Local folklore connects the site to Hugh de Lacy, the powerful Anglo-Norman lord who helped conquer Ireland in the 12th century, though the surviving structure likely dates to the 15th century. The castle doesn’t appear on 17th-century Down Survey maps, which show the land belonging to Edward Nugent in 1640, suggesting it may have already fallen into ruin by that time.

The surviving eastern wall stands roughly 8 metres high and stretches just over 11 metres long, featuring the remnants of two circular corner turrets. The southeast turret once contained a spiral staircase, whilst the northeast turret survives only at foundation level, now obscured by a large tree growing from its collapsed stones. Built from uncut limestone laid in regular courses, the wall shows evidence of various attempts at preservation over the centuries; patches of different masonry suggest someone tried to maintain it as a picturesque ruin long after it ceased to be a functioning fortress. The lower courses have been robbed for building stone, and a rounded buttress was added at some point to support the structure.

Surrounding the castle fragment is an extensive system of earthworks that hints at the site’s former grandeur. A polygonal bawn, defined by a double bank and fosse, once enclosed the castle in a roughly triangular defensive perimeter. Though partially destroyed by modern field boundaries and a farm laneway to the north, these earthworks remain clearly visible, particularly on the western and southern sides. Within and around this main enclosure, additional banks, scarps and shallow ditches subdivide the area into smaller rectangular plots, possibly marking where ancillary buildings or yards once stood. The entire complex sits on a natural ridge with commanding views to the west, north and east, a strategic position that would have made it an imposing presence in the medieval landscape of County Westmeath.