Castle — unclassified in Killarecastle

On a slight natural rise of ground surrounded by low-lying countryside which is poorly drained in places. Nearby monuments include, ringfort (WM024-049001-) and field system (WM024-049002-) immediately to SW, motte and bailey castle (WM024-053----) 240m to ESE, Killare church (WM024-057----) and graveyard (WM024-057002-) 440m to SE, St. Bridget’s holy well (WM024-054002-) and St. Bridget’s Church (WM024-054001-) 150m to S. Post medieval corn mill 300m to ENE and mill pond 240m to SSW. This stone castle is depicted on the 1656-9 Down Survey map of Killare parish (NLI MS 723-4). The terrier of the Down Survey recorded that in 1640 these lands belonged to the Earl of Kildare. On the 1656-9 Down Survey map of Killare parish (NLI MS 723-4) the castle is depicted standing beside a medieval road which appears to be running through the field between the castle and St. Bridget’s Church (WM024-054001-). A section of this road depicted on the Down Survey map follows the current line of the Ballymore-Mullingar road (R390). On the Down Survey map this road turns N towards Gibstown at the present crossroads at Killare. Present remains consist of a grass-covered mound of collapsed rubble which represents the remains of a castle depicted on the 1656-59 Down Survey map of Killare parish (NLI MS 723-4). The castle ruins are standing in the NW quadrant of a complex of low grass covered earthworks which represent the remains of a possible road (WM024-049004-) represented by a linear earthwork running NW-SE which runs past the castle site immediately to the SW, a group of hut sites are located to the W of the castle site along with the wall footings of a long rectangular building aligned NE-SW. The castle appears to be standing inside a possible bawn area (WM024-049005-) defined by a poorly preserved earth and stone bank which appears to form a roughly rectnagular-shaped enclosure around the levelled castle site. Other earthworks in this field to the SW represent the remains of a field system (WM024-049002-) associated with a ringfort (WM024-049001-). A disused quarry is located immediately E of the castle site and some of these earthworks in close proximity to the castle may be related to the quarry. The castle site is marked by a mound (H 3m) of collapsed rubble with traces of wall facing visible in places. To the N of this mound there are the low grass-covered wall footings of a sub-rectangular enclosure which may be the remains of a levelled bawn. The wall footings of three hut sites can be seen inside this sub-rectangular enclosure. To the S of the mound are a complex group of short and long stretches of bank some of which suggest the outlines of houses or small enclosures but in general these remains are so fragmented that interpretation of these earthworks is difficult. It is possible that these earthworks concentrated around the castle site may represent the remains of a clustered settlement and road. Bing Maps aerial photograph taken November 2011 shows clearly the ringfort with associated field system and castle site with associated earthworks to N and NE of ringfort. See attached Bing Maps aerial photograph showing ringfort, field system and castle site with associated earthworks to N and NE of ringfort. See attached plan of castle (WM029-049003-), ringfort (WM024-049001-) , field system (WM024-049001-) surveyed by the National Monuments Service in 1985. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 23 July 2014 This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 4/1986).