Castle — motte and bailey in Corrogemore

Within area of active gravel quarry, surrounding land in undulating pasture. No visible trace as entire area of monument quarried. Depicted on first edition OS 6-inch map (1840-41) as two conjoined oval enclosures. Indicated as an oval area (dims. c. 18m N-S; c. 28m E-W) defined by a scarp on latest edition OS 6-inch map. Possible external fosse/outer scarp depicted NE-E-SSW. Larger sub-rectangular area (c. 55m N-S; c. 30m E-W) indicated and adjoins oval enclosure to W. According to the OS Letters (1840s) 'on top of Corroge Hill, at this place, is a moat which commands a very extensive view of all the country lying around it. It measures eighty four feet [25.6m] in diameter from east to west at top and about the same from north to south, which shews it to be circular in the strict sense of the word. It measures three hundred and eighteen feet [96.9m] in circumference at top and its height on east side from the base to the top slantwise is twenty two feet [6.7m] and on southwest side thirty feet [9.1m], which are its highest parts. A trench ran round its base, eight feet [2.4m] wide to the base of the foss[e.] The circumference at the base of the moat is four hundred and sixty five feet [141.7m]. The height of the foss[e] at trench-side from base to top is fourteen feet [4.2m] in the sourthwest part, where it is nearly level with the surface of the ground lying around it. Of the whole foss[e] there remain but two portions, beginning on sourth west side and running by west to northeast where it is destroyed for some distance. It continues again on northeast and east sides, where it will become very likely entirely effaced in a short time. It is totally destroyed on southeast, south and as far as southwest side[.] The height of the part on northwest side from base at trench to top is twelve feet [3.6m]. The top is almost on a level with the field outside it' (O'Flanagan 1930, vol.2, 121). Flynn (1913, 11) describes the monument as 'a large oval mound with fosse and rampart at both ends, but it is merely scarped away at the sides where the hill falls away. It is joined by a gangway to a large garth similarly defended by fosses and ramparts at both ends, but scarped away at the sides. There are traces of a large secondary garth adjoining the first down the hill-side to the east', a plan and section is also included (ibid., 12, No.1). Monument clearly visible on aerial photograph taken in 1966 (CUCAP 13 July 1966, APA 14) but had been badly damaged by quarrying by 1974 (GSI 16.4.1974, R. 516/515). Enclosure (TS067-011001-) c. 110m to NW, enclosure (TS067-011002-) c. 100m to N, church (TS067-011004-) and graveyard (TS067-011006-) c. 100m and c. 140m to NE respectively. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011