Castle, Milltown North, Co. Wicklow
In the townland of Milltown North, County Wicklow, the ruins of Milltown Castle stand as a testament to centuries of Irish history.
Castle, Milltown North, Co. Wicklow
The structure measures sixty-six feet in length by eighteen feet in breadth, though time has not been kind to its walls. The eastern end rises to about twenty-six feet, marked by a significant breach that extends halfway down from the top, whilst the southern wall remains intact at approximately eighteen feet high. The northern wall and western gable have long since collapsed, leaving only these fragments of what was once a formidable structure.
The most intriguing feature of the castle is the round tower at the south-west corner, which stands roughly twenty-eight feet tall with a diameter of nine feet and walls three feet thick. This defensive tower contains six loopholes for archers or musketeers, as well as a window on its southern face that measures six feet high by two feet wide, positioned fifteen feet above ground level. These architectural details provide valuable clues about the castle’s construction and purpose.
Historical analysis suggests this isn’t one of the earlier Anglo-Norman castles that dot the Irish landscape, but rather an Elizabethan-era fortified house, likely built during the 16th or early 17th century when English influence in Ireland was expanding. The combination of residential and defensive features; the relatively modest size compared to earlier Norman keeps, and the specific design of the round tower all point to this later period of construction, when comfort began to take precedence over pure military function, though security remained a vital concern in the often turbulent Irish countryside.





