Mortimer's Castle is a castle and National Monument located in County Westmeath, Ireland.[3]
| Mortimer's Castle | |
|---|---|
| Native name Irish: Caisleán De Moirtiméir | |
| Fahatty Castle The Old Court | |
 Ink drawing by the Rev. William Falkiner, 1902.[1] | |
| Type | Castle |
| Location | Faughalstown, County Westmeath, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°38′55″N 7°20′29″W / 53.648607°N 7.341412°W |
| Area | Inny Valley |
| Built | 14th/15th century |
| Architectural style(s) | Anglo-Norman |
  Location of Mortimer's Castle in Ireland | |
| Official name | Mortimer's Castle |
| Reference no. | 610[2] |
Location edit
Mortimer's Castle is located on the east bank of Lough Derravaragh, 4.4 km (2.7 mi) southwest of Castlepollard.
History edit
The castle is believed to derive its name from Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March (1374–98), who was Henry IV's Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for the last three years of his life, before dying in an ambush at Kells, County Meath (or maybe Kells, County Kilkenny or Kellistown, County Carlow).[4][1]
Other accounts connect it with Edmund de Mortimer, 5th Earl of March and 7th Earl of Ulster (1391–1425), who was born at New Forest near Tyrrellspass.
A local legend said that a large amount of gold was buried in a cellar on the site, guarded by a black cat.[5]
Building edit
A large Anglo-Norman castle stood on the site, 52 m × 125 m (57 yd × 137 yd) in dimensions. The remains of a two-storey stone tower are in the northwest corner.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b "Mortimer's Castle, L. Derravaragh. Aug.5.02". 5 August 1902.
- ^ "National Monuments of County Westmeath in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Rice, Eoghan (2005). "myth and memory on an Irish lake: UCD archaeologists discover the past" (PDF). UCD Connections. No. 10. University College Dublin.
- ^ "Areas of historical interest".
- ^ "The Schools' Collection » Faughalstown".
- ^ O'Sullivan, Aidan (March 2004). The social and ideological role of crannogs in early medieval Ireland (PDF) (Ph.D.). Vol. 1. Department Of Modern History, National University of Ireland Maynooth.