Castletown Moat — Castletown (moycashel By.)

Monument surveyed by ASI in 1976 and described as following; 'The motte is a large steep-sided, flat-topped mound (top diam. 14.6m N-S; 15.4m E-W) of earth and stones, with a kidney-shaped bailey on its N side. There is a steep-sided fosse at the foot of the motte which also extends around the foot of the bailey. There is a substantial bank of earth and stones outside the fosse from NW-W-S-SE. The bank has been defaced by later digging on the E and NE, as has the fosse in places. A later field wall runs along the outer edge of the fosse from NNE-N-NNW and an old disused field bank (earth and stone) runs along the line of the bank from NNW-NW before turning to run W away from the site for a short distance where it turns to run S and again turns to run E. The top of the motte is flat and featureless but shows signs of recent disturbance, and of small circular shallow holes in the surface. The bailey is also steep-sided with traces of large amounts of stone visible at its N, SW and SE corner. The upper surface is rather uneven and there is a low mound of earth and stone (significance unknown) at the SE corner. A low scarp of unknown significance runs in an arc across the bailey from the NE to the SW. A low platform not very clearly defined of rectangular outline at the N may be a house site (int. dims. 6.3m x 3.7m; wall T 1.2m; wall H 0.2m). The fosse separating the bailey from the motte is on a slightly higher level than the fosse around the site and its ends have been blocked by low slight banks of stone and earth, seems to be the remains of walls. There are a number of large stones in the fosse. Field stones have been dumped in the fosse on the W side of the motte. A number of thorn trees and bushes grow here and there on the sides of the bailey and the motte and on the outer bank. The site is on a small natural ridge or hill in pasture land. There are extensive views in all directions. The site lies on the S side of a Castletown-Geoghegan village. Castle site to the NW. church directly to the N’ (SMR File 16/08/1976). A second report dating from 1982 recorded the existence of a ‘rectangular house site (approx. dims. 5.4m N-S; 8.6m E-W; wall T 1.2m) in NW corner of bailey. This may possibly be part of a larger structure occupying a substantial portion of the ground surface of the bailey as I noted another wall footing of similar thickness running out from S edge of bailey towards (joining?) the SW corner of the rectangular structure. These wall footings should be viewed from top of motte under good lighting conditions’ (SMR File 29/03/1982). Castletown Kindalen motte & bailey was probably built by Hugh De Lacy some time before his death in 1186 at nearby Durrow monastery. Later the earth & timber castle became the manor castle of 'Le Wastyn' also known as Vastina which was a sub-manor of the larger manor of Dysart held by Ralph Pipard (Cal. justic. rolls, Ire. Edw. I, 353). Thomas FitzAvery held the lands of 'Kindalen' as a tenant of Ralph Pipard of Dysart who granted his lands to the King in 1301 (Orpen 1920, 168). Around 1287 Ralph Pipard sold the manorial lands of Dysart to John de Kent who became Lord of Dysart. In 1303 the extent of the manor of Dysart listed Thomas Fitz Allure [FitzAvery] as the 'late lord of Kynalcan [Kindalen] (ibid.). The following year in 1304 the King granted to Richard de Burgh the custody of the land and heir of Ralph Pypard (Cal. doc. Ire., 113). In 1307 the lands of 'Kenalean' [Kindalen] were sold to John de Fresingfeld who purchased them from Thomas le Fiz Auuerey [FitzAvery]. The lands at Castletown Kindalen formed part of the estate belonging to William de Burgo [Burgh], Earl of Ulster. An inquisition into his estate after his death in 1333 described the manor of 'Le Wastyn' as consisting of 'Divers lands and tenements in a place called ‘le Wastyn,’ held of the king in chief by knight’s service, viz.—at Adameston. Rogeryston, Mylton, and Colmoryston [or Colomoriston], 370a. land which used to be under the lord’s carucate, and now lie waste because in the marches amongst the Irish; four carucates and 40a. land, each carucate containing 120a., in Bylrath, Mylton, Brustnagh, Clonbaltyn, Brenanyston, Kyllellin, Lathard, Cloghmol, Kyleley, Drummore, Cromore, Moyel, Rothan, Hay, Balytarsyn, Moytanwagh, and Tullaghmel, now worth nothing because wholly destroyed by Macoghan and other Irish there; 22s. yearly rent from lands, &c., at Clonmok [or Clommok]; 6s. 8d. yearly rent from lands there held freely in fee; a yearly rent of a pair of spurs or 6d. from lands, &c., in Tomlynyston [or Tommelyneston]; 2s. yearly rent from lands, &c., in Clonmoryston; 20s. yearly rent from a carucate of land at Samalysrath; 5s. 1d. yearly rents from lands in Mylton; 1d. yearly rent from land in Remoundeston; and divers lands and tenements held by free tenants (named) in divers places annexed to the said place called ‘le Wastyn,’ who render nothing yearly except suit at the court of the said place every fifteen days, and 3s. 4d, for royal service, when proclaimed, for each carucate of land, each one according to the portion of land which he holds, viz.—lands at Droghald, in Clonbrenan, Benetyston and Mylton, in Rogeryston, Lesdry, Colmoryston, Colsyn, Kyllyngbeg, Adameston, Balichillin, Thomelineston, Remoundeston [or Reymondeston], and Remoundiston Freyns' (Sharp & Stamp 1909, 371). In 1334 after his death the lands of Le Wastyn passed to his Widow Matilda (Maud of Lancaster) 'to hold as the said Matilda's dower, and therefore the king orders the escheator to cause all the said castles, manors, lands, rents, cantreds and third parts to be assigned and delivered to Matilda to hold in dower as aforesaid' (Maxwell Lyte 1898, 250) See attached plan of monument surveyed and drawn by the ASI. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 8 September 2017