roscrea castle

Castle:
The Castle was allegedly built by King John in 1213, but was probably not erected until the middle of the 13th century. An enclosure, reached from the street through a 19th century gateway, was surrounded by a strong wall with one rectangular and two D-shaped towers in it. At one corner is a tall rectangular tower with a fine vault and a fireplace on the second floor. The upper floors have an unusual selection of passages and stairs leading to various defensive positions, but some parts of the uppermost storey date from the 16th century.

The curtain wall surrounding the enclosure is reached from the first floor of the tower. In the wall of the castle facing on to the street there are holes which indicate the place where the drawbridge to the castle once stood. The castle remained in the hands of Conor O'Heyne, Bishop of Killaloe, and his successors until Matthew O'Hogan exchanged it with King Edward I for some lands near Newcastle, Co. Dublin. In 1315 Edward II granted it to Edmund Butler.