The castle makes its first appearance in historical records in 1233, with documented repairs to its palisade carried out in 1281. What remains today is an impressive motte; a flat-topped earthen mound that rises between 5.8 and 7.7 metres high, depending on which side you’re measuring from. The top of the mound spans 8 to 9 metres across, whilst its base stretches 35 metres from east to west.

The construction of this Norman fortification reveals fascinating details about medieval building techniques. When soil removal and slippage occurred in the 1970s, archaeologists Culleton and Colfer discovered distinct construction layers within the mound’s core, offering insights into how these defensive structures were built up over time. Mature deciduous trees and scrub now crown the motte, and whilst no fosse (defensive ditch) is clearly visible today, the site’s defensive capabilities would have been formidable in its heyday.

Evidence suggests a bailey once extended to the south of the motte, measuring approximately 50 metres north to south and 30 metres east to west. The 1839 Ordnance Survey map marks an enclosure about 30 metres in diameter in this location, labelled as the ‘Site of Castle’. About 450 metres to the southeast lies a church site, typical of Norman settlements where religious and military structures were built in proximity. The entire monument has been under preservation order since 1974, recognising its significance as one of Ireland’s important Anglo-Norman earthwork castles.