few archaeological features and these were largely post-medieval walls. Two such walls and three culverts were encountered S of the bridge at the junction of Mullinary Road and Magheross Road (Delaney 2011, 2012). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Monaghan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of revision: 31 July 2017 Amended: 16 January 2020