House — medieval in Park (killea Par.)

Unlocated dwelling within the townland of Park which is depicted on the 1654-56 Down Survey map of the barony of Ikerrin (NLI MS 721). On this map the dwelling is illustrated as a substantial two storey high single pile house with central chimney stack standing a short distance to the N of the church ruins (TN029-006001-) of Killea. According to local information a house known locally as the 'castle house' which contains the remains of a mural stairs may be the building depicted on the 1654-56 Down Survey map. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [NIAH] described 'Castle House' as a ‘freestanding square-plan castellated folly tower, built c. 1820, with roughly-dressed sandstone walls having ashlar limestone quoins and dressings. Blocked pointed window openings. Detached five-bay two-storey house to west, built c. 1820, comprising three-bay two-storey central block having castellated porch, flanked by slightly-higher single-bay two-storey blocks’ (www.buildingsofireland.ie). According to the NIAH this building was a ‘folly tower formerly related to Ash Park, a former demesne to the east’. This building is depicted as a house belonging to the 'Constabulary' on the 1840 ed. OS 6-inch map where it is shown standing on the S side of an entrance to an avenue or driveway leading from the main road to the W side or rear entrance of Ash Park. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 21 January 2015