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Walter Codd of Ballyfant (Ballyfane) was a juror in 1560 (Hore 1900-11, 5, 169). James Codd of Ballenfane is recorded in 1608, and an inquisition in 1639 recorded that at his death in 1635 he held the castle of Ballyumphant and 120 acres by military service from the manor of Castletown Carne (WX03-027----) (Jeffrey 1979, 10-11). He also owned a ‘mol’molendinar’ or windmill at Ballyfane (WX053-080----) (Pers comm. Conchubhar Ó Crualaoich: see logainm.ie # 54184). A castle with an attached house is marked on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map in this area (2), and on the parish map of Carne. This territory consists of the modern townlands of Ballytra, Ballygarra, Castlepaliser, Ballyfane and Nineteen Acres. According to the terrier or commentary of the parish map there is a castle, a slate house and cabins at Ballyumphant.
By the Act of Settlement (1666) the castle of Ballyumphant with 76 acres in Ballyumphant, Ballygore and Coolemory were granted to Nicholas Codd of Castletown (WX053-027----) (Hore 1921, 53). The name ‘Castlepaliser’ is applied to the five-bay, two storey farmhouse c. 100m to the SE that was described as ‘newly finished’ in 1780 (Cavanagh 1911, 248). John O'Donovan writing c. 1840 records that the last remnants of the castle were removed c. 1810 (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 1, 298).
The castle is marked on the 1839 and 1940s eds of the OS 6-inch map and is situated on a broad rise. There are no visible remains at ground level in the vicinity of a farmyard. Archaeological testing (03E1247) conducted on the site revealed a stone wall (Wth 1m; H 0.2m) which may be associated with the castle, and a fragment of a window sill was recovered from a ditch (Wth 2.2m; D 0.6m), which had post-medieval material (Stafford 2003, 6-8; 2006). Further work under the same licence in 2005 in an area further N produced no related material (Stafford 2008).
See the attached section of the Down Survey parish map (N at right) 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/revision: 21 March 2014
This remains an important historical record, but the official description says the monument is no longer visible or has been destroyed.
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