This motte, rising approximately 7.6 metres high with a flat top measuring roughly 55 by 27 metres, marks the site of what was once a significant medieval stronghold. Historical records suggest a castle existed here before 1200, when it was reportedly burnt by the O’Brenans. The site gained further importance in 1231 when William Marshal the younger secured royal permission to fortify his castle at Combre, as Castlecomer was then known, and by 1295, Edward I had appointed Richard le Erecedekne as custodian to defend it against the king’s enemies.

Today, the monument is heavily overgrown with trees, making it difficult to appreciate its original form. The earthen defences that once surrounded the motte have long since vanished, replaced by modern roads and pathways. Whilst no trace of the medieval stone castle remains visible on the summit, a partial excavation in 1938 revealed stone wall footings, providing tantalising evidence of the structure that once crowned this strategic position. The only standing building is an angled structure at the northeast end, likely an early 17th century outwork connected to the bastioned fort in Castlecomer town.

The motte has been adapted over the centuries to serve different purposes; an icehouse was built into its northeast base to serve the nearby Castlecomer House, located about 170 metres to the southwest. Early photographs from before the trees obscured the site show the motte’s impressive profile dominating the landscape at this river confluence, a reminder of its former role as both a military strongpoint and symbol of Norman authority in medieval Kilkenny.