Robinstown Castle — Robinstown (fartullagh By., Carrick Par.)

In 1581 the Nugent family rebelled against the Crown and this rebellion was led by Nicholas Nugent at Robinstown. Nicholas Nugent held the position of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and was described as a 'man well liked in the English pale, his wife is daughter of Sir John Plunket, Chief Justice of the King’s Bench' (Cal. S.P. Ire. 1574-85, 345). In 1581 he was replaced by Robert Dillon as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and was 'discredited as a resister of the cess' (ibid. 296). In 1582 Ellen Nugent (nee Plunket) sent a petition to the Lord Treasurer of Ieland for 'stay of the suit of John Tyrrell of Fertullaghe for a parcel of land called Robenston [Robinstown], settled on her and her child by her husband, Nicholas Nugent, before his troubles' (ibid. 421). In 1584 the Queen granted the attainted lands of Nicholas Nugent to his wife, Ellen Nugent and her son, Richard Nugent (ibid., 510). In 1588 Queen Elizabeth granted a pardon to 'William Nugent, of Clonyn, co. Westmeath, esq., and Janet Marward, his wife; reciting that he with others had rebelled at Robenston [Robinstown], co. Westmeath, on the 20 March, xxiii [1581]’ (Nicholls 1994, vol. 3, 61). This castle is not depicted on the 1654 Down Survey map of the parish of Carrick and Clonfad (NLI p 7384). In 1640 the lands of Robinstown belonged to Christopher Nugent. The 1659 Census records the presence of 29 Irish families and 0 English families in the townland of 'Robins towne' (Pender 1939, 516). The chief landowners or tenants were listed as 'Edward Tyrrill, Lavallin Newgent, and Dominick Newgent his sonn gents.' (ibid.). In 1660, Edward Tyrrell had purchased lands from several adventurers and others, these lands included the townland of Robinstown (Cal. S.P. Ire. 1669-70, 664). In 1670, Richard Nugent the Earl of Westmeath is listed as the landowner of Robinstown. Poorly preserved ivy-covered castle situated on a small rise of ground in undulating countryside. Only the ivy-covered E wall (L. c. 12m; Wall T 0.9m; H c. 4.5m) of the castle survives upstanding where it has been incorporated into the remains of a 19th century outhouse belonging to Lake View Cottage, the latter is located 15m to the N of the castle. This outhouse was built onto the external face of the E wall of the castle utilising the wall of the castle as the side wall of the outhouse. The poorly preserved ivy-covered wall of the castle and the outbuilding makes it difficult to ascertain what fabric belongs to the castle and what part belongs to the 19th century outhouse. Only the W and S wall of the outhouse survives. The outhouse consists of a narrow rectangular structure (L c. 12m; Wth c. 4m) aligned N-S. This building is depicted as Robinstown Castle on all editions of the OS 6-inch maps. The remains of a narrow rectangular opening, possibly the remains of a window can be seen in the S wall of the outhouse but this feature has been partially damaged by the insertion of a brick built chimney flue. A large gap in the W face of the E wall of the castle located off centre to N may be the remains of a fireplace. The remains of an inserted 19th century fireplace can be seen on the E face of the W wall of the castle located off centre to N. All of the upstanding walls are covered in ivy making it impossible to examine of the fabric of the buildings. The E wall of the castle is built with more irregular stones than the other walls and this wall appears to be only surviving wall of the medieval castle. The scarring of return of the S wall of the castle can be seen on the SE angle of the E wall. The area to the W of this castle wall is now the orchard of Lake View Cottage and was also used as the vegetable garden. No foundations of the remaining walls of the castle can be seen in this area. A single punch-dressed rebated (Wth 0.12m) chamfered (chamfer Wth 0.03m) jamb stone (H 0.5m; Wth 0.62m; T 0.35m) of the doorway belonging to Robinstown Castle can be seen in the farmyard 57m to the NNE. This architectural fragment displays punch-dressing typically found on castles dating from 1550-1650. A second chamfered (chamfer Wth 0.05m) dressed limestone (L 0.95m; Wth 0.3m; T 0.23m) can been seen lyng on the ground beside the door jamb. This chamfered stone appears to have been reused as a gate lintel. A third architectural fragment now located 30m to the NNE and incorporated into the rockery in front of Lake View Cottage consists of a chamfered (chamfer Wth 0.13m) limestone jamb (L 0.82m; Wth 0.28m; T 0.27m), possibly part of a fireplace surround or doorway dating from the 16th or 17th century. These two high quality carved fragments suggest that this castle was constructed between 1550-1650 and contained an impressive carved stone doorway with possible large fireplace with moulded limestone surround. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 19 July 2013