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.