Woodstock Castle Athy in 3D
Model by Murphy Geospatial and text from the Historic Environment Viewer
Overview
Castle – Hall-house (National Monument KD035-021—-)
Description (extract) from the Historic Environment Viewer: On W edge of flat low-lying poorly drained land which forms part of the flood-plain of the River Barrow which flows 80m to the NE. The religious house (KD035-022006-) of the Crutched Friars founded by Richard de St. Michael in the thirteenth century is 520m to the SSE, also located on the W bank of the River Barrow. A 13th century hall house built by Richard de St. Michael stands on dry ground overlooking the River Barrow to SE and possibly a fording point over the river. The main entrance to the castle faces the River Barrow and it possible that there may have a quay or harbour located on the W bank of the Barrow opposite the castle entrance. …
The stone hall-house was probably built in the thirteenth century by Richard de St. Michael, Lord of Rheban (KD030-008—-) (Carroll 1892, 103). Richard was son of Robert de St. Michael who witnessed Strongbow’s grant of Aghaboe, Co. Laois (Orpen 2005, 150) in the late 12th century. In 1215 his son Richard paid £100 as a fine to the King to ‘have the land which belonged to his father’ (Cal doc. Ire., 103), these lands included the castle of Rheban (KD030-008—-) and the lands of Woodstock. According to Brewer (1826, 40-1) the castle was ‘first erected by Richard de St. Michael, Lord of Rheban, noticed above as the founder of the Crouched Friary (KD035-022006-) (reign of John 1199-1216). In 1315 Robert Bruce took the castles of Rheban (KD030-008—-) and Woodstock and later in 1325 Lysagh O’More took possession of the manors of Rheban and Woodstock (Anon. 1793, 161-2). These castles, together with the manors of Woodstock and Rheban (KD030-008—-) passed as dowry lands, to Thomas FitzGerald, seventh Earl of Kidlare, in the early 15th century. Some time around 1424, Thomas FitzGerald, seventh Earl of Kildare, then Lord Offaly, married Dorothy, daughter of Anthony O’More [Moore] of Leix, and so gained possession of the manors of Woodstock and Rheban, including the town of Athy, and established within them a court-baron and court-leet’ (Anon. 1809, 99). In 1534 the castle appears to be in the hands of the O’More’s of Leix when in this year it was recorded that ‘O’More to suffer Woodstock and the manor of Athy to be repaired’ (Cal. S.P. Ire., 11). Two years later in 1536 Lord Leonard Grey, Lord Deputy of Ireland wrote to the king stating that he had ‘provided victuals, lime, masons, and carriage, intending to re-edify the castle and bridge of Athy, and the manor of Woodstock’ (Cal. S.P. Ire., 19) …
Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy
Revised by: Caimin O’Brien
Date of revised upload: 27 April 2016
For the full text see: Historic Environment Viewer
NOTE: the download size is 10MB.