Castlelost Castle () is a ruined

motte-and-bailey castle A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively eas ...

located in the

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic orig ...

Castlelost Castlelost is a townland in County Westmeath, Ireland. The townland is located in the civil parish of Castlelost. The R446 regional road runs through the middle of the area, and a section of the R400 regional road links the townland with the ...

, just north of

Rochfortbridge Rochfortbridge () is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland. The village is located at the intersection of the R400 and the R446 (formerly the N6) roads. As of the 2016 census, the population of Rochfortbridge was 1,473. History Rochfortbri ...

County Westmeath "Noble above nobility" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = , subdivis ...

, Ireland. The castle dates to the

Norman invasion of Ireland The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land from the Irish, over which the kings of Kingdom of England, England then claimed sovereignty ...

, with some sources dating its construction to the late 12th century and associating it with

Hugh Tyrrel Hugh Tyrrel ( Anglo-Norman: ''Huge Tyrel''), 1st Baron of Castleknock (died 1199) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman and crusader who played a prominent part in the Norman invasion of Ireland and took part in the Third Crusade. He was born in Hampshi ...

(died 1199). The castle remained within the Tyrrel family through the 16th century. During the 17th century, the castle and surrounding lands were lost by the Tyrrels during the

Irish Rebellion of 1641 The Irish Rebellion of 1641 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1641) was an uprising by Irish Catholics in the Kingdom of Ireland, who wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and to partially or fully reverse the plantat ...

and subsequent

Cromwellian conquest of Ireland The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland or Cromwellian war in Ireland (1649–1653) was the re-conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell invaded Ireland w ...

. The only visible features still on the site are the ruined tower house as well as a small nearby

motte A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively eas ...

. The castle, its motte and the remnants of a nearby bailey (courtyard) are listed on the

Record of Monuments and Places The Record of Monuments and Places (RMP; ga, Taifead ar Shéadchomharthaí agus Áiteanna) is a list of historical and archaeological sites the Republic of Ireland established under the National Monuments Acts. It can be consulted in county libr ...

for County Westmeath.

References

Castles in County Westmeath {{Ireland-castle-stub

See also

References