The Down Survey map of 1655-6, one of the earliest systematic surveys of Irish land, shows a castle and two houses standing in what was then called Ballaghtobbin and Croghtabeg. This detailed cartographic record, now held by Trinity College Dublin, provides a rare glimpse into the landscape as it appeared in the aftermath of Cromwell’s brutal campaign through Ireland.

Local historian Carrigan, writing in 1905, believed that Ballytobin House likely occupies the very spot where the old Tobin family castle once stood. About 180 metres north, another residence belonging to the Hall family could be found until the early 20th century. Between these two houses, local tradition speaks of a hidden draw-well where the Tobins supposedly threw their valuables as Cromwell’s army approached, choosing to deny the invaders their treasures rather than surrender them. This dramatic tale of resistance echoes similar stories found throughout Ireland during this turbulent period.

The property’s ownership tells its own story of conquest and displacement. In 1653, the lands of Ballaghtobin and Croghtabegg, which had belonged to David Tobin, were confiscated and granted to Ralph Hall and William Baker as part of the Cromwellian land settlement. Today, it’s possible that remnants of the original castle or the 17th-century houses depicted on the Down Survey map are still incorporated into the fabric of Ballytobin House, or lie somewhere nearby, waiting to be rediscovered; silent witnesses to Ireland’s complex past.