Survey Data
Reg No
13823004
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Archaeological, Architectural, Historical, Social
Previous Name
Ardee Courthouse
Original Use
Castle/fortified house
Historical Use
Court house
In Use As
Court house
Date
1550 - 1650
Coordinates
296212, 290494
Date Recorded
06/07/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Attached multiple-bay four-storey stone tower house, built c. 1600, converted to court house c. 1850. Projecting corner towers to north-west and south-west, largely rebuilt c. 1850, three-bay two-storey infill between towers c. 1850. Hipped slate roof, clay ridge and hip tiles; lean-to roof to infill, cast-iron downpipes. Random rubble limestone walling to main building, roughly-squared quoins, splayed instep to west elevations of towers, crenellated parapet walls with plain ashlar copings to main building and towers, corbelled murder hole to north elevation; west elevation of infill in uncoursed rubble, higher projecting central bay, rubble stone string above first floor window head, blank square recess over first floor window of central bay, crenellated parapets with ashlar stone copings. Square- and trefoil-headed arrow loops to towers and main block. Square and segmental-headed window openings, rubble stone voussoir arches to main building, splayed brick arches to infill, fragment of moulded ashlar limestone paired window to north-west tower at ground floor, painted timber casements c.1980 to main building, painted timber two-over-two sliding sash windows to infill, fixed lights to slit windows and paired window. Quadrant-headed opening to north elevation, cut stone surround, rubble stone voussoirs, wrought-iron gates; pointed arch inset door opening with ashlar limestone surround, painted vertically-sheeted timber double doors; pointed arch door opening to infill moulded ashlar limestone moulded surround, painted timber double doors each with three panels. Street fronted, flanking terraces abutting castle to north and south, bridewell c. 1850 to west.
Appraisal
Ardee Castle, or Court House, is undoubtedly one of the most impressive and prominently sited buildings in Ardee and is also the largest medieval fortified town house to survive in Ireland. Its evolution over the years is evident in the variations in the masonry walling and range of window openings.