Castlemore Moat

Castlemore Moat is a motte-and-bailey and National Monument in County Carlow, Ireland.

Castlemore Moat
Ráth an Chaisleáin Mhóir
Shown within Ireland
Alternative nameCastlemore Castle, Fotheret O'Nolan, Rathsillan
LocationCastlemore, Fennagh,
County Carlow, Ireland
Coordinates52.809489°N 6.772553°W / 52.809489; -6.772553
Typemotte
Circumference50 metres (55 yd)
Height9 metres (30 ft)
History
BuilderRaymond FitzGerald
Materialearth
Founded12th century
PeriodsNorman Ireland
CulturesCambro-Norman, Old English
DesignationNational Monument

Location

Castlemore Moat is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) northwest of Tullow and 2 kilometres west of the River Slaney. It is not to be confused with Castlemore House, a 19th-century country house 1 kilometre south of the motte.[1]

History and archaeology

The motte and bailey castle was constructed in the 12th century AD by Raymond FitzGerald (Raymond le Gros), one of the commanders of the Norman invasion of Ireland. The land of Forth O'Nolan was granted to Raymond and he married Basilia, sister of Strongbow. They lived together at Castlemore.[2]

All that remains is the motte, an artificial hill about 9 metres (30 ft) high, and a standing stone measuring 170 by 45 by 30 centimetres (5.58 by 1.48 by 0.98 ft) with a Latin cross inscribed in it, with a suppedaneum (foot-rest at the base). The motte is not a perfect circle, but measures 18 metres (59 ft) east-to-west and 13 metres (43 ft) north-to-south.[3]

References
  1. "Additional Images: Buildings of Ireland: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". www.buildingsofireland.ie.
  2. Armitage, Ella S. (3 April 2015). "The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (Illustrations)". Oliver And Boyd, Edinburgh – via Google Books.
  3. "Mocavo and Findmypast are coming together - findmypast.com". www.mocavo.com.
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