Powerstown Castle (in ruins) — Powerstown

On ground sloping gently to the NE, in a farmyard with an unoccupied farmhouse to W and range of farm buildings on NE and SE side. The Calendar of Ormond Deeds states that by a bond dated 23rd April 1575 William Power of Powerstown transferred the freehold of Powerstown, Derrinlaur, Tickencor, Powersland and Cnockluchta, to the Earl of Ormond for £300 (COD V, 265). In the Civil Survey (1654-6) Alexander Power, late of Tickincor, Co. Waterford is listed as the proprietor and 'uppon the said lands stands a ruinous castle' (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 286). This rectangular tower house (ext. dims. 6.7m NE-SW; 10.1m NW-SE), approx. three storeys high, is composed of limestone rubble, roughly coursed, with a slight base-batter on the SE wall and a high, gradual base-batter on the NW wall (Wth c.0.35m; H 2.3m). The ground, first floor and lower part of the second floor survive, though in a very poor condition. The tower house has a thick pebble-dash external render with a smoother render underneath, and cut limestone quoins in the N and S angles. The E angle and the E end of the NE face is obscured by ivy. A doorway has been inserted in the N and E ends of the NE wall at ground level. There is a bad crack down the centre of the SE wall which forks to the E, the wall being in a precarious state. The SW wall (H 3.18m) only survives to the base of first-floor level. The S end of this wall is bulging out badly and masonry has collapsed. The tower house is divided into two ground floor chambers, both accessed from the exterior. The NW chamber (int. dims. 5.13m NE-SW; 3m NW-SE) is entered through a broken-out doorway with a large stone lintel at ground-floor level. The chamber is roofed by a stone vault, the central section of which has good evidence of wicker-centring in lime plaster which only partially survives. There is a clear break in the vault between the NE and SW end where the original vault collapsed and a new section was built. There is a blocked ope in the SE wall, above which a crack has formed. This chamber is lit by an ogee-headed and a flat-headed single-light window in the NW and SW wall respectively. There is also a broken out ope in a pointed recess and a wall-cupboard in the SW wall. Masonry at the S end of the SE wall has collapsed and fallen inwards. There are two straight joints in the N end of the NW wall which appear to be a blocked feature (Wth 0.8m). The SE chamber (int. dims. 4.6m NE-SW; 2.66m NW-SW) is entered through a doorway which was broken through the thickness of the wall. In the SE wall there is a blocked-up embrasure and a bad crack in the centre of the wall with masonry bulging internally. The centre of the NW wall is broken out and blocked up. On the NE wall there is a blocked-up recess immediately N of the doorway which continues down to floor level. There is a stair well at the E angle, three broken steps projecting from the E end of the NE wall are all that remains of the stairs. At second-floor level, in the SE wall, there is a blocked embrasure which splays internally. The wall above this has largely collapsed. A possible bawn wall (TS077-087002-), now pebble-dashed, runs NE for a distance of 1.8m from the N end of the NE wall and joins up with the two-storey farmhouse. Another wall runs SE from the E end of the SE wall, but it is not bonded into the tower house. Another wall, also not bonded, is built up against the S end of the SE face. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011