King John's Castle (Kilmallock)

King John's Castle or King's Castle[1][2][3] is a tower house and National Monument located in Kilmallock, Ireland.[4]

King John's Castle
Native name
Irish: Caisleán an Rí
King's Castle
Typetower house/peel tower
LocationSarsfield Street, Kilmallock,
County Limerick, Ireland
Coordinates52.401336°N 8.576692°W / 52.401336; -8.576692
Built15th century
OwnerState
Official nameKing John's Castle
Reference no.173
Location of King John's Castle in Ireland

Location

King John's Castle is located in Kilmallock, 137 m (449 ft) west of the Collegiate Church of St Peter and St Paul and 152 m (499 ft) southwest of Kilmallock Abbey.[5][6]

History

Despite the name, the tower house (or peel tower) was not erected during King John's reign (1177–1216) but some time in the 15th century. The name is probably intended to invite comparison to King John's Castle, Limerick.

There are some original mullioned windows still present but most were replaced with 18th-century windows.[7]

It was granted to Henry Billingsley in 1588, and to Thomas Browne in 1604. In 1645 it was used as an arsenal by James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven's troops during the Irish Confederate Wars, and was a military hospital in 1651.

The tower was renovated in the 18th/19th century and was used as a blacksmith's workshop.[8][9]

Building
Archway through the tower.
Window

A four-storey tower house with some original mullioned windows. It is vaulted above the ground floor and the front and back walls were removed so that the castle is pierced by a large Gothic arch.[10]

References
  1. Irlanda. EDT srl. 26 December 2017. ISBN 9788866390077 – via Google Books.
  2. Tours, Kilmallock. "King's Castle Kilmallock....A stronghold,armoury and prison over 500 years! Pic by @AbartaGuides #Irelandsancienteaset #Limerick #Ballyhourapic.twitter.com/q7IvsQjVJB".
  3. http://tower_house.tripod.com/id19.html
  4. Ireland, Royal Society of Antiquaries of (26 December 1898). Journal – via Internet Archive. King John's Castle (Kilmallock).
  5. "Holdings: King John's Castle, Kilmallock, Co. Limerick". catalogue.nli.ie.
  6. Oram, Hugh (26 December 2017). Bygone Limerick: The City and County in Days Gone by. Mercier Press Ltd. ISBN 9781856356794 – via Google Books.
  7. http://www.megalithicireland.com/Kilmallock%20King%20John%27s%20Castle,%20Limerick.html
  8. "Irish Castles - King Johns Castle, Kilmallock". www.britainirelandcastles.com.
  9. "King's Castle, Kilmallock". irishantiquities.bravehost.com.
  10. "Castles of Munster: Kilmallock, Limerick... (C) Mike Searle". www.geograph.ie.
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