Castle — motte and bailey in Griffinstown

Situated in low-lying wet pasture, with good views in all directions, except to S where it is overlooked by higher ground. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a roughly triangular-shaped earthwork. Monument described in 1971 as a raised subtriangular-shaped earthen platform (dims. 25.6m NNE-SSW; 21.4m E-W) defined by a high, steep scarp and a wide steep-sided fosse, which is almost completely infilled in places. A small subrectangular-shaped bailey adjoins the fosse at NE. It is defined by a steep bank which is almost reduced to a scarp along the NW, NE and SE sides. There is a wide and shallow outer fosse along the NE side. A long irregular-shaped area defined by a steep scarp extends from the NE side of the small bailey. It appears to be a naturally formed feature and has been shaped by flood waters prior to recent drainage of the area. It is probable that this naturally raised feature was utilised as an outer bailey. A narrow causeway (overall Wth 4.3m; Wth at top 0.9m) approaches the monument and crosses the fosse at SSE, representing a probable entrance. The fosse is best preserved either side of the causeway. There is a depression at the upper end of the causeway, at the edge of the platform. A steep-sided disturbance hole with a mound of up-cast adjacent to W, is located in the ENE quadrant. Monument is visible today as a roughly triangular-shaped tree-lined bivallate earthwork, in forestry on Digital Globe aerial photography. Most of the irregular-shaped outer bailey appears to have been planted. Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 06 November 2019