Rathmacknee Castle

Rathmacknee Castle is a tower house and National Monument located in County Wexford, Ireland.[2][3][4]

Rathmacknee Castle
Native name
Irish: Caisleán Ráth Mhac nAodha
Rathmacnee Castle
Typetower house
LocationRathmacknee Great, Piercestown,
County Wexford, Ireland
Coordinates52.269301°N 6.490495°W / 52.269301; -6.490495
AreaPiercestown region
Builtlate 15th century
OwnerState
Rathmacknee Castle is located in Ireland
Rathmacknee Castle
Location of Rathmacknee Castle in Ireland
Official nameRathmackee Castle
Reference no.434[1]

Location

Rathmacknee Castle is located in southeast County Wexford, 6.3 km (3.9 mi) west of Rosslare.[5]

History

Rathmacknee Castle is believed to have been built by John Rosseter (Rossiter, Rositer, Rosceter) who was made seneschal of the Liberty of Wexford c. 1415. Other accounts associate its construction with his grandson Thomas Rossiter, seneschal in 1493. The Rossiters remained Catholic after the Reformation but stayed loyal to the monarchy and continued to hold their lands. Col. Thomas Rosseter fought against Oliver Cromwell at Wexford in the Irish Confederate Wars and the castle and lands were confiscated in 1654. The castle remained occupied until the 1760s. In the 19th century it was restored by its owner, Hamilton Knox Grogan Morgan.[6]

Building

Rathmacknee is a tower house or caiseal, located in the southeast corner of a five-sided bawn, with a bartizan in the bawn wall.[7]

The tower is five storeys high and the parapet has Irish crenellations.[8]

The tower's entrance has a drawbar-slot, a murder-hole and stairs. The upper rooms contain fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and garderobes.[9][10]

The tower was located near a ford and a holy well dedicated to St Martin. A church and graveyard stood to the south and protective earthworks to the north.

References
  1. "National Monuments of County Wexford in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 2. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  2. "University Magazine: A Literary and Philosophic Review". Curry. 1 January 1853 – via Google Books.
  3. Staff, Baedekers Guides; (Firm), Karl Baedeker; Staff, AA Publishing (1 January 2001). "Ireland". Automobile Association – via Google Books.
  4. "Rathmacnee Castle Co Wexford".
  5. Burke, John (1 January 1838). "A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank: But Univested with Heritable Honours". H. Colburn – via Google Books.
  6. "The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland: Adapted to the New Poor-law, Franchise, Municipal and Ecclesiastical Arrangements, and Compiled with a Special Reference to the Lines of Railroad and Canal Communication, as Existing in 1814-45". A. Fullarton and Company. 1 January 1846 – via Google Books.
  7. Sweetman, David (1 January 1999). "Medieval Castles of Ireland". Collins Press – via Google Books.
  8. "Geograph:: Castles of Leinster: Rathmacnee, Wexford (C) Mike Searle".
  9. "Travelmania Ireland - Rathmacknee Castle Ruins, County Wexford".
  10. "Rathmacknee Castle, County Wexford".
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