Shrule Castle

Built by Robert Hartpole during the reign of Queen Elizabeth (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 315, 316). In 1576 Robert Hartpole of Carlow was granted the ‘manor of the Blackeforde (LA014-045----), a castle in Monyferricke (LA014-100----), Rathmadocke alias the Blackeforde, the lands of Moniferick, Rathmadock alias the Blackeforde, Kilteighan, Garrans, Kilgessin, Ballekilkavan, Dromlin alias Killiclery, Inche alias Ballicowley, and Bavon an old castle in Colvanacre (LA008-015----) alias Colbanahore [Coolbanagher], the lands of Colvanacre alias Colbanahore, Ballarighan, Killgenne, Ballenebeg, Shanebeg, Ballemolrone, and Ballenestraghe, the lands of Shrowle [Shrule] (LA032-012001-), Ballyhormer, Ballecollin, Rathduf, Garribriken, Aghatenan, and Cappescribedor, in the lordship of Slemarge, a ruinous castle and lands in Clonrere [Clonreher] (LA013-019----) alias Merickeston, lands in Cultwerin, Killclonhoberd, Ballekillkaraghe, Knockandiere, Rathnemanaghe, and lands of Killehide, Ballehide, Garrenoe, Ballinecard, Farrinduf, Rossemore, and Ballim’Kegane, in the lordship of Slemarge, the lands of Ballirahen, Rossenalgan, Garroughe, Dormoile, and Capoile, or Cappahoile, in the same lordship; the advowson of the rectory of S. Fenton [Fintan], of Clowenenaghe [Clonenagh] (LA017-003001-), diocese of Leighlen, all in Queen’s co.. To hold for ever, by the service of a fouth part of a knight’s fee; rent £26 1s. 2d., Maintaining six English horsemen’ (Nicholls 1994, 376).

Tower house situated at E edge of level land as it falls down to the Barrow River. Four storey high tower house (dims. 11.95m E-W; 10.85m N-S) with no base batter with walls surviving up to wall-walk level. The parapet does not survive but there is some modern coping on top of the S and W walls. Constructed with roughly coursed limestone rubble. All the dressed stone is in limestone. The eighteenth century house was attached to the N but has now been removed and there are some farm outbuildings attached to the W wall. The entrance is an inserted doorway off centre to N on the E wall. The surround of a pointed limestone doorway can still be seen, it gives access to a lobby area with overhead murder hole. N of the lobby a lintelled doorway gives access to a guard chamber in the N wall. On the W side of the lobby leads through a pointed doorway to the ground floor. This chamber has an inserted E-W cross-wall dividing it into two barrel-vaulted chambers with wicker centring. The wall is inserted because its W end obscures and partly blocks up an original embrasure in the W wall. An embrasure in the N wall is broken out to provide communication with the eighteenth century house.

A pointed doorway at E end of cross-wall leads to the S chamber which has a window embrasure in the S wall. This is round headed light with a wide chamfer externally, its embrasure has a low rear arch caused by the inserted barrel vault. The doorway to the guard room has an iron pintle for a hinge in position on the E jamb. The entrance doorway to the tower house has a drawbar socket in the S jamb and the doorway to the vaults from the lobby also has a drawbar socket in the S jamb. The vaults still have plaster over the wicker centring. The passage in the E wall gives access to a mural stairs to the SE angle where there is a relatively large window in the S wall. This is probably inserted as the window sill is of granite. The stairs then turns into a spiral stairs rising to the roof level.

The first floor is accessed off the spiral stairs via a pointed limestone doorway at the same level there is a second doorway which gives access to a mural passage in the E wall. The passage is lit by a tall ogee headed light. The main chamber has a large destroyed fireplace with no dressed stone in the S wall. There is also a large inserted window in the S wall and original squint at the SW angle. There is an inserted window in the W wall. An embrasure in the N wall has an inserted doorway which gave access to the destroyed eighteenth century house. The ceiling was supported on corbels in the E and W walls.

Second floor is accessed off spiral stairs in SE angle, garderobe in the S wall also accessed of spiral stairs. There is a blocked inserted window in the S and W walls. A modern doorway leads to a passage in the E wall with a modern inserted window. The ceiling rested on rebates on all walls.

Spiral stairs in SE angle leads up to third floor chamber which has inserted modern windows, original flat rear arches survive in S , W and N walls. There is also a fireplace in the N wall. There are corbels on the W and S wall surviving to support the ceiling. The stairs continues on up to wall walk level in SE angle, the parapet and housing for the stairs does not survive.

Externally the S and E windows at third floor level have square hood mouldings. The E window is inserted but the S window is original but now blocked. It was a two light window with transoms. At second floor level in the external face of the S wall near the SW angle there is a limestone plaque with an inscription in false relief, including the letters RHK and the date 1640 (Craig 1972, 25).

Castle visited in 1782 by Austin Cooper and described as 'About 4 miles from Carlow, on the Queen's County side of the Barrow, is Shrule, and ancient and beautifully situated seat of the hartpoles; it is a small, square modernized castle, with modern wings and additions' (Strickland 1922, 83). Described in the History of the Queen's County as, 'The old castle is yet habitable, although it seems to have undergone various architectural alterations, since the first period of its erection (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 316). The inscription '1576 ROBART HARPOL GRAIN HARPOL DOLAGH O LALOR' was on the right hand arch stone of the fireplace on the 1st floor of Shrule Castle (LA032-012001-), (FitzGerald 1900, 129).