Medieval Buildings

Medieval Buildings and Miscellaneous Sites
Medieval Buildings in Ireland
Surviving medieval buildings are relatively rare in Ireland.
The surviving buildings are of stone, timber-framed buildings have not survived in Ireland.
The main surviving buildings are:Castles and other fortified residences
Ecclesiastical buildings including cathedrals, churches, abbeys and other monastic centres.
There is little surviving urban architecture that pre-dates 1700.
Early Castles
The vast majority of castles post-date the first Anglo-Norman incursions into Ireland in 1169.
Historical records refer to a number of ‘castles’ that pre-date 1169.
These appear to be earthwork castles not unlike ‘mottes’
Mottes
Mottes are conical mounds erected by the Normans in Ireland after 1169 and mainly before 1220.
Sometimes natural outcrops or earlier earthworks were modified for use as mottes.
There are at least 456 known in Ireland although these are mostly in Leinster and east Ulster.
Motte: Clonard, Co. MeathDate to late 12th to 13th century ADEarthwork castles built by the Normans
Motte: Drumcooly Hill, Co. Offaly
Mottes
Illustrated on the Bayeux Tapestry
Bayeux Tapestry showing the motte at Hastings being built.
Motte construction
Where there have been excavation, mottes appear to have been built using a particular method.
The first stages sees the construction of an earthwork ring.
Motte construction
The earthwork ring for the base of the motte and any outer earthworks are raised in height
The outer earthworks are known as baileys
Motte construction
The earthwork ring is then in-filled, probably using material dug out from around the base to add an enclosing ditch to the base of the mound
Wooden stairs may also have been added
Motte construction
The top of the motte is flattened for use.
Mainly timber buildings were added to mottes in Ireland, although some had stone buildings
Norman Stone Fortesses
The main phase of castle construction in Ireland was from 1175 to 1310.
The earliest castles were built by a handful of powerful knights, in particular Hugh de Lacy (who built Trim, opposite) and John de Courcy (who built Carrickfergus).
Carrickfergus Castle
Built on a rock promontory in Belfast LoughCarrickfergus CastleBuilt by John de Courcy from 1178 onwards
It wasn’t conceived as a single project and it appears to have evolved during construction
The earliest phase at Carrickfergus dates to 1178-1200By 1200, there was a keep, a hall and an outer precinct wall on the rock promontory
There is a fresh water well within the keep
Yellow stone (Cultra stone) used to decorate openings
The ground plan and investigations have indicated that the initial construction plan was modified considerably before it was completedThe base of the keep is not square and the Cultra stone was only added in mid-construction
The original construction may not have included the hall
The outer precinct wall appears to include two phases with the keep only raised after an initial wall was built
De Courcy may have started with a simple stone-walled enclosure for protection and only proceeded to develop the castle when his position was secure
Second major construction campaign saw an enlarged outer ward added in 1215-1223
This provided additional protection to the keep and hall
Final major construction campaign saw a second outer ward added in 1225-1250 with a gate house
The were some later modifications in the 14th century, 16th century, 17th century and 19th century.
Dundrum, Co. Down
Begun by John de Courcy between 1177 and 1203It incorporates a series of phases
It appears to have been preceded by a ringworkThere is a circular keep that seems to have replaced an earlier building
Dundrum, Co. Down
Published plans (e.g. above right) of Dundrum appear to be inaccurate as they do not include a pre-keep structure (that is visible in the interior of the curtain wall) and both towers of the gate house (which appear on maps)
Circular keeps
Nenagh Castle, Co. Tipperary built by Theobald Walter, head of the Butler family between 1200 and 1220.
Many keeps now show as great a concern for display and comfort as security
Nenagh has an ornate Romanesque doorway and large fireplaces
Trim Castle
Built between 1210 and 1220 on the site of an earlier ringwork by Hugh de Lacey
It was linked by the River Boyne to his other major holdings at Drogheda and Dublin.
As part of a major conservation plan it was fully excavated
This identified that it had been preceded by a ringworkIt also showed how it had been designed and set out for constructionTowered Keeps Built by William Marshal the elder and William Marshal the younger from 1207 to 1225 (Carlow, Ferns, Lea in Laois and Terryglass in Tipperary)
Each has a rectangular keep with circular corner towers
Ferns, Co. Wexford: Ferns Castle
Two major royal castles were built in Ireland shortly after 1210
Both gateways had twin D-shaped towers
These had an open plan without a free-standing great tower or keep
This type of castle had been recently developed in France and Wales
Dublin Castle
On 30th August 1204, King John commanded the erection of a strong castle for the defence of the city, administration of justice and safe custody of treasure.The construction of Dublin Castle was completed by 1230
Henry de Londres, Justiciar and Archbishop of Dublin, is credited with this achievement
Limerick Castle
Plan from 17th century Pacata Hibernia
Mid-13th century Castles
Knights and Barons continued to build castles into the 13th century such as Castleroche in Louth.
