Inch

Area

2,639 m² (0.26 ha, 0.65 acres)

Buildings

3 buildings touch it. Their footprint covers 348 m².

Zoning

G3 GB - Green Belt (The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029) The objective

Townland

Inch

Planning applications on this parcel

No planning application touches this parcel in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches this parcel.

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 7 recorded monuments.

• DU005-009002 Headstone
  Description

  Located within a graveyard (DU005-057005-), just SW of a church (DU005-057003-). A number of squat, irregularly shaped headstones bear 'folk art'. Commemorative inscriptions dating mainly to the first half of the 18th-century are framed by incised decorative motifs, including ‘lose’ or open spirals, lozenges and hearts. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 30 September 2021

• DU005-009004 Bullaun stone
  Description

  Archaeological monitoring (Excavation licence no. 04E0671) of an extension to the N of the existing graveyard (DU005-057005-) uncovered a bullaun stone in the topsoil of a formerly green area (Stevens 2007, 98-9). A roughly dressed, trapezoidal, limestone block (dims. L 33cm; Wth 26cm; H 13cm) contains a neatly carved, shallow, circular depression (diam. 12.5cm; D 8cm). Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 1 October 2021

• DU005-057 Settlement cluster
  Description

  Listed as 'Village' in the Dublin Record of Monuments and Places issued in 1998 when it was assigned the RMP No. DU005-057----. This classification has been changed to Settlement Cluster as it relates to the settlement or village of Balrothery which was clustered around Balrothery Church (DU005-057003-), graveyard (DU005-057005-), Balrothery Castle (DU005-057006-) and the triangular shaped Fair Green located to the NE of the graveyard.  The terrier of the 1657 Down Survey map of the parish of Balrothery recorded that Patrick Barnewell was the owner of ‘Severall Tenements undistinguished’ in the townland of 'Balrudery'.   According to Lewis (1837, 170-1) the church of Balrothery was ‘anciently annexed to that part of the church of Lusk which in the earlier ages belonged to the archdeaconry of Dublin, and was separated from it about the year 1220 by Archbishop Henry. The village is situated on the road from Dublin to Balbriggan, from which latter it is distant about a mile, and in 1831 contained 84 houses’ (ibid.).  He also recorded the local tradition that ‘Jas. II. is said to have slept at the White Hart Inn here, before the battle of the Boyne: and the same distinction is claimed by another ancient house in the village, which was formerly an extensive inn’ (ibid.). Two fairs were held at Balrothery on the 6th of May and the 12th of August for the sale of ‘Cattle and Pedlar’s goods’ (Carlisle 1810).   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

