Site of Castle, Fannystown, Co. Wexford
In the quiet countryside of Fannystown, County Wexford, a rectangular patch of earth holds the remnants of what was once marked as a castle on historic Ordnance Survey maps from 1839 and 1925.
Site of Castle, Fannystown, Co. Wexford
Today, this slightly sunken area measures roughly 40 metres from northeast to southwest and 30 metres from northwest to southeast, its boundaries still clearly defined by the wide fosse, or moat, that once protected whatever structure stood here. The site sits on relatively level ground, and whilst the castle itself has long vanished, the defensive earthworks remain visible both from the ground and particularly from above, as captured in various aerial photographs taken between the 1970s and 2000s.
Archaeological investigations have yielded intriguing, if limited, finds from the site. A maul, likely used in construction or demolition work, was discovered alongside a fragment of a stone window frame; tangible links to the building that once dominated this space. These artefacts hint at what must have been a substantial structure, though without more extensive excavation, the full story of the castle’s construction, occupation, and eventual abandonment remains unclear.
The site’s appearance on multiple editions of Ordnance Survey maps spanning nearly a century suggests it retained some local significance or at least recognisable features well into the modern period. Whether this was a tower house typical of the Anglo-Norman settlements in Wexford, or a later fortified residence, the careful preservation of its moated boundaries in the landscape makes it a noteworthy example of how medieval defensive sites can persist as earthworks long after their stone superstructures have been robbed away for building materials elsewhere.





