Castle, Castlejordan, Co. Meath
The remains of this castle structure sit on a broad rise in the countryside near Castlejordan, County Meath, with the Castlejordan River flowing approximately 225 metres to the east.
Castle, Castlejordan, Co. Meath
The location is quite strategic, positioned about a kilometre north of where the Castlejordan meets the Yellow River, a tributary of the River Boyne that marks the boundary between Meath and County Offaly. Just 50 metres southwest of the castle lies an earthen mound, suggesting this area has been of importance for quite some time.
What remains today is a grass-covered rectangular structure that has been partially excavated to reveal its original dimensions: roughly 12 metres north to south and 7.3 metres east to west. The excavation work has exposed fascinating architectural details, including the inner face of the western wall, which stands about 1.1 metres thick and contains a buried relieving arch; a structural feature that would have helped distribute the weight of the masonry above. The eastern wall also shows traces of its inner face, with evidence of later modifications including an inserted wall extending westward, suggesting the building underwent changes during its period of use.
The castle first appeared on the 1908 Ordnance Survey six-inch map as a rectangular enclosure, though its origins likely stretch back much further. Archaeological investigations have revealed that the internal dimensions measure approximately 6.7 metres east to west, creating what would have been a relatively compact but solidly built fortification. The depth of the excavated material, ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 metres, hints at the substantial foundations required to support such a structure in this riverside location.





