The Down Survey maps from 1655-6 depict it as a substantial Tudor-style dwelling complete with surrounding walls, whilst the Dublin Hearth Money Roll of 1664 reveals the house boasted eleven chimneys; a clear indicator of its considerable size and status. During this period, the castle grounds featured pleasure gardens, ornamental plantations and orchards, creating an estate that combined both defensive architecture and genteel country living.

The property underwent a dramatic transformation in 1800 when Luke White purchased it from the Luttrells and renamed it ‘Woodlands’. White encased the existing structure in fashionable early 19th-century Gothic architecture, effectively disguising much of the castle’s medieval origins beneath layers of romantic revival styling. This extensive remodelling has made it challenging for historians and archaeologists to identify which portions of the current Gothic mansion date back to its medieval foundations, though evidence suggests the central area of the north range may incorporate elements of an earlier fortification.

Despite centuries of alterations, tantalising glimpses of the castle’s ancient past remain visible to the keen observer. The basement level beneath the octagonal hall contains architectural features that hint at medieval construction, including a spiral staircase built partially within the wall’s thickness and notably thick walls measuring 1.37 metres on the south and east sides. This vaulted basement space, measuring 8.20 metres in length and 5.90 metres in width, features cusped recesses typical of medieval design. Additionally, portions of the 17th-century mansion survive at the northeast corner where the north and south ranges meet, providing a physical link between the castle’s various incarnations through the centuries.