A castle once stood here, marked on the Down Survey maps of 1655-6 when the area was known as Tullohaune within the barony of Sheelogher. The survey, one of the most comprehensive land mappings of 17th century Ireland, shows this fortification positioned just east of a medieval church, though today no trace of the structure remains visible above ground.

The castle likely occupied what archaeologists have identified as a castle mound or motte, a type of earthwork fortification popular amongst Anglo-Norman settlers in medieval Ireland. This artificial hill would have supported a wooden or stone keep, forming part of a larger defensive complex. The site is associated with a deserted medieval settlement, suggesting this was once a thriving community centred around the church and castle, both symbols of religious and secular power in medieval Irish society.

While the physical castle has vanished from view, its presence on the Down Survey maps provides valuable evidence of Grove’s strategic importance in centuries past. The survey itself, commissioned by Oliver Cromwell to facilitate the redistribution of Irish lands to his soldiers and supporters, inadvertently preserved a detailed snapshot of Ireland’s built heritage at a pivotal moment in history. Today, only the earthwork remains to hint at the castle that once commanded this quiet corner of Kilkenny, a silent witness to the layers of history buried in the Irish landscape.