site of Fort and Castle

Marked faintly as a circular enclosure (diam. c. 45m) and described as the site of a fort and castle on the 1839 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. It is located on a slight S-facing slope in a low-lying landscape. This may be the site of the fort, presumably a bastioned fort, built in 1610 which had Capt. Denis Dale as its first commander and a garrison of six men. It was named in honour of Sir Arthur Chichester, the Lord Deputy. The fort was captured by rebels in 1641, and is described as a 'ruined fort' and the property of William Doyle in the Civil Survey (1654-56) (Simington 1953, 10). There is no description of it and there are no visible remains at ground level. (Hore 1900-11, vol. 6, 654; Jeffrey 1979, 245–6; Loeber and Stouthamer-Loeber 1987, 174, 187, 199). 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: 14 February 2012