.Site of St. Legers Castle — Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Grangemellon stood in County Kildare as a Jacobean fortified house with two octagonal towers flanking an archway, though a weir, rabbit warren and stone house appeared there by 1418. The castle was levelled in 1840 and its gatehouse disappeared in 1971, leaving only brick-faced orchard and garden walls above ground. Whatever life moved through that place now belongs to imagination, since even test-trenching near the new house found no archaeology at all.

A dower of 1418 mentions Grangemellon as including a weir, a rabbit warren, four messuages and a stone house, and an inventory dated 1625 mentions the 'castle, town, and lands of Grangemellon. The castle was levelled in 1840 and its gatehouse in 1971 (JKAS 1972, 100), but was described in 1892 (Weldon 1891-5, 96) as two octagonal towers flanking an archway and built in Jacobean style. In 1782 the remains consisted of the 'main building with two octagon towers with heavy pediment and cornice between and the entrance to it through a gateway which is exactly like the house' (Weldon 1891-5, 101), probably indicating the building was a fortified house. The only visible remains consist of portions of brick-faced orchard and garden walls. Test-trenching (04E1021) of new house in vicinity produced no archaeology. 'Excavations 2004' 2007, No. 824, p.197. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

St. Legers Castle at Grangemellon was held by the St. Leger family in the 15th century and later passed through various local landowners. It is remembered for its historical continuity from the medieval period into the early modern era, as evidenced by surviving inventories and documents.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.