Ballyroe Castle

The Down Survey (1655-6) parish of ‘Freshford and parte of Coolerahin’ depicts, 'a Castle and Cabbins [KK013-096004-]' and accompanying terrier (Hibernia Regnum, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin) notes that there is 'at Balliroe=Shortall a Castle [KK013-096001-] & a Church [KK013-096002-] and Cabbin with a Mill [KK013-096003-]', with the proprietor in 1640 listed as Thomas Shortall Irish Papist. The buildings are indicated within a triangular area at the very S point of Ballyroe townland and this corresponds well to the triangular southern tip of the townland that survives to this day. At this location there is a rectangular platform (dims. 25m N-S; 21m E-W; H 1m) with a berm (Wth 7m) along the E and S sides and a waterlogged fosse (Wth 3m; D 0.5m) along the W and N sides, the N fosse being fed by a diverted stream. A road runs N-S immediately E of the enclosure and a stream, indicated as a ford on the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map where it meets the road, runs E-W along the S side. It is likely that the buildings depicted on the Down Survey map are located in this field, with one at least, possibly the castle or mill, being located on this platform. A lime kiln is depicted on the 1900 revision and 25-inch OS map roughly centrally placed in the field and there is extensive outcrop and small quarry holes in the field which no doubt relate to that.