Knockgraffon Motte and Bailey

The motte at Knockgraffon is mentioned in numerous medieval sources, it was built in 1192 when the Four Masters record that the English of Leinster made an expedition against Donnell O'Brien, king of North Munster, and ‘in the course of their expedition erected the castles of Knockgraffon and Kilfeakle’ (Orpen 1909, 276). In August, 1202, King John ordered Philip of Worcester to deliver to William de Braose ‘the Castrum de Cnocgrafon’, however, in 1215, Knockgraffon is returned to Philip of Worcester (ibid.). This grant was substantially confirmed by Henry III, in 1225, to William of Worcester, Philip's nephew (ibid.). Situated overlooking a flat plain with the River Suir flowing c. 500m to the W. There are extensive views to the N, E and W. There is a later tower house (TS075-019002-) within the bailey at the base of the motte to the N; a church and graveyard (TS075-019003-) and Knockgraffon tower house (TS075-076----) to the NE. The motte was built on top of a natural hill with bailey at base of motte to the NW. On the summit of the motte (dims. 12.6m N-S; 16.5m E-W; H 14.6m), at the higher W end, there are the remains of a walled structure (dims. 5.2m N-S; 7.5m E-W) with denuded grass-covered walls (H 0.55-0.96m). There are a lot of nettles in the centre of the E quadrant and brambles growing around the edge. On the less steep N side of the motte a path has been worn up to the lower summit, all the other sides are practically sheer. There is quite a substantial fosse at the base of the motte in SW quadrant. On the 2nd (1901-05) ed. OS 6-inch map a bank is depicted extending around the base of the motte from ESE-S-SW and it was partly incorporated in a field bank which ran roughly E-W S of the motte and bailey. This bank is no longer evident and may have been used to fill a fosse, which is now only evident in the SW. The area of the fosse and outer bank now appears as a flat ledge around the motte before the hill slopes naturally downwards. The roughly rectangular bailey (diam. 57.3m NE-SW; 59m NW-SE) is defined by a stoney bank (Wth crest 1.7m, base 10m; int. H 0.35m; ext. H 5.6m) which is not very high above the interior but falls steeply to the exterior; a narrow, deep fosse SW of motte and bailey (Wth 4.5m; D 4.5m) and an outer stoney bank (Wth crest 2m, base 7.4m; H above ext. 2.1m) with remains of an internal stone revettment. The bank peters out in the SW quadrant. The interior slopes gradually to the NW. Within the SE quadrant of the bailey, at the base of the motte, there are remains of a rectangular structure (diam. 15.8m NE-SW; 9.4m NW-SE) defined by an earthen bank (Wth crest 1.4m, base 3.6m; int. H 0.4m; ext. H 0.5m) on its NW and SW sides, by base of motte to SE and by a scarp to NE. This structure was noted by Lyons (1950, 266-8) along with other features and sub-divisions within the bailey which were not visible at time of inspection, possibly due to lush vegetation. Orpen (1909, 275) mentions that there are extensive stone foundations in the bailey.