St Johnstown Castle

Map Reference: S230412 (2230, 1412)



This tower-house stands to full height but there are no crenellations. The pointed doorway in the east wall is surmounted by a carved panel depicting a coat-of-arms and a raised inscription. The coat-of-arms shows a shield divided into quarters. Two sets of six scallop shells occupy diagonally opposite quarters with two sets of three fishes in the other quarters. The inscription is clearly carved but some of the letters are strangely formed. This makes it difficult to read but it is possible to see Robert, Scadanstowne, Lismaintan and fecit me. Scaddanstown is the old name for St Johnstown. In the west wall there is a modern lintelled entrance and a latrine-chute exit. There are round bartizans on top of the southwest and northeast corners. The interior of the building is not accessible but the darkened windows suggest that there may be two vaults inside, one over the ground floor and one over the third floor. There are gables on the east and west walls and chimneys at the north and south.