Seatown Castle

Located on the south side of Malahide estuary. Incorporated into east end of the northern range of farm buildings at Seatown House. Survives to two storeys with modern pitched roof (ext dims. L8.6m, Wth 6.8m N-S). It is built of coursed rubble masonry with dressed quoins on the SE and SW corners. Only the lower courses of the first floor walls are original, the upper portion is a later addition of 19th century date. Entered through lintelled doorway in the E wall. There is a round barrel vault over the ground floor with wicker - centring (int. dims. L 5.4m; Wth 4.4m). The interior is lit by a pointed arched opening in the N end of the E wall and a deep, square-headed window in N wall. The original entrance to the tower-house would have been situated in the W wall indicated by the presence of a murder hole in the corbelled roof of the lobby (Pers com Kieran Campbell). Two stones of the arch of the original doorway survive. Plain windows have been inserted into the first floor. A spiral stairs in the NW angle provides access to first floor. This is an intra-mural stairs accomodated in the thickness of the N wall. The stairs and roof have been replaced by a modern construction. The entrance is a pointed arched opening. Described in the Civil survey (1654-6) as a small old castle with a hall adjoining, both thatched (Simington RC 1945, 102). Monitoring (Licence no. 05E0725) took place iduring groundworks associated with the conversion to a dwelling of a two-storey barn attached to the west side of Seatown Castle. An assemblage of mid- to late 18th-century pottery recovered during monitoring gave a secure date for the house on the west side of the castle. A glazed roof ridge tile may have come from the castle or the old hall, of which no trace was seen. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 16 January 2015

Seatown Castle was likely built by the O'Connell family in the 17th century as a defensive structure or hunting lodge. It is remembered for its historical association with the prominent local landowning family and its incorporation into later agricultural buildings, reflecting changes in land use and architecture over time.