Lanistown Castle, Newbridge Demesne
Photo credit: Lanistown Castle courtesy of Mick Mongey
Over the centuries Lanistown or Lanestown Castle served a number of purposes. From 1376 the de Bathe family held the lands of Lanistown, although the name Lanistown probably derived from the Anglo-Norman family of de Launey, who owned a manor there in 1297. The castle dates to the mid-15th century and several generations of the de Bathe family held the land until the 16th century. The Castle was used as a dining hall by the Cobbe family of Newbridge House in the 18th century, and later as a cattle shelter in the 1960s.
To the north of the castle a substantial double ditched circular enclosure was identified in the course of the Fingal community geophysical survey project, What Lies Beneath. Measuring c. 50m in diameter the enclosure is associated with areas of burning and numerous pits. In the 1830s John O’Donovan of the Ordnance Survey of Ireland, recorded that the ruins of St Colman’s Church were to the north-west Of Lanistown Castle.
Image credit: Double enclosure associated with St Colman. Geophysical Survey results by Earthsound Ltd.
Did you know….
Lanistown Castle is one of three surviving tower houses on the Peninsula, the others being at St Patrick’s Church Donabate and Stella’s Castle Portrane.
