This multi-period complex began life as a medieval tower house, likely built by the O’Melaghlin family in the 15th or 16th century, before passing to Captain John Clibborn in 1659. What visitors see today is an intriguing amalgamation of different eras: a three-storey limestone tower house ingeniously incorporated into a Georgian dwelling, with various additions and modifications spanning several centuries.

The castle’s evolution tells the story of changing times and tastes. The original tower house, built from limestone rubble with distinctive base batters on three sides, was substantially altered in the early to mid-18th century when James Clibborn added a three-storey wing to the west and unified the structures under a single continuous pitched roof. Around 1760, a curious bowed extension was added to the east end, which may incorporate medieval fabric or could be an ornamental flanker from the Georgian period. The north façade presents two ruinous wings with blank gable walls, whilst the complex retains several intriguing medieval features that appear to have been salvaged from elsewhere, including a fine pointed-arch doorway and a sheela-na-gig set above it, likely taken from a nearby medieval church.

The architectural detective work continues in the adjoining yard, where 18th-century stables display a peculiar mix of features: an ogee-headed window and a triskele ventilator, both dating from the 15th or 16th century but of unknown origin. Above a loft doorway, a coat of arms bearing three flaming castles adds another layer of mystery, complete with what may be an insurance plaque numbered 2355. The castle appeared on the 17th-century Down Survey map marked as ‘habitable’, and remarkably, it continues to serve as a private dwelling today, having undergone renovation in the 1980s whilst maintaining its position as one of Moate’s most historically significant structures.