Dunnamona
Dunnamona is a motte-and-bailey and National Monument in County Westmeath, Ireland.
Location
Dunnamona motte is located next to a tributary of the Owenacharra River, 4.7 km (2.9 mi) east of Tubberclare.
History and archaeology
Motte-and-bailey castles were a primitive type of castle built by the Norman invasion, a mound of earth topped by a wooden palisade. This region, known as Tethbae, was allotted to the Dillon family, descendants of Sir Henry de Leon (c. 1176 – 1244). They built the motte at Dunnamona ("hillfort of peat") as well as another at Drumraney, later abandoning the mottes for permanent stone castles.
References
- ^ "National Monuments of County Westmeath in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Buildings and Settlements - Drumraney Heritage".
- ^ "Geograph:: Motte at Dunnamona, Co. Westmeath (C) Kieran Campbell".
- ^ "Message Boards".