Coolhill Castle

Map Reference: S726353 (2726, 1353)



Coolhill Castle may be the circular keep of a 13th century castle. Henry de Rupe (de Roache or Roche) held lands here in 1318. The castle passed to the Mountgarret family in 1621 and was confiscated by the Parliamentarians in 1652. The present remains consist of a round tower with a small S projection. The pointed N doorway is protected by a machicolation and there is a second machicolation on the E side. A murder-hole guards the double entrance.



A mural stairway rises on the left and soon becomes spiral. The circular ground floor room has large window recesses. There is a very fine circular vault with some wicker-marks. There are three storeys above the vault. At the first floor a small curved passage leads to a small rectangular room in the S projection. There is a fireplace at the second floor. The stairway leads to the third floor where a separate stairway leads to the roof. There is a small rectangular room at the third floor in a similar position to that at the first floor. It contains a latrine. There is also a fireplace at the third floor. The defensive loops are mainly single-light with some round loops and one cross-shaped loop. There is a small tower a short distance to the S of the castle.