Castle, Castletown, Co. Louth

Castle, Castletown, Co. Louth

In 1472, Richard Bellew received a £10 grant to construct a castle at Castletown, County Louth, built to the standard defensive specifications of the time.

Castle, Castletown, Co. Louth

Seven years later, in 1479, he secured a second grant for another castle in the same area, suggesting either an expansion of his holdings or perhaps a replacement for the original structure. These grants reflect the strategic importance of Castletown during the late medieval period, when fortified structures were essential for controlling territory and protecting settlements in this part of Ireland.

The castle’s exact location remained something of a mystery until Garstin’s 1655 map of Castletown and Dundalk provided a crucial clue. The map clearly depicts a castle positioned southeast of the Castletown crossroads, offering the most reliable evidence we have for its placement. However, despite this cartographic record, the precise spot where the castle stood hasn’t been definitively identified on the ground, and archaeological evidence remains elusive.



What makes this castle particularly intriguing is how it vanished from historical records after the mid-17th century. Beyond Garstin’s map, no further documentation exists about its fate; whether it fell into ruin, was demolished, or was incorporated into later buildings. The Bellew castle at Castletown represents one of those tantalising gaps in Irish architectural history, where we know enough to confirm its existence but not quite enough to tell its complete story.

Rated 0 out of 5

Good to Know

Tags

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of IrishHistory.com
IrishHistory.com
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Castle, Castletown, Co. Louth. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 50 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Tempest, H.G. 1943b Bellew’s Castle, Castletown-Bellew, or Castletown Castle, Dundalk. County Louth Archaeological and Historical Journal 10 (3), 180-95. Bradley, J. and King, H.A. 1985 Urban archaeological survey – county Louth. Unpublished report commissioned by the Office of Public Works, Dublin. Gosling, P. 1991 From Dún Delca to Dundalk: the topography and archaeoloigy of a medieval frontier town. A.D. c. 1187-1700. County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society Journal, vol. 22, No. 3, 223-353.
Castletown, Co. Louth
54.0158225, -6.42848039
54.0158225,-6.42848039
Castletown 
Masonry Castles 

Related Places