This site originally housed a motte, likely built by the Anglo-Normans in the late twelfth century, but by the thirteenth century it had been replaced with a more sophisticated stone castle. The transformation from earthwork to stone fortress reflects the broader patterns of medieval settlement in Ireland, where temporary wooden structures gave way to permanent stone defences as territories became more established.

We’re fortunate to have a sketch from around 1680 by Thomas Dineley, an English travel writer who documented Irish castles during his journeys through the country. His drawing reveals what the castle looked like in its final years: an entrance flanked by two rounded towers, possibly forming a gatehouse reminiscent of the one at Ballyloughan Castle, also in Carlow. The sketch shows a rectangular courtyard with a gabled house attached, suggesting this was both a defensive structure and a comfortable residence for its occupants.

Today, the site offers no visible traces of its former glory; the castle has completely vanished from the landscape. Its story comes to us through historical records and archaeological surveys, particularly the Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow published in 1993. The replacement of the original motte with a stone castle speaks to the ambitions of its builders, who clearly intended to create a lasting mark on the Carlow landscape, even if time and circumstance have erased their work from view.