Dublin Castle

Dublin castle occupies the end of a ridge which was originally bounded on its S and E sides by the river Poddle and was integrated into the SE corner of the City defences. It replaced an earlier earthwork castle (Clarke 2002, 22). A barbican gate and drawbridge gave access directly from the Medieval town, midway along the N side of the castle walls. The construction of Dublin castle commenced in 1204 under the Royal command of King John to the Justiciar of Dublin to construct a castle or stronghold for the defense of the city (Lynch and Manning 2001, 172-3). Originally built to protect the Royal treasure it became the administrative center of English rule in Ireland from the early Thirteenth century until 1922. There are numerous historical references to re- building and repairs to the castle (Clarke 2002, 22). It was extensively rebuilt in the mid Eighteenth century

Dublin is an early example of a keep-less castle in Ireland. This type of plan can be compared with Limerick and Kilkenny castle and had developed in France in the early Thirteenth century (Sweetman 1999, 49-50). The original medieval castle is quadrangular in plan (int. dims. L 103m, W 55m) with mural towers at the angles joined by a curtain wall; there is a kink in the S wall. It was enclosed by an impressive moat formed by the Poddle on the S and E side and a fosse in the W and N sides of the castle (Lynch and Manning 2001, 182). Originally, it was entered through a double-bastion gatehouse situated midway along the N wall. The corner towers are identified as the Record tower in the SE; Bermingham tower in the SW, Cork Tower in the NW and the Powder Tower in the NE. There was a projecting middle tower on the south wall, which was replaced, in the Eighteenth century by the present polygonal tower.

Excavations in 1961-2 exposed portions of the original E and N curtain walls and NE corner tower (hEochaidhe, M.1962, unpublished ). Further excavations in 1985-6 exposed sections of the curtain wall close to the SW corner tower or Bermingham which incorporated an arch that crosses the moat and the battered base of the medieval tower (Lynch and Manning 2001, 183). Excavations also revealed the lower portion of a large rectangular barbican aligned on the main entrance with drawbridge pit. Large portions of the rebuilt Cork Tower and Powder Tower were exposed during these excavations. (Lynch and Manning 1987, 17-18). Traces of a Viking stone-faced bank was exposed at the lowest levels in the Powder Tower. Sections of curtain wall founded on boulder clay in the upper yard and on limestone bedrock where it linked the Cork Tower with the castle gateway (H 3:15m) were also exposed. (Maguire JB 1985, 13-39; Maguire JB 1974, 5-14).