Castle (in ruins) — Castleboro Demesne

James Hoar of Ballaboro was constable of Bantry in 1608. According to the Civil Survey (1654-56) James Butler of Tennihensie (?) in Co. Kilkenny, an Irish papist, owned 2400 acres in Killegney parish in the townlands of Killegney, Knockstown, Tominearly, Forestalstown, Bellabarrow (Caslteboro) and Shancollig (Clonroche) in 1641, including the castle at Bellabarrow (Simington 1953, 215-6, 229). The estate was purchased from William Leigh by Robert Carew in 1669 (Jeffery 1979, 24-5). The house is located on a slight rise in a low-lying landscape with a small W-E stream c. 100m to the N and the NW-SE River Boro c. 270m to the E. This is a rectangular structure (ext. dims 14.98m N-S; 9.16m E-W) of four bays and three storeys with an attic but lacking a barrel-vault. There are large inserted rectangular windows on all floors and an external stairs tower is added to the E wall. There is a render on the outer walls and the inner face of the E and W walls is recessed at each upper storey for the ceilings. The only original fireplaces (2) are in the S gable on the second floor, but fireplaces in the SE angle at the ground and first floors are probably additions. The original granite doorway in the N wall has an elliptical head and a recess for a yett, and an original window light in dressed granite is blocked in the W wall at the ground floor. At second floor level a turret at the SE angle is supported on three corbels and is entered through a lintelled doorway. There is a wall-walk with stepped crenelations on the W wall and a small lookout platform at the SW angle. (Adams 1904, 101-04; Jeffrey 1979, 24-5) See the attached section from the Down Survey (1656-8) parish map (N at top) reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (Ms 725) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1996). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 2 July, 2012