Petits Castle Mote & Mill (Site of) — Mullingar

Anglo-Norman motte & bailey castle (WM019-089005-) built by William le Petit in the late 12th century as the chief manor of his lands which included the barony of Magheradernon (Orpen 1911, ii, 86). A later stone castle known as Mullingar Castle was built on the summit of the motte. The castle was situated on high ground overlooking the fording point (WM019-089006-) over the River Brosna 90m to the SE. Medieval mill site (WM019-089006-) 50m to SE, medieval parish church (WM019-089016-) 130m to NE. The Main Street of Mullingar town (WM019-089----) is 190m to N. The motte and bailey castle was demolished in 1828 when it was replaced by the County Gaol, which today is the site of Westmeath County Council Offices. The OS 25-inch map marks Petit castle in the wrong location (Andrews and Davies 1992, 13). The original location of the motte castle was closer to the junction of Mount St. and Bleach Yard around the entrance area of the present Council Offices. The Urban Survey of Westmeath recorded that in 1582 Mullingar Castle (WM019-089001-) is listed among the forts of Leinster (Cal. S.P. Ire. 1574-85, 343) and, although one cannot be certain, this is probably to be identified with the motte. The site is now occupied by the County Buildings, none of which pre-date 1788 (Bradley et. al. 1985, 116). In 1622 an Inquisition into the estate of the deceased Redmond Petitt of Ballinderry listed a castle in Mullingar which was called 'Pettitt his castle' (Anon 1826, 37 Jac. I.). This appears to be a reference to the stone castle standing on top of the motte known as Petit's Castle and also referred to as the Castle of Mullingar (Andrews and Davies 1992, 10). Described in 1653 as ‘one great castle with a garden thereunto belonging now garrisoned by the governor of the said town’ (Andrews and Davies 1992, 14). In 1667 the confirmation of a land grant to Sir Arthur Forbes under the Acts of Settlement and Explanation described the monument as 'One Castle called ye King's Castle consisting of 2 Castles & one Halle' (NLI p 1895). Richards map of 1691 shows the motte castle as a circular mound with steps built into N face giving access to the summit on top of which are the possible remains of a polygonal shaped structure. The polygonal shaped structure on top of the motte may be the remains of the later stone castle known as 'Petit's Castle'. This earthwork survived until 1828 when it was demolished and replaced by a new gaol which was later replaced by County Council Offices (ibid., 10). See attached image of motte and possible bailey shown on Richards Map of 1691 as two Danish Forts with watermill (WM019-089006-) standing on the River Brosna to S - taken from Irish Historic Towns Atlas of Mullingar (Andrews and Davies 1992, Map 4). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 30 June 2014