Coole Castle — Coole (garrycastle By.)

Situated on flat well drained land with river Brosna to the S. Well-preserved rectangular four storey tower house (ext. dims. 8.7m N-S; 10.4m E-W; wall T 2m) built with roughly coursed limestone rubble with slight base batter evident. Access is through a flat headed doorway in E wall with murder hole above, guard room in the NE angle and spiral stairs in the SE angle. Lobby area has a series of small rooms orientated N-S directly above murder hole which are accessed from the corresponding main chamber at each level except the room at attic level which is accessed from the spiral stairs and from the small room the barrel vaulted attic is accessed. The main ground floor chamber is accessed from the lobby area and is lit by three ogee headed windows set in widely splayed embrasures with wicker centring. Off the spiral stairs at first floor level there is a mural passage running E-W along the S wall leading to a garderobe in the SW angle which has a triple leaf ventilator. Mural passage in the W end of the N wall at first floor level gives access to a garderobe in the NW angle. Access to the murder-hole over the lobby area from the NE angle which has a twin light transomed angle loop and triple ogee headed ventilator. There is a large flat headed fireplace at the W end of the N wall at second floor level with datestone of 1575 directly above mantelpiece. Also at this level there is a mural passage in the S wall at W end leading to a possible garderobe in the SW angle. Barrel vaulted attic over the second floor which is accessed from the barrel vaulted chamber over the lobby area. Above the vaulted attic at wall walk level there is a destroyed third floor with destroyed fireplace with rectangular chimney stack at the NE angle, also visible at this level is the other chimney stack of the second floor fireplace. All of the doorways area of the two centred type with punch dressed jambs and drafted margins with one doorway possessing chamfer stops at the base of its jambs. The windows are mainly of the ogee headed type with decorated spandrels and punch dressing forming decorative patterns similar to the mint in Carlingford, Co. Louth. Flat and round headed windows light the stairs and the mural passages with two of these windows possessing slop stones under their sills. Two musket loops are visible one being circular in shape the other cruciform. Blocked up external opening of garderobe chute at S end of W wall. 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. Date of upload: 23 May 2011 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 49/1937).