Castle — Ballinlough (clonlisk By., Cullenwaine Ed)

Situated on a natural rise of ground in undulating countryside. Rectangular tower (dims. 7.65m N-S; 8.5m E-W; wall T 2.1m) three storeys high with attic and wall-walk above, built with roughly coursed limestone rubble with base batter evident. The tower was built on a natural rise of ground that is enclosed by a roughly circular bawn wall (OF046-020002-) with musket opes which are best preserved to S with wall footings elsewhere. There is a deep wide moat outside the bawn wall that is visible at S only. The bawn wall (wall T 1.1m; diam. 33m E-W) is built with roughly coursed limestone rubble. The tower itself is accessed by a two centred pointed door with finely punch dressed jambs which are rebated with a yett hole visible. A murder-hole directly inside the doorway protects the passage to the ground floor chamber which is lit by three single flat headed windows set in wide deep embrasures. A mural passage in the E wall leads to a mural stairs in the NE corner which runs westwards to give access to all the main chambers. All the floors are wooden, carried on corbels. There is a garderobe chamber in the SW angle at first floor level. The second floor has a fireplace in the E wall with a tall rectangular chimney stack at wall-walk level. Access to the diagonally opposite bartizans which are carried externally on corbels at the NE and SW angles is from the third floor. The attic is lit by a small flat headed window either side of the E chimney stack. The E gable at wall-walk level is still intact and is accessed from the stairs in the NW angle. The wall-walk is crenellated with the E gable flush with the E wall. The stone dressing along with the architectural features suggests a late 16th/17th-century date for the Tower house. Depicted on the Down Survey map of 1655 as a castle. 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