Site of Castle, Ballymore Demesne, Co. Wexford
Tucked into the north-facing slope of a ridge that runs from east-northeast to west-southwest, the remains of Ballymore castle site present an intriguing earthwork in the County Wexford landscape.
Site of Castle, Ballymore Demesne, Co. Wexford
What visitors will find today is a substantial flat-topped earthen mound, roughly rectangular in shape and measuring approximately 17 metres east to west and 13 metres north to south. Rising between 4 and 6 metres high, the mound is encircled by a distinctive flat-bottomed fosse, essentially a defensive ditch, that varies between 4 and 7 metres wide at its top and drops 1 to 2 metres deep. A 4-metre-wide causeway breaks through the eastern side, though this is likely a modern addition rather than an original feature.
The castle site’s strategic placement becomes clearer when considering its medieval context. Located about 200 metres west of a church site, it formed part of a broader ecclesiastical and defensive landscape. Particularly noteworthy is the holy well situated just outside the southeast corner of the mound, suggesting the site held both secular and spiritual significance for the local community. The proximity of these features indicates this was once a focal point of medieval life in the area.
Today, mature trees have taken root atop the mound, lending it an almost forgotten quality despite its impressive proportions. Archaeological records from 1977 initially classified it as a moated site, a designation that speaks to its defensive characteristics. While the original castle structures have long since vanished, the earthworks remain remarkably well-preserved, offering visitors a tangible connection to Ireland’s medieval past and the strategic importance of such fortified sites in controlling and protecting local territories.