Castle — motte in Barnagrotty

Situated on high ground in upland area with good views of the surrounding countryside. Large flat-topped circular mound which may be the remains of a motte that was created by scarping the SW end of a low ridge. The mound (top diam. 28m; base diam. 35m; H varies from 5.5m at SW to 0.5m at NE) has been planted with coniferous trees and the summit of the possible motte is defined by a scarp with no evidence of an enclosing fosse. A modern roadway intersects the site at NE. The true nature of this site is not clear, and although it presents the appearance of a motte, it lacks the characteristics defenses associated with that monument type. With the coniferous trees on top, the possible motte may have been reused as landscape feature of Barnagrotty House which lies a short distance to NW. The site was recorded as a ringfort in 1978 and described as a'roughly circular enclosure delimited by an earthen scarp with slight traces of a bank on its southern perimeter. The embankment is defaced on the E but the original entrance may have been in this sector. There is no sign of a surrounding fosse and a large depression on the SW is probably the result of quarrying. The interior is uneven and slopes slightly from SE to NW. It is covered with dense undergrowth and is heavily planted' (SMR File 1978). A castle is marked at Barnagrotty on the 1654-56 Down Survey map of the region. Monument placed on the Register of Historic Monuments on the 11 September 1982. 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/revision: 04 January 2012