Castle - motte, Longtown Demesne, Co. Kildare
At the northwestern edge of a low ridge in Longtown Demesne, County Kildare, sits an impressive earthen mound that bears witness to medieval fortification strategies in Ireland.
Castle - motte, Longtown Demesne, Co. Kildare
This circular motte stands approximately 6.5 metres high with a base diameter of around 30 metres, narrowing to about 15 metres at its flat summit. The structure features the characteristic steep sides typical of Norman castle mottes, whilst traces of a defensive fosse, or ditch, remain visible along its eastern and southeastern perimeter, though much of this has been filled with field clearance material over the centuries.
The site has undergone significant changes since its construction, particularly regarding the surrounding landscape. Historical Ordnance Survey maps from 1838 and as recently as 1939 show the monument surrounded by woodland, but this has since been cleared, leaving only a narrow shelter belt of conifers running along the south, west and north sides of the motte. The northern section of the monument has been modified to incorporate an ice house, likely dating from when the area formed part of a demesne landscape, possibly connected to wall foundations that were documented on the motte’s summit in 1972 but are no longer visible.
This motte represents one of many such defensive earthworks constructed across Ireland following the Anglo-Norman invasion, typically serving as the base for a wooden tower or keep. The surviving earthwork, despite later modifications and the loss of its woodland setting, remains a substantial reminder of the medieval period when such fortifications controlled strategic points throughout the Irish countryside. Its position in tillage fields today contrasts sharply with its original defensive purpose, yet the monument continues to dominate the local landscape much as it would have done eight centuries ago.