Structure in Clonaslee

Originally listed in the SMR of Laois as a possible castle site located to S of the Roman Catholic church at Clonaslee. However the structure located on the lands of Mr. John Moran was recorded by Henry Wheeler, Inspector of Monuments with the Office of Public Works in 1967 and was described as follows; 'On E bank of Clodiagh River. Piece of wall 2 ft. (0.6m) thick at existing top, height at present 3' 6"-4' (1.2m). Two offsets at base. Masonry of indeterminate character runs NW-SE. Visible for about 15' (4.5m). A pit has been dug for a tank just outside it (full of water to a depth of several inches). Traces of 2 other walls roughly at right angles in the yard of the owner. If so the exposed wall would be the N.E. side of a rectangular block. Owner thinks sides are c. 45' (13.7m) long, but I could not readily verify this. Bears no relationship to village street of Clonaslee or to oldish farm buildings at back which must be c. 150 years old. These overlie it and are different buildings. Wall is a bit thin for a castle. Water gushed from inside it. ? Water mill. 1839 edition of 6" OS map shows what seems to be this building: no indication of its purpose. It was roughly square, with small annexes at NW & SE corners: no building on street front : apparently a yard there' (SMR File 17 May 1967). The structure recorded in 1967 was deemed not to be the site of a castle and was delisted from the SMR for Co. Laois and was not listed in the RMP for Co. Laois. The site report from Henry Wheeler stated that it was located on the east bank of the Clodiagh River on the grounds of property owned by John Moran which is the site immediately adjoining the Clodiagh River to the N of the main street. See attached section of Laois RMP Map showing the delisted site. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 28 June 2022