Site of Camp — Ballymore

The earthwork marked 'Camp (Site of)' on the 1910 edition of the OS 6-inch map indicates the location of a Jacobite bastioned fort indicated on a sketch map of Ballymore from 1691 as 'The Fort of Ballymore' (Story 1693, 318). This fortification is located at the base of a motte and bailey (WM024-004----) on it southern side and appears to have incorporated the motte as a defensive feature of the bastioned fort. A small circular structure is indicated on top of the motte while two smaller rectangular structures are indicated in the bailey on the northern side of the motte. A church and graveyard (WM004-005----/005001-) are located 275m to the SW of the artillery fort and the village of Ballymore (WM024-179----) is 430m to the south. A circular castle (WM024-034----) is 660m to the south. This monument is described in 2009 as 'The fort at Ballymore stood near the village of the same name, situated between the main Williamite army and Athlone town. The fort was on a peninsula surrounded on three sides by Lough Sewdy (sometimes also given as Lough Sunderlin) while the west and northwestern side of the fort had a bog as a natural defence. The fort itself consisted in part of a ringfort (WM024-004----) at the peninsula's tip, to which the Jacobites had added a ditch and a palisade. A double ditch, backed by a stone wall and strengthened with a hornwork (an earthwork having a curtain and two half-bastions. Its plan resembles the projecting horns of a bull), a bastion and two retrenchments, stood at the neck of the peninsula. A strong house stood within these defences, while there was also a tower, or castle 400 metres to the east of the lake. The Jacobite garrison in Ballymore consisted of c.1000 men with two cannon, detached from Athlone'(Report on the Battlefield of Ballymore Co. Westmeath 2009, 6). This bastioned fort was captured by Williamite forces in June 1691 when they 'repaired the breaches in Ballymore fort, levelled the batteries and trenches and put the place in a better state of defence than it had been' (Report on the Battlefield of Ballymore Co. Westmeath 2009, 7). The monument today consists of a fort 'located on a ridge of high land which at the time of the Williamite attack was surrounded on three sides by water. At its northern end this ridge is dominated by an Anglo-Norman motte (WM024-004----). The southern end of the ridge displays the remnants of 17th century fortifications, constructed initially in the 1640s and subsequently improved by the Jacobites and the Williamites during the War of the Two Kings. Access to this fortification was gained through a 'drawbridge' at the southern end of the ridge. This was located at the end of a north-south orientated route from the village to the fort running immediately to the east of the church (WM024-005-----). In addition the 'drawbridge' entrance is identifiable as are the most southerly bastions. Of particular interest during the field visit was the identification of features represented on Story's plan of the fort. These included a small spur bastion on the western side of the fort and the probable remains of the most easterly internal bastion on the eastern side. It is unclear if these fortifications represent the fort as it appeared prior to the Williamite attack or of they are wholly or partially indicative of subsequent Williamite improvements'(Report on the Battlefield of Ballymore Co. Westmeath 2009, 9, 11). This bastioned fort was described in June 1691 by George Story, a chaplain in the Williamite army as 'This isthmus had been formerly fortified with a double ditch, and within that a stone wall, and then there stood a pretty strong house, where one widow White lived the year before, when Lieutenant-General Douglas march'd that way to Athlone, who took protection, secured a good flock of sheep and cows in this peninsula whilst he lay encamp'd by the town. At the further end next the broadest part of the lough, stood a strong Danish Fort [WM024-004----] (as this Kingdom is every where full of them) now Fortified with a ditch twenty foot broad and ten foot deep, being also pallisado'd round. Towards the east and north-east, the Lough is so broad, that cannon can do no execution over it; but towards the south-east, ther is a large round hill which overlooks the island, and from whence you may see into all places of it. This place was neglected by us last year, as being so poor in it self, that it could not support a Garrison; but the Irish seeing the natural strength of it, and withal the advantage of disturbing our neighbouring Garrisons from thence, they presently fell to work and fortified it; here they kept a Garrison all Winter, and towards the spring sent that detachment thither which we now found' (Story 1693, 88). According to Story on the 7th of June 1691 'by ten a Clock at night, four Batteries were raised, one below the Hill on the East towards the Lough side, of six Guns, two more of four a piece, towards the church [WM024-005----], and another for four Mortars'(Story 1693, 89). He goes on to states that 'This siege however, was very delightful to our whole Army, who had a view of it from the adjoyning Hill' (Story 1693, 90). The surrender of the bastioned fort on the 8th of June 1691 was recorded by Story who states that 'about twelve a Clock the enemy beat a parley, and hung out a white flag, but the General woould not take notice of it; and our Batteries went on with that success, that two breaches were made, one in the utermost[outermost] Fort next the Town, the other on the Works on the same side within the Island; and the General seem'd resolved to storm the Fort next morning at the coming of the Tin Boats: there were four large Boats however then in the Camp, which were the Fleet prepared last year for Hoard's expedition on the Shannon, and were all winter at Mullingar. These the General ordered to be launched upon the lough, and filled with armed men. By eight of the Clock, the Governor and some of the officers coming out, they surrendered the place at discretion: Upon which Colonel Earl, with eight hundred fire locks, march'd in over the Breach that our Guns had made; and the enemy laying down their arms, were continued Prisoners in the fort all night' (Story 1693, 90-1). After the taking of the Fort on the 10 of June 1691 the Williamite army set about refortifying this fort whichwas recorded by Story who states that 'In the Morning early two hundred men were drawn out to work at the fort, which the General had ordered to be better fortified by a line of Communication from the Out-works to the Danish Fort and other additions towards the water-side; our Men fell to work at first in repairing the Breaches; but were obliged to desist by bad weather; however they levelled all the Batteries and Trenches that we had made against the Fort' (Story 1693, 92). They had finished fortifying the bastioned fort by the 12th when Story records that 'Our Line of Communication was then finished, and we were working upon a Spur, Half-Moon, and Horn-Work, with a good Ditch to cover the Draw-Bridge and Entrance to the Out-Work. There was also a Bastion begun to the Right, towards the Lough, and a large Half-Moon towards the Left, both which command the uttermost[outermost] Work; and the Fort was ordered to be amended by throwing part of it down, and building it a new. A Work was likewise designed along the Lough side to cover those within, that side being open, and none could stir in the Fort but were exposed to Shot from the Hill. A Platform was also designed for eight Guns on the top of the Mount. The same day then guns and three mortars, left at Mullingar, were brought up; and four troopers desert the enemy, who confirm the Report of their being at Athlone with the greatest part of their Army' (Story 1693, 93). See attached sketch plan of village showing Ballymore church (WM024--005----), Ballymore Town (WM024-179----), the 'round castle' (WM024-182----) the 'Fort of Ballymore' (W