County: Westmeath Site name: GARRYCASTLE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 29:25 Licence number: 01E0130
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: House - 18th century
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 606745m, N 741503m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.423596, -7.898520
Testing was undertaken at a proposed development site within the IDA Industrial Estate in the eastern suburbs of Athlone. The proposed development area is to the south-west of a castle. This castle was attacked in 1442 and apparently levelled, although one source (Stokes and Burgess 1897, 40) indicates that a part of the ruins was still extant in the late 19th century. However, this source is generally recognised as dubious. The documentary evidence indicates that a fortified house was constructed at the site in the mid–late 17th century. The extant remains at the site are most likely those of this fortified house. Furthermore, it is probable that this house was constructed either on, or very close to, the previous castle.
The extant remains consist of a long stone building, measuring c. 9m by 15m. The south-west gable of this building stands to a height of c. 4–5m and incorporates a ruined fireplace with brick chimney flue. Much of the site and its immediate environs are overgrown and it was not possible to determine whether any further remains might exist.
To the south-west of the monument is an area of rough ground in which some wall footings can be traced. Initial testing within this area indicated that it is the location of a late 18th/early 19th-century farm building which was demolished in the first half of the 20th century. The area was subsequently used for the storage of silage in more recent years. A number of linear features in the immediate environs of the farmhouse were tested; the results indicated that these features were the remains of drive/ laneways which were subsequently disturbed by ploughing.
Additional testing undertaken in the area of the farmhouse indicated that the basal courses of the external walls, which were 0.6m wide, were of stone, with the remainder of the structure constructed in brick. All internal walls were 0.4m wide and were of brick. All walls stood to a height of 0.4–0.6m over foundation level. The house had a maximum length of 17.7m and a maximum width of 15m. There was evidence of an internal chimney along the western wall, and doorways on the southern, eastern and northern walls. In addition, there was evidence for brick, stone-cobbled and possibly timber floors on the inside of the house, with some external stone cobbling.
No additional features, structures, deposits or finds of archaeological/historical interest were uncovered during the course of the testing.
Reference
Stokes, G.F. and Burgess, J. 1897 Athlone, the Shannon and Lough Ree. Dublin.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
