The castle appears on the Down Survey parish map of Dungarvan from 1655-6, where it’s marked within the barony of Gowran in County Kilkenny. Historical records from 1640 describe it as being “in good repaire” at that time, with Sir Edward Butler listed as its proprietor in documents held by the National Museum of Ireland.

The castle sits within a defensive bawn, a fortified enclosure that forms a rough square measuring approximately 50 metres on each side. Today, the southern and western portions of this moat-encircled fortification are the best preserved, with much of the eastern side still visible, particularly towards its southern end. The northern section has become less distinct over the centuries, though the overall footprint of this defensive structure remains clear.

This combination of castle and bawn represents a typical Irish defensive arrangement from the late medieval period, when Anglo-Norman families like the Butlers needed both residential and military structures to maintain their holdings. The water-filled moat that still defines the site today would have provided an additional layer of defence, making Neigham a formidable stronghold in its time whilst serving as the seat of one of Ireland’s most powerful noble families.