Kells Castle facts for kids
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Móta Cheanannais
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Panorama of Kells in 1794. Motte is visible to the right.
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 Location in Ireland
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| Alternative name | Kells Motte | ||||||||||
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| Location | Kells Road, Kells, County Kilkenny, Ireland |
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| Region | Kings River Valley | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°32′30″N 7°16′23″W / 52.541647°N 7.272985°W | ||||||||||
| Type | motte | ||||||||||
| Diameter | 12 m (39 ft) | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Builder | Geoffrey FitzRobert | ||||||||||
| Material | earth | ||||||||||
| Founded | late 12th century | ||||||||||
| Periods | Norman Ireland | ||||||||||
| Cultures | Cambro-Norman | ||||||||||
| Associated with | Normans | ||||||||||
| Site notes | |||||||||||
| Public access | yes | ||||||||||
| Designation |
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Kells Castle, also known as Kells Motte, is a very old type of castle found in Kells, County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is a special historical site called a National Monument.
Where is Kells Castle?
You can find Kells Castle just south of the Kells Bridge. This bridge crosses the Kings River. The castle is right behind Delaney's Bar.
What is a Motte-and-Bailey Castle?
Motte-and-bailey castles were one of the first types of castles built in Ireland. They were made after the Normans arrived.
- A motte is a big mound of earth. It usually had a wooden tower on top.
- A bailey is a courtyard area next to the motte. It was often surrounded by a wooden fence called a palisade and a ditch.
These castles were quick to build and offered good protection.
History of Kells Motte
Kells Motte was built in the late 1100s by a man named Geoffrey FitzRobert. It was built on a raised area of gravel, which might have been an island in the Kings River.
This motte was very important for the Normans. It helped them settle in the area and use its resources. This region was once the Kingdom of Osraige, ruled by Irish people.
By the next century, people started to focus more on other parts of the town. The main activity moved from the motte to the bailey area. Later, the important Kells Priory became the center of the town. Because of this, Kells Motte was eventually left behind.
