# Carlow Castle

- **Country:** Ireland
- **Coordinates:** 52.836301, -6.935942
- **Notes:** A once mighty fortress erected by William Marshall upon the site of a motte-and-bailey built by Hugh de Lacy in 1180. The castle has seen combat in various hostilities: the Silken Thomas Rebellion, an attack by Rory Oge O'Moore in 1577, the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the Irish Confederate Wars, and the Conquest of Ireland by Oliver Cromwell. In 1813, the castle was leased to a Dr. Phillip Parry Price Middleton, who attempted to renovate it into a mental asylum in 1814. The castle was demolished after a partial collapse caused by an explosion and abandoned until 1996 when the castle was given into the care of the Office of Public Works.
- **Year Built:** 1209
- **Castle Type:** Castle
- **Location Text:** Carlow

Carlow Castle stands near the River Barrow in Carlow town, County Carlow, Ireland, serving as a prominent example of early Norman military architecture. Constructed between 1207 and 1213, the fortress is widely attributed to William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, during his time in Ireland. Although the earliest written record dates to 1231 without explicitly naming the builder, historical consensus supports Marshal's involvement. The site holds significant status today as a National Monument of Ireland, designated number 306, and remains under state care as a protected historic landmark.

Architecturally, the castle is renowned for being the first of its kind in Ireland, featuring a unique towered keep design. The structure consists of a massive rectangular central tower surrounded by four smaller, three-quarter-circular towers at each corner. This layout deliberately diverged from contemporary standards in England and continental Europe, as the castle lacks a towered curtain wall, a gatehouse, or a traditional undivided great hall. Scholars suggest these omissions indicate the building may not have served as a refuge of last resort, distinguishing it from typical keeps of the era. Similar structures from this period were also erected in Ferns, Lea, and Terryglass.

The inner castle measures approximately 16 by 9.2 meters, with corner towers boasting a diameter of roughly 4.5 meters and formidable walls standing 2.7 meters thick. While the provided text cuts off before detailing later historical events or its current physical condition beyond its monument status, the existing ruins represent a critical evolution in Irish fortification design. Its innovative plan marks a specific moment in the expansion and consolidation of the Norman colony in Ireland during the early thirteenth century, making it a site of enduring archaeological and historical interest.

![Photo of Carlow Castle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Carlow_Castle_early_morning.jpg)

**Source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlow_Castle (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)