Kilbolane Castle

Kilbolane Castle
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Maurice de Rocheford, a Norman Knight, built this castle in the 13th century. It is one of a line of castles (including Liscarroll castle) built to defend Norman territory to the east against attack from the west by resurgent Gaelic clans. This type of castle has no central keep (tower) but relies for its defence on substantial curtain walls, roughly 6cm high and 1.8m thick, linking circular towers at each corner. Only two of these corner towers survive and also missing is the entrance gateway.

The external base of the curtain wall is sloped outwards (battered) for extra strength, and the castle was surrounded by a deep water-filled moat for added defence. The top of the walls had battlements with a wall walk along the inside to allow soldiers to keep a watchful eye on the surrounding countryside. The openings in the walls were tall narrow slit arrow- loops, designed to allow the defenders of the castle to shoot outwards but also protect them from hostile fire. The central area or ward was clear of buildings but contains a well, very important to castles under siege.

The castle was occupied and altered over the centuries, as is witnessed by the insertion of ogee-headed windows and wicker- centred vaults in the 15th century, and gun- loops in the 17th century. Families associated with the castle are the de Cogans in the 15th century and the Earls of Desmond in the 16th century. It was granted to H. Ughtrede in 1587 and to Sir W. Power in 1613. The castle proved no match for Cromwell’s artillery in the 17th century (the use of gunpowder ended the castle-building era). Part of the castle was demolished in 1696 to provide stone for nearby Kilbolane House.

This is not accessible to the public but can be viewed from the roadside in Milford.

  • Contact:
  • Kilbolane Castle, Kilbolane, County Cork, Ireland

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History Lovers
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Maurice de Rocheford, a Norman Knight, built this castle in the 13th century. It is one of a line of castles (including Liscarroll castle) built to defend Norman territory to the east against attack from the west by resurgent Gaelic clans. This type of castle has no central keep (tower) but relies for its defence on substantial curtain walls, roughly 6cm high and 1.8m thick, linking circular towers at each corner. Only two of these corner towers survive and also missing is the entrance gateway.

The external base of the curtain wall is sloped outwards (battered) for extra strength, and the castle was surrounded by a deep water-filled moat for added defence. The top of the walls had battlements with a wall walk along the inside to allow soldiers to keep a watchful eye on the surrounding countryside. The openings in the walls were tall narrow slit arrow- loops, designed to allow the defenders of the castle to shoot outwards but also protect them from hostile fire. The central area or ward was clear of buildings but contains a well, very important to castles under siege.

The castle was occupied and altered over the centuries, as is witnessed by the insertion of ogee-headed windows and wicker- centred vaults in the 15th century, and gun- loops in the 17th century. Families associated with the castle are the de Cogans in the 15th century and the Earls of Desmond in the 16th century. It was granted to H. Ughtrede in 1587 and to Sir W. Power in 1613. The castle proved no match for Cromwell’s artillery in the 17th century (the use of gunpowder ended the castle-building era). Part of the castle was demolished in 1696 to provide stone for nearby Kilbolane House.

This is not accessible to the public but can be viewed from the roadside in Milford.

  • Contact:
  • Kilbolane Castle, Kilbolane, County Cork, Ireland

Suitable for:

History Lovers