King John's Castle (Kilmallock) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids King John's Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caisleán an Rí |
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| King's Castle | |
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| Type | tower house/peel tower |
| Location | Sarsfield Street, Kilmallock, County Limerick, Ireland |
| Built | 15th century |
| Owner | State |
| Official name: King John's Castle | |
| Reference no. | 173 |
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Welcome to King John's Castle, also known as King's Castle! This amazing old building is a type of castle called a tower house. It's also a special National Monument in Ireland. You can find it in a town called Kilmallock.
Where is the Castle?
King John's Castle is in the historic town of Kilmallock. It's easy to find! The castle stands about 137 meters (449 feet) west of the old Collegiate Church of St Peter and St Paul. It's also about 152 meters (499 feet) southwest of Kilmallock Abbey.
A Peek into History
Even though it's called King John's Castle, this tower house wasn't built during the time of King John. He ruled from 1177 to 1216. Instead, this castle was built much later, sometime in the 15th century. People probably gave it this name to make it sound as important as King John's Castle in Limerick.
The castle still has some of its original windows. These windows have stone dividers called mullions. However, many of the windows you see today were changed in the 18th century.
Over the years, the castle had many uses. In 1588, a man named Henry Billingsley was given the castle. Later, in 1604, it went to Thomas Browne. During the Irish Confederate Wars in 1645, it was used as a place to store weapons for James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven's soldiers. In 1651, it even became a hospital for soldiers.
The castle was fixed up again in the 18th or 19th century. After that, it was used as a workshop by a blacksmith. Imagine the sounds of hammers and metal inside!
What the Castle Looks Like
King John's Castle is a four-story tower house. It has some of its original windows with stone mullions. The ground floor has a strong vaulted ceiling. This means it has a curved, arched roof made of stone.
Interestingly, the front and back walls of the castle were removed a long time ago. This created a large, pointed archway going right through the middle of the castle. This arch is in the Gothic style, which was popular for grand buildings.
