This strategic position, overlooking the valley in all directions, made it an ideal location for a defensive structure during medieval times. The castle appears on the Down Survey maps of 1655-6, where it’s marked as ‘a castle in repaire’ in the Parish of Mothill, suggesting it was still functional during the Cromwellian period.

Historical records from the survey provide intriguing details about the property and its ownership. The accompanying terrier describes ‘In Corbetstowne a Castle and Cabbins’, with the castle belonging to Walter Archer Fitz John, identified as an Irish Catholic or ‘Papist’ in the documentation. This ownership detail offers a glimpse into the complex religious and political landscape of 17th century Ireland, when Catholic landowners were increasingly under pressure from Protestant authorities.

The tower house itself was a circular, three-storey structure that stood at the northern end of an old farmhouse within a working farmyard. For centuries, it remained part of the agricultural landscape of County Kilkenny, a reminder of the area’s turbulent past. Unfortunately, this piece of Irish heritage was lost forever when the tower was demolished in July 1987, taking with it a tangible link to the medieval and early modern history of the region.