The site, which encompasses the townland of Kellybrook, appears on the Strafford map from around 1636, marking it as a notable landmark during that turbulent period. Historical records show that Christopher Jones of Caldragh held 307 acres here in 1641, but by 1662 the property had transferred to William Handcock, reflecting the significant land ownership changes that swept through Ireland during the Cromwellian era.

Today, visitors to the site will find a grass-covered cairn of rubble measuring approximately 19.6 metres from north-northeast to south-southwest and 17 metres from west-northwest to east-southeast, rising to a maximum height of 2.6 metres. One section of wall remains visible, stretching 3 metres in length and standing 0.75 metres thick, whilst a substantial piece of masonry protrudes 2.25 metres from the mound, hinting at the structure’s former grandeur. The castle ruins sit within an oval enclosure spanning 90 metres northeast to southwest and 60 metres northwest to southeast, originally defended by a fosse ranging from 3.5 to 4 metres wide on its southwestern to northern sides.

The enclosure itself is defined by various earthworks; a low bank on the southeastern side measures 3 metres wide and rises just 0.1 metre on the interior and 0.2 metres on the exterior, whilst elsewhere a modest scarp of 0.2 metres marks the boundary. Interestingly, archaeologists have been unable to identify the original entrance to this fortification, leaving questions about how the castle’s inhabitants and visitors would have accessed the site. These remains offer a tangible connection to Ireland’s complex past, when small fortified holdings like this one dotted the landscape, serving as both homes and defensive positions for the landed gentry.