Deeps Castle on the River Slaney, Crossabeg, Co Wexford, Ireland
The Deeps castle, remnants of a settlement that was once one of the most important defences on the river, its history lost in the mist of time.
History
A Norman Castle was built at the Deeps, Crossabeg, on the edge of the River Slaney in the 14th or 15th century. This castle, called the Deeps Castle, although now in ruins, is notable as one of the few remaining examples of a Tower House of its kind.
Forty years after Cromwell’s invasion of Wexford, William of Orange fought and defeated the troops of his brother-in law, James 11 of England at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. James is said to have stayed in hiding at the Deeps Castle 2nd July 1690. where he spent the night at the house of a Quaker. He pressed on next day (the 3rd July) to Duncannon Fort, near Waterford, where he went on board a French vessel Lauzun had in waiting for him. It is said to have sailed without even waiting to weigh anchor. [A large anchor, supposed to have been that cut away on this occasion, was dredged up in 1866, and presented to the Marquis of Abercorn, a descendant of one of James's adherents who fled with him.]
Recent History
In the year of The Millinium the castle had fallen in to grave disrepair. The main chimney in the south wall collapsed into the building, weakening the entire structure and altering the distinctive skyline of the area.
The Deeps Castle is not actually located in Killurin, as is often incorrectly stated. It is located in the parish of Crossabeg, adjacent to the parish boundary offered by the River Slaney.
Archaeology
References to the manor of Deeps date from fourteenth century but remains are largely early seventeenth-century when owned by the Devereux family. Rectangular house of three storeys and attic (dims. 15.8m NE-SW; 12.65m NW-SE); the N angle and buttresses are recent and much of NE and NW walls do not survive. Two barrel-vaulted chambers at ground level, lacking lofts and now destroyed, with separate round-headed entrances of undressed stone on SE and NE sides, that at NE now blocked. Separate mural and spiral stairs to first floor with murder-hole over SE entrance. Each vault had two small opes and large fireplace inserted into SW wall. First floor has two surviving fireplaces, a mullioned window (originally two) facing river but defensive opes in other walls and possibly two garderobes. Spiral stairs at E angle to second floor which has large mullioned windows with square hood-mouldings and possibly three garderobes. Jacobean style chimney stacks on SW wall. (Now Collapsed)
Deeps Castle is listed as a National Monument and also listed is one Cist containing cremation and possible food vessel, together with other possible burials destroyed in sand quarrying in 1951
In the 1950s. Martin Freeman discovered an ancient urn, which is now preserved in the National Museum. He discovered the urn and other artifacts in the sandpit, which spanned his land (Laffan-Freeman farm) and that of the present pig-fattening unit. This sandpit was the source of the sand which built many of Co. Wexford’s schools in the 1940s and '50s.
Railway
The Dublin-Wexford railway line runs through Killurin along the west bank of the River Slaney. During the years of the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War in the 1920's, the railway was frequently the target of the local IRA unit, the Kyle Flying Column, commanded by Bob Lambert. Several trains were derailed and rolling stock was destroyed during attempts to disrupt the communication between Dublin and Wexford.
A Norman Castle was built at the Deeps, Crossabeg, on the edge of the River Slaney in the 14th or 15th century. This castle, called the Deeps Castle, although now in ruins, is notable as one of the few remaining examples of a Tower House of its kind.
Forty years after Cromwell’s invasion of Wexford, William of Orange fought and defeated the troops of his brother-in law, James 11 of England at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. James is said to have stayed in hiding at the Deeps Castle 2nd July 1690. where he spent the night at the house of a Quaker. He pressed on next day (the 3rd July) to Duncannon Fort, near Waterford, where he went on board a French vessel Lauzun had in waiting for him. It is said to have sailed without even waiting to weigh anchor. [A large anchor, supposed to have been that cut away on this occasion, was dredged up in 1866, and presented to the Marquis of Abercorn, a descendant of one of James's adherents who fled with him.]
Recent History
In the year of The Millinium the castle had fallen in to grave disrepair. The main chimney in the south wall collapsed into the building, weakening the entire structure and altering the distinctive skyline of the area.
The Deeps Castle is not actually located in Killurin, as is often incorrectly stated. It is located in the parish of Crossabeg, adjacent to the parish boundary offered by the River Slaney.
Archaeology
References to the manor of Deeps date from fourteenth century but remains are largely early seventeenth-century when owned by the Devereux family. Rectangular house of three storeys and attic (dims. 15.8m NE-SW; 12.65m NW-SE); the N angle and buttresses are recent and much of NE and NW walls do not survive. Two barrel-vaulted chambers at ground level, lacking lofts and now destroyed, with separate round-headed entrances of undressed stone on SE and NE sides, that at NE now blocked. Separate mural and spiral stairs to first floor with murder-hole over SE entrance. Each vault had two small opes and large fireplace inserted into SW wall. First floor has two surviving fireplaces, a mullioned window (originally two) facing river but defensive opes in other walls and possibly two garderobes. Spiral stairs at E angle to second floor which has large mullioned windows with square hood-mouldings and possibly three garderobes. Jacobean style chimney stacks on SW wall. (Now Collapsed)
Deeps Castle is listed as a National Monument and also listed is one Cist containing cremation and possible food vessel, together with other possible burials destroyed in sand quarrying in 1951
In the 1950s. Martin Freeman discovered an ancient urn, which is now preserved in the National Museum. He discovered the urn and other artifacts in the sandpit, which spanned his land (Laffan-Freeman farm) and that of the present pig-fattening unit. This sandpit was the source of the sand which built many of Co. Wexford’s schools in the 1940s and '50s.
Railway
The Dublin-Wexford railway line runs through Killurin along the west bank of the River Slaney. During the years of the Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War in the 1920's, the railway was frequently the target of the local IRA unit, the Kyle Flying Column, commanded by Bob Lambert. Several trains were derailed and rolling stock was destroyed during attempts to disrupt the communication between Dublin and Wexford.
King James 11
Battle of the Boyne
