Tullamain Moat — Tullamain (tullamain Par.)

Tullamain appears to have been a sub-manor of the Manor of Knockgraffon which was granted by King John to Philip of Worcester towards the end of the 12th century. By the early 14th century Tullamain appears to have been held by the Comyns family, as an account of 1308-9 refers to Comyns at the manor of Tullamelan (Power 1989, 15). Situated on crest of a N-S ridge, planted with mature deciduous trees and enclosed by pasture. Roughly circular, impressive, motte (H 5.17m), the flat-top is irregularly shaped due probably to uprooted trees (top diam. 16m N-S; 12.8m E-W) and slippage. There is a large depression at the top edge of the S quad. (Wth c. 6m; D 1.8m) and another shallow depression roughly centre of mound. The NW-N-NE side is particularly steep and seems to have suffered from more slippage as the enclosing fosse is quite silted up on this side, the enclosing fosse from NE-E-SE is a deep U-shaped fosse (Wth 4.5m; ext. D 2.85m) which is interrupted by a levelling of the fosse and outer bank in the SE quadrant, but the fosse continues from SE-S-W-NW. This fosse is surrounded by a bank (ext. H 3.95m; Wth at top 8m; overall Wth 12.8m), outer fosse (Wth 3m) and outer bank (int. H 1.55m; ext. H xxm; Wth at top 4.6m; overall Wth 6.7m) which is evident from N-E-SE. The inner bank is very defensive, steep sided and particularly broad in the SW quad. Beyond this bank in the SW quad. there is a bailey which broadens out (dims. c. 28m NE-SW; c. 63m NW-SE) towards the W. The bailey is enclosed by a bank (int. H 0.8m; ext. H 3.65m; Wth at top 1.4m; overall Wth 10.6m) which is reduced to scarp in places (H 4.45m) and an outer fosse (Wth 4.3m; D 1.05m). The ground is fairly level for c. 9m beyond this before falling quite sharply (D 1.5m) to a lower ground. The N sector of the bailey terminated with a massive bank (int. H 0.55m; ext. H 4m; Wth at top 6m; overall Wth 8.5m) which continues to cut across the outer fosse of the motte. SSE of the motte, 3.8m from base of the external face of the inner bank of the motte there is a large mound (overall diam. 28m; top diam. 16.6m N-S; 32m E-W; H 2m) with a deep pit on the top which is obscured by heavy overgrowth of scrub and brambles. The mound forms the NE angle of a roughly rectangular area (dims. c. 33m NE-SW; c. 40m NW-SE) which is defined to the SE and SW by a wide bank (int. H 1m; ext. H 4.8m; top Wth 10m). which appears to be a modification of the natural hill. There is a breach in the defences (Wth 3.2m) between the E end of the SE bank and the mound. The bailey area of the motte extents from the NW of this area, which is likely to be part of the entrance defenses. According to local information there are a number of springs in this area. NW of the motte there is a possible second bailey (dims. 52.5m NE-SW; 26m NW-SE), though less defended then the bailey to the SW, it is enclosed by a bank (int. H 0.95m; ext. H 1.2m; Wth at top 1.8m; overall Wth 5.7m) and outer fosse (Wth 3.9m). This second bailey appears to have been truncated by a field boundary which runs roughly E-W and is not visible in the field beyond the field boundary. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011