Notice
Mortimer’s Castle is a state-owned National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works
WARNING: It should be noted that these sites are unguided and a level of care and caution should be maintained during all stages of your visit. The Office Of Public Works (OPW) will not be held responsible for any damages, injuries, or losses that occur
Mortimer’s Castle
Mortimer’s castle is associated with the Mortimer family, also known as the Earls of March and Earls of Ulster. The 4th Earl of March, Roger Mortimer, was Henry VI’s Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In 1397 Roger’s uncle Sir Thomas, chief Justice of the King’s Bench, fled to Leinster after being found guilty of treason. Roger was slain in the Battle of Kellistown and his young son Edmund succeeded in the title of 5th Earl of March and 7th Earl of Ulster. He too was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He died of plague in 1425 at Trim Castle. Edmund had no heir so the title of Earls of March became extinct. His nephew Richard, 3rd Duke of York, inherited his estates. This is the same Richard who was involved in the War of the Roses.
The castle was said to have covered more than an acre, with a deep surrounding ditch; in its heyday it was comparable to that of Trim Castle. By 1826 Mortimer’s castle was reduced to one ‘inferior’ building, and only the foundation lines of the castle remained. The ‘inferior’ building at the southern corner is a stone-built two-storeyed tower, with a stairway to cellars beneath. Now, only a few stones remain of this once impressive structure.
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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014
