Durrow Moat — Durrow Demesne

National Monument No. 313. The motte castle was built in 1186 by Hugh de Lacy, lord of meath who was killed at Durrow after the construction of this earth and timber castle. This event was described in the Annals of the Four Masters, which recorded that ‘after having finished the castle of Durrow, [Hugh de Lacy] set out, accompanied by three Englishmen, to view it. One of the men of Teffia, a youth named Gilla-gan-inathar O'Meyey [gutless lad], approached him, and drawing out an axe, which he had kept concealed, he, with one blow of it, severed his head from his body; and both head and trunk fell into the ditch of the castle. This was in revenge of Columbkille’ (O’Donovan 1856, 71-2). Situated on a slight rise of ground on the landscaped demesne of Durrow Abbey House which was probably built on site of a medieval stone castle (OF009-005002-). Durrow church (OF09-005013-), graveyard (OF009-005009-) and high cross (OF009-005010-) are 180m to the ESE. The 19th century country house marked on the OS 6-inch maps as ‘Durrow Abbey’ is located 60m to the NE. The motte is located within the landscaped grounds of Durrow Abbey House with pathways encircling the base of the motte and a walled garden area immediately to the W as shown on the 1908 ed. OS 25-inch map. Aerial photographs taken in 1973 (GSI N 535/6) indicated that the motte castle may have been constructed inside the ecclesiastical or monastic enclosure (OF009-005003-) of Durrow monastery. A sketch of the demesne drawn by Rev. Sterling De Courcy Williams in 1899 indicates that the motte was built on the line of the monastic enclosure in a similar fashion to the motte castle (OF039-003009-) at the monastery of Seir Kieran (OF039-003001-). The monument consists of a large steep sided flat topped mound or motte (H 8m; diam. at base 43m, top diam. 22m) which is heavily overgrown making examination difficult. There is no evidence of an enclosing fosse or bailey with the remains of 19th-century wall encircling the top of the mound. This wall has an arched entrance at E which leads into the interior of the summit where there is a large depression almost 1m deep. This may be the site of a destroyed gazebo with its enclosing wall (ITA Survey 1942), probably erected by the occupiers of the nearby country house in the 19th-century. The 1908 ed. OS 25-inch map depicts a small stone structure annotated as S.H. or Summer House on the summit of the motte. It would appear from the surviving remains that the Anglo-Norman motte castle was converted into a landscape feature in the 19th century by the residents of Durrow Abbey House. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 April 2014