Castleroche, Co. Louth
Believed to have been built by Rohesia de Verdun in 1236
Exhibits a twin D-shaped gatehouseHas one projecting tower
Incorporates a large hall
Castleroche, Co. LouthView of Hall and Gatehouse from the south-eastGatehouses
Almost all late-12th and early to mid-13th century castles have elaborate gatehouses, generally these are twin-toweredIn some cases the main keep or hall is located at some distance from the gatehouse (e.g. Carrickfergus) in others it is located immediately behind the gatehouse (e.g. Castleroche)Gatehouses
By the mid-13th century the defences of castles become more developed and the focus moves from the keeps to the curtain walls and the gate-towers
Examples built at this time are shown here
Later Medieval Castles
Some castles can be identified that were built in the 14th century
They see further evolutions away from the protected keep with limited gateways features and the use of towers to provide flanking fire for defence
This is Clonmore, Carlow
Hall houses
A group of castles built from the early 13th century through to the 14th centuryLittle or no evidence for outer defences or gatehouses
Hall houses, polygonal castles and Irish stone castlesVarious castles are built in areas outside of Anglo-Norman control in the 13th and 14th century
Irish Castles
Castles built by the Irish, rather than Anglo-Norman lords
Mainly ditched and walled enclosures sometimes with gatehouses
Tower houses
In 1429, a statute of Henry VI decreed that a grant of £10 would be available to every man in the Pale who built a castle of stone by 1439
This should measure 20 ft by 16 ft and 40 ft highThis appears to be the origin of tower houses
True tower houses continued to be built into the 16th century and 17th century in various forms
They may have a surrounding bawn or defended enclosure
They incorporate features such as helical (spiral) staircases and intra-mural passages
Bagenal’s Castle, NewryBuilt by Nicholas Bagenal in 1570s
Plans survive in Crown Records Office in Kew London
Bagenals Castle, Newry
Excavation showed the 1570s ground plan to have a number of inaccuracies.
The real ground plan suggests a tower house like Ballug, Roodstown or Termonfeckin in Louth
Ecclesiastical Architecture
Cathedrals
Churches
Abbeys and other monastic centres
Pre-Norman Irish architecture is replaced by classical styles such as Romanesque and Gothic Romanesque
Applied to various architectural devices and types of artDetail from Clonfert cathedral (3rd quarter of 12th century)
RomanesqueWest door of Clonfert CathedralCurving arch of the door is typical of Romanesque
Romanesque: Cormacs Chapel (Cashel)Dates to 1125-1150One of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Ireland
Cormacs Chapel
Irish Romanesque
The first Romanesque buildings: Cormac's Chapel at Cashel (1127–34) features square towers, doorways in recessed orders, barrel and ribbed vaults, quarried stone, and architectural sculpture. Cormac's chapel boasts one of the finest looking corbelled roof which is constructed of ashlar, cut from local sandstone. Although impressive in appearance, the structural components were not as well integrated as in some of the earlier examples: the barrel vault was too low to support the roof, which instead had to be reinforced by a pointed vault immediately under the external masonry.
A more radical innovation occurred here with the addition of square towers incorporated at the east end of the nave, presenting a new architectural model for the Irish church. Paired towers, flanking the chancel or the apse, were a feature of many churches within the German Empire, and it has long been assumed that those at Cashel were derived from St James at Regensburg or one of the other Schöttenkirchen. But eastern towers and turrets were also a feature of Norman churches in England, so the background may be closer to home.But this particular architectural formula was not repeated elsewhere in Ireland. Cormac’s ChapelIn addition, Cormac's Chapel was among the first Irish buildings to be embellished with sculpture, and as such is thought to mark the birth of Hiberno-Romanesque, providing an initial injection of foreign techniques, which within a few years were integrated into Irish church-building.
Cormac’s ChapelThe prominence given in the annals to the consecration of Cormac's Chapel in 1134 suggests that the novelties of the building were widely appreciated, which makes it curious that the architecture did not have a greater influence. The artistic splendor was enhanced by painted decoration, remnants of which survive in the chancel, where human figures, one wearing a crown, can be discerned on the vault. The scheme was carried out with costly materials, which included lapis lazulae, vermilion and gold leaf. The purpose of so much expenditure on one relatively small building has never been satisfactorily established.
Cormac’s Chapel
The larger and more elaborate buildings meant that Irish churches could allow the same liturgical practices as other European churches
This would bring Ireland into line with European practice
Christchurch, Dublin
Begun in 1030, earliest surviving fabric really dates from after 1180
Christchurch
Romanesque plan from crypt Compare it to St. Sernin
Gothic
Some ecclesiastical architecture in Ireland is in the Gothic style well known from Britain and FranceThis is St. Patricks Cathedral, Dublin
Christchurch, Dublin
Begun in 1030, earliest surviving fabric really dates from after 1180
Gothic: Early English1190-1250
Plain lancet windows and arches
Protruding buttresses.
Plate tracery
Circular, moulded capitals.
Pointed, moulded arches.
Capitals with stiff-leaf and crockets E.g. Salisbury
Gothic: Geometric and Decorated
1250-1350
Geometric shapes emerge in Early English styles from 1250-1290 (e.g. Romsey)
Then intersecting tracery appears in middle windows
This becomes more and more elaborate during the early 14th century (e.g. Exeter)
Gothic: Perpendicular
1330-1550
Verticals from top to bottom of windows, horizontal transoms (e.g. Winchester Cathedral shown here)Octagonal piers
Abbeys
The Cistercian introduce a specific architectural plan to Irish monastic centres, such as Mellifont
Other Orders which appear include the Dominicans and Franciscans
Cistercian Abbey (Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny)
Cistercian Abbeys are laid out on a regular format with each building given a prescribed space within the layout
Franciscan Friary, Quin, Co. Clare
Quin FriaryFranciscans were not as rich as the Cistercians