Rathumney Castle

Rathumney Castle
Native name
Irish: Caisleán Ráth Omna[í]

Interior view
Type hall house
Location Rathumney, Campile,
County Wexford, Ireland
Coordinates 52°17′43″N 6°52′28″W / 52.295312°N 6.874471°W / 52.295312; -6.874471Coordinates: 52°17′43″N 6°52′28″W / 52.295312°N 6.874471°W / 52.295312; -6.874471
Area Barrow Valley
Height 20 m (66 ft)
Built early 13th century
Owner State
Official name: Rathumney Castle
Reference no. 229
Location of Rathumney Castle in Ireland

Rathumney Castle is a hall house and National Monument located in County Wexford, Ireland.[1][2]

Location

Rathumney Castle is located in southern County Wexford, 4.6 km (2.9 mi) east of Campile.[3]

History

Rathumney "Castle" is more correctly a hall house, and is believed to have been built by the Prendergasts (descendents of Maurice de Prendergast) in the early 13th century. It served as a Cistercian grange house for nearby Tintern Abbey. The Barry family leased the grange in the 14th–15th centuries; this was common at the time, as the Cistercians had fewer lay brothers and the granges were free of tithes.

After the Cromwellian confiscation Rathumney became untenanted. Later owners were the Alcock, Colclough, Prendergast families and the current owners of the land are Foleys. They claim that King James II stayed at Rathumney on 2 July 1690 on his way to Duncannon, whence he departed to France, never to return.[4]

Building

The centre of the building was a two-storey hall, with fireplaces, tall windows and doorways.[5] The ground floor had kitchens, servants' quarters and storerooms, while the upper floor was for the noble family. The house was built of granite, shale and conglomerate. All the interior walls and worked stone have been removed. The overall floor area is measured 146.1 m2 (1,573 sq ft).[6] at The house is surrounded by a bawn and a tower in the southeast corner had stairs and a garderobe.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ McCord, Margaret; Graham, Rigby. "Tower houses and ten pound castles". Crannog P. – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ "Clare Genealogy: The O'Davorens of Cahermacnaughten, Burren, Co. Clare: Notes".
  3. ↑ "Rathumney Castle, Wexford".
  4. ↑ "Archaeology - Cistercian Grange at Rathumney, County Wexford, Ireland".
  5. ↑ Archer, Lucy; Smith, Edwin (1 January 1999). "Architecture in Britain and Ireland, 600-1500". Harvill Press – via Google Books.
  6. ↑ "Archaeologia Cambrensis". W. Pickering. 1 January 1912 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ "Rathumneycastle".
  8. ↑ "Geograph:: Castles of Leinster: Rathumney, Wexford... (C) Mike Searle".
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