• DU005-057003 Church
  Description

  The present Church of Ireland church at Balrothery (NIAH Reg. No. 11309002) dedicated to St Peter either stands on the footprint of the medieval parish church of St. Peter or was incorporated into the fabric of the present church. The residential W tower of the medieval parish church of Balrothery (Balruddery) (Baile an Ridire/Town of the Knight) now stands connected to the W end of the C. of I. building by a small low porch.  The present church and western tower which is a National Monument (No. 590), stands in the SW quadrant of Balrothery graveyard (DU005-057005-) which contains an inscribed stone (DU005-009002-) and bullaun stone (DU005-009004-).  Balrothery Castle (DU005-057006-) stands on glebe lands, c. 30m to the S of the medieval church. A holy well (DU005-057007-) lies in the field 280m to the E of the church.  Balrothery Church was listed in the Dublin SMR (1988) as DU005-00901-. The church was listed in the Dublin RMP (1998) as DU005-05703- and is listed on the Historic Environment Viewer as DU005-057003-. A medieval stone head or mouth puller (RMP No. DU005-05704-) is visible beneath the window sill in the external face of the E gable of the C. of I. church.  The medieval double aisled nave and chancel church with western tower (NLI, PD 1976 TX 123) in the parish of Balrothery and barony of the same in north Dublin now Fingal, in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, was described by Austin Cooper in the late 18th-century, as a formidable building with a nave which contained arched recesses either side and a smaller chancel. A carved head below the E window of the present church is probably the one described 'as a large projecting head' near the E window (Price 1945, 83-84). The W tower is square in plan and rises three storeys with a belfry stage. A round turret in NW corner contains the stairs. Interior is lit by a double-light ogee-headed window with hood moulding in the W wall, the S terminal of which ends in a carved bearded figure. There is a stone vault over the first floor. A string course and offset mark the base of the belfry stage and there is another string course below double-light pointed windows. There are multi-stepped crenellations on the parapet wall with a 19th-century bellcote on the E side (Leask 1960, 23-24).   In 1810 the church was described as ‘in good repair’ with no ‘Glebe House: two Glebes, one of 19 acres, joining the church, and the other, of 10a 3r. 34p., three quarters of a mile from the church’(Carlisle 1810).  Two fairs were held at Balrothery on the 6th of May and the 12th of August for the sale of ‘Cattle and Pedlar’s goods’.  According to Lewis (1837, 170-1) the church of Balrothery was ‘anciently annexed to that part of the church of Lusk which in the earlier ages belonged to the archdeaconry of Dublin, and was separated from it about the year 1220 by Archbishop Henry’ (ibid.).  He also recorded the local tradition that ‘Jas. II. is said to have slept at the White Hart Inn [DU025-054----] here, before the battle of the Boyne: and the same distinction is claimed by another ancient house in the village, which was formerly an extensive inn’ (ibid.).  Samuel Lewis recorded that the ‘church, with the exception of the tower, which is embattled and surmounted at the north-west angle with a circular turret, and at the others with small turrets, was taken down and rebuilt, by aid of a loan of £1000 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1816’ (ibid.).  Datestone in the S wall of the church which reads ‘Hoc Templum Decoratum, erat diligentis et studio Th. Brereton generosi …. AD 1722’. The medieval church and tower was described by the antiquary Austin Cooper in the 18th-century as; ‘an old church of an extraordinary construction and most undoubtedly appears to be an ancient piece of work much mutilated.  It formerly consisted of a range of arches or rather arched recesses on each side, which was all included in regular walls  that must appear of a great thickness each recess being I imagine about 10 feet [3m] deep.  Those on the N side have been all taken away and the wall patched up, but the opposite side remains entire, each recess being a snug seat in the Church. On ascending a flight of stairs leading to the battlements, I could not help expressing some surprise at the apparent thickness of the wall, but what I most admired was the manner of finishing the battlements and for carrying off the water by gutters.  The chancel is small and in very indifferent repair.  At the W end is a square steeple or belfry with a round tower supporting the NW angle which exactly resembles those supporting the steeple at Lusk, but inferior in size and workmanship.  Of all the places I have seen none can challenge this church for a multiplicity of inscriptions.  The natives have been very frugal in the expence of tomb stones and instead thereof have used the stones in the walls of the church and by that means there is scarce a stone in the wall not inscribed’ (Price 1942, 83-4; Walsh 1888, 250-1).  Church of Ireland church described by Walsh (1888, 251) as; ‘this curious church was taken down and rebuilt A.D. 1816, when the present plain oblong quadrangular edifice succeeded it, 52 feet [15.8m] long by 28 [8.5m] wide.  But this, like its predecessor, is united at the W end to the fine old tower about 20 feet [m] square, which from an eminence commands the high road from Swords to the north.  To the N.W. corner is united a round tower, built at the same time, and pierced irregularly by what seem to have been arrow slits.  On the sides of the tower are several windows, with well-cut stonework.  One window, richly carved on the W side, is in perpendicular Gothic style’.  The W tower (National Monument No. 590) of the church was described by Harold Leask (1960, 23-4) as; ‘a small but sturdy structure with strongly battered walls and has at the SW angle, arising from the ground to above the parapet, a round turret containing the stairs.  The parapets are of the Irish, multi-stepped variety, a string-course and offset mark the base of the belfry stage and there is another string course immediately below the pair of pointed windows. The W window, low down, is of two ogee-headed lights below a square label.  While the two towers (Balrothery and Lusk) are not datable from any record, a date of c. 1500 for both, based on stylistic grounds, is probably not far wide of the mark’.  In 1999, archaeological monitoring by Donal Murphy under licence No. 99E026 associated with the refurbishment of the former C. of I. church uncovered medieval burials immediately to the S of the SW corner of the church. Sherds of medieval pottery recovered from the burials suggest a 13th-14th-century date (Murphy 2000, 52-3).   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien   Date of Compilation: 01 December 2025

