Castle Caulfield

Substantial ruins of an English style house built by Sir Toby Caulfield in 1619, possibly on or close to an earlier O'Donnelly's fort. The Caulfield arms appear over the Gatehouse.

The name of the later village took a mis-spelling of the Caulfield name. The house was three storeys high with attics, with very ornate, tall chimney stacks. The house was originally 'half H' in plan form, but the north west wing has been completely removed and the area scarped, leaving it now as an incomplete 'L' shape. There are many fine, well dressed windows still visible with a distinguished string course detail running along the exterior at first floor level. The house was burned by the O'Donnelly’s in 1641 but was repaired and reoccupied. St. Oliver Plunkett is known to have carried out ordinations in the castle courtyard in 1670 when William Caulfield was in residence. John Wesley preached in front of the gate in 1767. The building ceased to be occupied by the end of the 17th century.

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