Black Castle — Urard

On top of natural rock outcrop on low rise of pasture in undulating countryside with marshy land immediately to the N and nearby church (TS043-005001-) 200m to the SW, possible levelled settlement earthworks (TS043-005003-) located to the N and NW. Poorly preserved remains of an early medieval hall-house (ext. dims. E-N 18.4m; N-W 10.6m; E-S 4.2m; N-W 7.05m; wall T 1.3m; int. dims. E-N 15.2m x N-W 7.05m) the E half of which survives to first-floor level only. Only the NW wall survives along its full length with the NW and SE wall returns partially surviving. The building is constructed with roughly coursed limestone rubble with high prominent base-batter visible, no cut stone utilised in the construction of the building. Possible external stone forebuilding located at N corner of castle which may have contained a stone stairs partially visible against the face of the NE wall. Draw bar slot visible in W wall face of forebuilding at ground-floor level. The NW wall and the N half of the NE wall is constructed with a double face on top of a single phase foundation layer. Possibly a construction technique which provides extra defensive capability on the NW face and N end of the NE wall which may have been exposed i.e. on the angle of a destroyed curtain wall. Possible garderobe chute (Wth 1.9m; D 0.2m) visible at S end of NW wall which served a garderobe at first-floor level. Single-light slit ope visible in centre of SE wall which provides light for the ground floor. Possible remains of a window along the NE wall where the E side of the embrasure survives. Stone vault appears to have been inserted in the E corner of the building where it cuts across earlier floor joist holes. The vault springs from the SE wall and only survives in the E angle of the building. Put-log holes visible along all three faces of the castle, evidence for internal timber bracing at E end of NE wall within the wall thickness of the castle. This feature is found at other early medieval castles in Ireland and England where it is used as a way of reinforcing the strength of the castle walls. Two interesting construction techniques found in this building with the use of internal timber bracing and double wall facing built on top of a single phase foundation. Possible stone forebuilding at N angle of building can be found at other hall houses in North Tipperary, for instance at Clohaskin hall house (TN008-010001-). There are three gaps in the NE wall, the central one of which may be the remains of a destroyed window, the high base-batter has been robbed out in places. No evidence of a bawn or curtain wall either attached or enclosing the castle. Pierce Butler of Callan, Co. Kilkenny is listed as proprietor of the lands in Urard in 1640 (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 122). Described in the OS letters in 1840 as a castle called Caislean Dubh or Black Castle, the walls of which survives along its E and W sides and a fragment of the N wall only, measuring 62 ft (18.9m) E-W with a wall thickness of four feet three inches (1.4m). No remains of the castle survive along its S side (O'Flanagan 1930, vol. 1 160). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011