Callan Motte facts for kids
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Móta Challainn
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 Location in Ireland
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| Location | Westcourt Demesne, Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland |
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| Region | Kings River Valley | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°32′48″N 7°23′30″W / 52.546657°N 7.391781°W | ||||||||||
| Type | motte | ||||||||||
| Length | 66 m (217 ft) (at base) | ||||||||||
| Width | 48 m (157 ft) (at base) | ||||||||||
| Area | 780 m2 (8,400 sq ft) (summit area) | ||||||||||
| Diameter | 40 m (130 ft) | ||||||||||
| Height | 12 metres (39 ft) | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Builder | Geoffrey FitzRobert | ||||||||||
| Material | earth | ||||||||||
| Founded | c. 1217 | ||||||||||
| Periods | Norman Ireland | ||||||||||
| Cultures | Cambro-Norman, Old English | ||||||||||
| Associated with | Normans | ||||||||||
| Site notes | |||||||||||
| Public access | yes | ||||||||||
| Designation |
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Callan Motte is an old type of castle called a motte-and-bailey. It is a special historical site, known as a National Monument, located in Callan, Ireland. This ancient earth mound tells a story of early castles and local history.
Contents
Where is Callan Motte?
Callan Motte is right in the middle of Callan town. You can find it north of the Kings River. It is west of Upper Bridge Street and east of the N76. The base of the Motte faces east. It is about 100 meters from the Kings River. The area around it is being improved. This will make it easier for people to visit.
History of the Motte
What is a Motte-and-Bailey?
Motte-and-bailey castles were the first kind of castles built in Ireland. This happened after the Normans arrived. A motte is a large mound of earth. A wooden fence, called a palisade, stood on top. There was also a wooden tower. The bailey was a fenced-in yard next to the mound.
Building and Use
Callan Motte was built around the year 1217. A man named Geoffrey FitzRobert built it. He worked for William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke. In 1307, people described it as a castle. It had a wooden hall and other wooden rooms. It also had a stone room and a kitchen. The castle was no longer used as a main home after the 1300s.
Local Stories
There is a local story about the Motte. People say that Oliver Cromwell's soldiers used it. They supposedly put cannons on the Motte. This happened during the 1650 Siege of Callan.
Moat Carnivals
The Motte is known locally as 'The Moat'. It became famous again in the late 1950s. This was because of the Moat Carnivals. These week-long events were held on the field near the Motte. They also took place on the hill where the castle once stood.
Dancing and Queens
Big tents were set up for the carnivals. Hundreds of people would gather inside. Long dancing sessions brought the hilltop to life. A very popular part of the carnival was crowning the 'Carnival Queen'. A famous radio person, Larry Gogan, crowned the last queen in 1963. These dances were very popular. Later, they moved to a bigger tent. This tent was set up on the Fairgreen for several months each year.
Street Leagues
Another fun event was the Street Leagues. Teams from different streets in Callan played against each other. They competed in games like hurling or football.
Information Panels
The area around the Moat Field is being updated. As part of this, new information panels have been put up. These panels share interesting facts. They tell about the history of the Moat Field. They also talk about the plants and animals found there.
