Castlemore Moat


Castlemore Moat is a motte-and-bailey and National Monument in County Carlow, Ireland.

Location

Castlemore Moat is about northwest of Tullow and 2 kilometres west of the River Slaney. It is not to be confused with Castlemore House, a 19th-century country house 1 kilometre south of the motte.

History and archaeology

The motte and bailey castle was constructed in the 12th century AD by Raymond FitzGerald, one of the commanders of the Norman invasion of Ireland. The land of Forth O'Nolan was granted to Raymond and he married Basilia, sister of Strongbow. They lived together at Castlemore.
All that remains is the motte, an artificial hill about high, and a standing stone measuring with a Latin cross inscribed in it, with a suppedaneum. The motte is not a perfect circle, but measures east-to-west and north-to-south.