The area’s medieval roots run deep, with Hugh de Lacy and his son establishing a castle here during the Norman period, as noted by historian Tickell in 1960. This early fortification would have been a symbol of Norman power in the region, strategically positioned to control the surrounding lands.

The castle’s story continued through the centuries, passing into the hands of Sir Walter Dongan, who inherited the Manor of Sherlockstown in 1592. Dongan, who would be created a Baronet in 1623, counted among his Kildare possessions “one castle”, according to Fitzgerald’s 1903 records. This structure was likely a tower house, that distinctive form of late medieval Irish architecture that combined defensive capabilities with residential comfort; a vertical stone fortress that served as both home and stronghold for the local gentry.

Time and changing tastes eventually transformed the medieval tower into something quite different. The original castle appears to have been incorporated into Sherlockstown House, which architectural historian Bence-Jones described in 1978 as “a long, irregular, slightly castellated house” with a “tower-like centre”. This evolution from defensive fortress to country house tells the broader story of Ireland’s transition from medieval warfare to more peaceful times. The house sits on landscaped grounds about 100 metres south of a medieval church and graveyard, creating a remarkable cluster of historical structures that spans several centuries of Irish life.