Kiltinan(e) Castle, Fethard, Co Tipperary
Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
p. 177. “Butler, Dunboyne, B/Pb; Cooke, sub Cooke-Collis/IFR; de Sales la Terriere/LG1969) A castle of the Butlers, Lords Dunboyne, romantically situated on a rock high above the Clashawley River, originally with four square corner towers of which three remain; two of them having been altered and added to during C18 and C19 by the Cooke family, to form the present house.”
[see Edward Cooke (1619-1683) in family tree]
Kiltinan Castle, KILTINAN, Tipperary South
Multi-period country house comprising five-bay block of c.1600, modified c.1820, with three-storey south, garden, elevation and three- and four-storey north, entrance, elevation and flanked to east and west by projecting four-stage towers of c.1500. Garden elevation of later block projects beyond face of towers. Roof of house not visible. Crenellated parapets to all elevations, having decorative cut-stone copings and dentil course to south elevation and pinnacles with ball finials to corners of towers. Roughly dressed limestone walls. String course and crowsteps to west parapet of west tower. Timber sliding sash windows throughout. Brick surrounds to windows of entrance elevation, segmental-arched three-over-three pane to top floor with pointed arch lights to upper lifts of windows, pointed arched with traceried fanlights elsewhere, six-over-none pane to tall centre-bay windows and six-over-six pane elsewhere. Dressed limestone surrounds to windows of garden elevation, with pointed arch lights to upper lifts of windows, three-over-three pane to top floor, nine-over-six pane to middle floor and six-over-six pane to ground floor. West tower has traceried 15th c. window to first floor of west elevation, pointed arched windows and single- and two-light ogee-headed windows and oculus windows elsewhere. Replacement timber entrance doorway set into four-centred dressed limestone surround, in turn recessed into four-centred opening with brick surround. Five-bay two-storey return of c.1500 to rear of east tower. Return has pitched slate roof with brick chimneystack, rubble walls and 15th c. two-light windows, some with label-mouldings. Crenellated screen wall returns to rear of west tower to enclose courtyard to north of house and has 19th c. limestone armorial plaque over round-headed archway with timber battened double-leaf door. East-west range of outbuildings with integral segmental carriageway terminates north end of screen wall at right angles and leads into second courtyard which is curtain wall of 13th c. castle. Range is multiple-bay two-storey with pitched slate roof, brick chimneys and rubble walls, dressed to south side of archway. South elevation has timber sliding sash windows with limestone sills and dressed voussoirs, six-over-six pane with four-over-four pane flanking archway and some oculi to first floor with pivoted windows. Blocked carriage arch and replacement timber sliding sash windows to north elevation. Wall curving from north-east corner of range connects with donjon. Multiple-bay two-storey range along north-west curtain wall with pitched corrugated asbestos roof, rubble walls and has pointed arch doorways to ground floor and slit vents to first floor. Four-bay two-storey outbuilding in middle of north courtyard has pitched artificial slate roof, rubble limestone walls, square-headed timber sliding sash windows and some arched openings to ground floor with dressed voussoirs. Pointed archway in castle curtain wall, to south of donjon, has sculpted plaque of two-tailed cat and date 1821. Archway leads to rock-cut passage descending to two-storey fortified 16th c. wellhouse. House sited on eminence overlooking Clashawley River. Grounds contain 15th c. dovecote, medieval church and graveyard, remains of deserted medieval settlement. Gate lodges to west and south.
Kiltinan Castle, a of the Butlers, was substantially remodelled by the Cooke family during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The main block, said to be built by E. Cooke Esq., incorporates the 15th c. towers. At the rear is the donjon and curtain wall of a 13th c. castle. The overall form of the house presents an imposing façade, complemented by crenellations and pinnacles. The inclusion of the 15th c. towers and return has resulted in a multi-period residence with the fabric of at least five centuries contained within it. The variety of windows with pointed arch detailing is noteworthy. The courtyards of buildings behind the house add considerably to its setting. The demesne contains a myriad of features of archaeological, historic and scenic interest, including the site of a medieval village, a ruined medieval church, a medieval dovecote and imposing 19th. gatehouses.
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/22207020/kiltinan-tipperary-south
Detached circular-plan single-storey dovecote, built c. 1500. Coursed rubble limestone walls and domed roof with limestone coping to top of wall. Square-headed opening to north-west side with roughly dressed limestone lintel.
Appraisal
This dovecote, situated in a prominent location within the grounds of Kiltinan Castle, retains its original form and materials. It is a valuable document and fine example of the extent and activities of this demesne in previous centuries.
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/22207022/kiltinan-tipperary-south
Detached three-bay two-storey gateway, built 1842, with gable-fronted end bays and slightly recessed entrance bay. Crenellations with cut-stone copings to parapet. Coursed rubble sandstone walls with croix pommées to ground floor. Square-headed window openings, now blocked up, with limestone sills and label mouldings. Carved limestone date plaque over window above entrance arch. Tudor-arch archway with cut-stone voussoirs and double-leaf cast-iron gates. Sweeping rubble sandstone walls flanking gatehouse and terminated by roughly dressed sandstone piers having rough crenellations. Post box with crown and royal insignia of Queen Victoria to west sweep wall.
Appraisal
The southern entrance to Kiltinan Castle, prominently situated at a junction, presents a commanding and imposing façade to the roadway. Once the seat of the Butlers, Kiltinan Castle was substantially remodelled by the Cooke family during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The architecture of the gateway is modelled on that of the castle hence the crenellations and medieval motifs such as the croix pommées. The gateway is notable for its large size and decorative detailing such as the label mouldings.
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/22207021/kiltinan-tipperary-south
Quadrant entrance gateway, built c. 1840, comprising pointed archway flanked by crenellated two-stage towers presenting V-plan to roadside. Coursed roughly dressed sandstone walls with cut-stone string course and eaves course. Square-headed arrow slit openings to towers and carved sandstone oculi to spandrels of archway. Double-leaf cast-iron gates. Crenellated screen walls to each side of gateway, with pointed arch pedestrian entrances, one blocked. Sweep walls terminated by crenellated dressed sandstone piers.
Appraisal
This imposing gateway, a fine example of castellated architecture, forms the west, main, entrance to Kiltinan Castle. The architecture of the gateway is modelled on that of the castle hence the use of medieval motifs such as the crenellations and the skilfully-made arrow slits. The gateway represents a striking roadside feature.
http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-list.jsp?letter=K
Kiltinane Castle was the seat of the Cooke family in the 18th and 19th centuries. Lewis describes the castle as the seat of R. Cooke, it “consists of an ancient circular tower …. and a residence erected on the old site by the late E. Cooke”. In the mid 19th century the buildings were valued at £38+ and held by Robert Cooke in fee. Noted by Slater in 1894 as the seat of Robert Cooke. Sold by the Cookes in the 1920s to Mrs le Terrier, Kiltinan Castle now belongs to Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Irish Historic Houses 