• DU005-057005 Graveyard
  Description

  Located on a prominent rise off the green in Balrothery from where the ground slopes steeply down to N, E and W. Oblong in plan (L c. 70m E-W; Wth c. 60m N-S) the graveyard is enclosed by a mortared stone wall with an entrance gate on the E side. The ground levels are higher in the interior than outside and the graveyard is still in use. A fortified medieval residential church tower (DU005-057003-) which is a National Monument (No. 590) in state care stands in the SW sector. Its associated medieval parish church was replaced in 1816 by a Board of First Fruits C of I church which now functions as the Balrothery Heritage Centre. There is a large concentration of 18th century memorials (Mytum 2003) and of particular interest are six squat, irregularly shaped headstones bearing 'folk art' to the SW of the church (DU005-057003-).  During works associated with the refurbishment of St. Peter's church in 1999 human remains were uncovered (99E026). These were located immediately to the S of the SW corner of the present church. Three phases of burial were identified and the total number of individuals was twelve including three adult males, two adult females and seven juveniles. Sherds of medieval pottery recovers from the burials suggest a 13th-14th-century date (Murphy 2000, 52-3). In 2002, archaeological test excavation (Excavation licence no. 02E1316) in advance of a proposed graveyard extension at NE revealed three fragmentary burials which were subsequently preserved in situ. Subsequent archaeological monitoring of the extension (Excavation licence no. 04E0671) uncovered a bullaun stone (DU005-009004-). In 2002 traces of three human burials were uncovered during an archaeological assessment associated with a proposed cemetery extension at St. Peter's church. Fragments of souterrain ware and a flint end scraper were recovered (Murphy 2004, 126-7). Further works in 2004 revealed the presence of a curvilinear ditch with stone along one edge associated with these burials (Stevens 2007, 98-9).  In October 2014, a fallen tree damaged the graveyard wall and resulted in some collapse.   Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Revised by: Gearóid Conroy Date of revised upload: 1 October 2021

• DU005-057006 Castle - tower house
  Description

  Located on a natural rise in the wooded grounds of Glebe House directly south of the graveyard in Balrothery village. This is a three-storey rectangular tower house with later modifications to the windows and battlements (ext. dims.5.6m N-S; 7.5m E-W). Built of coursed limestone masonry with dressed quoins and a base batter. A pointed-arched doorway on W. side, now blocked, led into a vaulted ground floor. There is a spiral staircase in the SW corner. The interior is lit by a round-headed window in the N wall on the first floor and a trefoil-headed window in N wall on the second floor, which is a later insertion. A machicolation survives on the N wall. There is the scar of a gabled building, which was formerly attached to S wall. This is the castle held by the minister of Balrothery which is mentioned in the Civil survey (1654-6) (Simington 1945, 15; Anon 1833, 209-211). Considerable ivy growth covers the building. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 15 November 2014

• DU005-064 Field system
  Description

  Pre-development test excavations in 2000 identified medieval activity on the west facing sloping field close to Balrothery towerhouse (DU005-057006-). This comprised a broad curving ditch which produced stratified medieval pottery. This was cut by two other ditches which produced Leinster Cooking Ware (00E0034). The medieval activity was preserved in the open space of a housing estate. Archaeological monitoring (05E1187) in advance of housing construction revealed post-medieval cultivation furrows and surfaces. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 15 November 2014

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands on this parcel.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Ground and risks

Radon

At the centre of this parcel, about 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as moderately low, low.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of this parcel.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

Download this parcel as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program. GeoJSON, in WGS 84, suits a map, and KML opens in Google Earth.

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.