Bog Castle (in Ruins) — Killeen (killenaule Par.)

On wet poorly drained grassland atop low rock outcrop with good views in all directions, bogland immediately to W and dry land to N, S and E, stream between castle and bog. Nothing is known about the castle and it is not mentioned in the Civil Survey (1654-6), locally the castle is known as Spencer's Castle (Hassett 1990, 28). On the aerial photograph (CUCAP APD 42, APG 55) taken in 1966 the castle is shown situated in the centre of an oval-shaped enclosure (TS054-004003-) with linear earthworks (TS054-004002-) and a possible sunken road leading up to the enclosure on the E side of the castle. Castle consists of poorly preserved building of which a section of the W wall (L 8.6m; wall T 1.2m) and part of the N wall return (L 13.5m ) off the W wall , the W wall survives to a height of approx. 2.5m. The N wall stands to a height of approx 2m for a distance of 6.5m and then kicks back in for a distance of 2m and survives as wall-footings (wall T 0.6m) for a distance of 7m. Unable to obtain dimensions or shape of original building as only two walls survives of the building. Good evidence of internal and external render of building, possible 17th-century plantation style building. This building was constructed with roughly coursed limestone rubble with evidence of a slight base-batter visible on the N wall, no evidence of any cut stones used in the construction of the building. Remains of a destroyed window in the W wall is the only architectural feature to survive. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011