Oldtown

87 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Oldtown, from 49 m² to 519,718 m² (51.97 ha, 128.42 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 38 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Oldtown in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 21 Nov 2025Conditional

  construct a single storey extension to the front of, and modifications to, the existing single-storey dwelling, and associated site works

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2560773

• 18 Nov 2025N/a

  constructa single storey extension to the front of, and modifications to, the existing single-storey dwelling, and associated site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2560762

• 27 Sept 2025Conditional

  construct a two-storey extension to the side and rear of the existing single-storey dwelling and associated site works

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2560622

• 12 Mar 2025Conditional

  construct an equestrian arena shed and an extension to an existing agricultural storage shed for use as storage for the equestrian arena shed, and retention permission is sought for an existing outdoor sand surfaced horse training/exercising arena and an existing viewing area shed for the existing exterior arena

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2560117

• 11 Mar 2025Conditional

  retain existing agricultural storage sheds

  Retention · Laois County Council, 2560111

• 17 Dec 2024N/a

  Construct an agricultural storage shed and an extension to an existing agricultural storage shed, and retention permission for existing agricultural storage sheds and a sand surfaced horse exercising area

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2460771

• 29 Sept 2022Conditional

  (A) construct a storey and a half extension to rear of existing domestic dwelling, new treatment system, percolation area and all associated site works; (B) retain indefinitely single storey extension; (C) construct 3 bay storage shed and all associated site works

  Permission, 2 homes · Laois County Council, 22600

• 23 Sept 2022N/a

  (A) construct a storey and a half extension to rear of existing domestic dwelling, new treatment system, percolation area and all associated site works; (B) retain indefinitely single storey extension; (C) construct 3 bay storage shed and all associated site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 22588

• 20 Sept 2021Conditional

  construct new two storey dwelling, propsed vehicular entrance, proposed garage, driveway, bored well, connection to packaged waste water treatment system with percolation area, storm water soakaways, landscaping and all associated site works

  Permission, 2 homes · Laois County Council, 21658

• 17 Sept 2021N/a

  new two storey dwelling, propsed vehicular entrance, proposed garage, driveway, bored well, connection to packaged waste water treatment system with percolation area, storm water soakaways, landscaping and all associated site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 21651

• 2 Sept 2021Conditional

  replace existing milk holding tank with a 20,000Lt tank and all associated site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 21611

• 23 Apr 2021Conditional

  two storey dwelling, garage, new site entrance, septic tank, percolation area and all associated site works

  Permission, 2 homes · Laois County Council, 21255

• 29 May 2020Conditional

  replace an agricultural site entrance with a shared residential site entrance consisting of walls, piers, entrance gates and a driveway. The current residential site entrance is to be removed and replaced with a roadside boundary hedge and fencing. Note: Part of this subject site is located in County Kilkenny and that an application has been submitted to Kilkenny County Council for development on the remainder of the site.

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 20257

• 19 May 2020Conditional

  for development . The proposal consists of the following: 1. Construction of a detached two storey dwelling and construction of a detached single storey domestic garage. 2. Installation of an approved wastewater treatment system and a percolation area, to appropriate standards. 3. Construction of a site entrance, driveway, parking areas, footpaths and hard landscaping areas. The current site entrance is to be removed and replaced with a roadside boundary hedge and fencing. 4. Landscaping of the site consisting of new grass areas, planting beds, trees, hedging and shrubbery and all associated site works. Note: Part of the subject site is also located in County Laois and as such a joint application is being made to Kilkenny County Council and Laois County Council

  Permission, 1 home · Kilkenny County Council, 20312

• 13 Nov 2017Conditional

  construct a slatted animal house with covered feed passage and all associated works and services

  Permission · Laois County Council, 17601

• 3 Oct 2017Conditional

  construct a machinery shed and all associated works and services

  Permission · Laois County Council, 17534

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 the townland of Oldtown.

Recorded monuments

• LA034-020 Bridge
  Description

  Shown on the Down Survey (1655-6) map. Replaced by a concrete bridge. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA034-032001 Religious house - unclassified
  Description

  Reference to a church (dims. 12m E-W; 6.3m N-S) situated within a ringfort (LA034-023002-) (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 233-4). No visible surface remains. Possibly an early monastic site. Described by Carrigan as 'In the 'Rath field', in Thawrla, there is a round rath (LA034-032002-) 33 yds. in diameter, within which the Ordnance Map marks the site of an 'Abbey in ruins'. The foundations of a building, 40 ft. from east to west, by 21 ft. from north to south, are still distinclty traceable inside the ring. The tradition of a church or abbey having ever been here, has died out. There are two ancient draw-wells close to the rath; one is in the same field and is called the Closh; the other is in the next field to the south, beside the fence seperating Thawlra farm from the Co. Kilkenny, and is called Lughany.' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 233) A rectilinear-shaped enclosure (LA034-032003-) with rounded corners is visible as a cropmark on Google Earth photographs taken 28/06/2018 immediately N of the religious house and may be the remains of a monastic precinct boundary. The S side of this enclosure is possibly visible as a curvilinear cropmark on aerial imagery to S of the abbey building. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA034-032002 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  Reference to a ringfort here (diam 33 yds), (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 233, 234). Modern hayshed built on site. Possible inner fosse with external bank at SE. No other visible surface remains. Described by Carrigan as 'In the "Rath field", in Thawrla, there is a round rath 33 yds. in diameter, within which the Ordnance Map marks the site of an "Abbey in ruins". The foundations of a building (LA034-032001-), 40 ft. from east to west, by 21 ft. from north to south, are still distinclty traceable inside the ring. The tradition of a church or abbey having ever been here, has died out. There are two ancient draw-wells close to the rath; one is in the same field and is called the Closh; the other is in the next field to the douth, beside the fence seperating Thawlra farm from the Co. Kilkenny, and is called Lughany.' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 233) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA034-032003 Enclosure
  Description

  A rectilinear-shaped enclosure (diam. c. 81m N-S; c. 57m E-W) with rounded corners is visible as a cropmark on Google Earth aerial imagery immediately N of a religious house (LA034-032001-) and may be the precinct boundary of the monastic site. The S side of this enclosure is barely visible as a curvilinear cropmark on aerial imagery to S of the abbey building. See attached Google Earth aerial photograph taken 28 June 2018 Compiled by: Jean Farrelly based on information provided by Simon Dowling Date of upload: 2 April 2019

• LA034-034 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  Situated on a N-S ridge in a very prominent position. A circular area (diam. c. 46m) defined by a stone-faced inner bank (Wth c. 5.9m, int. H c. 0.8m, ext. H c. 1.9m), intervening fosse (max. Wth c. 11m) and outer bank (Wth c. 5m, int. H c. 0.9m, ext. H c. 1.4m) from SW-NW. Entrance with causeway (Wth c. 2.1m) at E. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA034-051 Enclosure
  Description

  Monument was identified in 2002 when archaeological investigations were carried out in this field as part of the archaeological assessment of the M8 motorway. Site also visible as a cropmark of a large circular enclosure on aerial photograph taken by Markus Casey in August 2004. Cropmark of monument clearly visible on Google Earth aerial photograph taken 03/08/2010. Monitoring of investigative groundworks (the excavation of three boreholes and three trial-pits) was carried out in the townland of Oldtown, Co. Laois, in May 2002 under licence No. 02E0647. The site at Oldtown was discovered during field inspection as part of the assessment of the N8 route by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd. During aerial survey for this scheme, dark cropmarks were observed, and on the ground very obvious undulations formed what might be a potential complex of large earthworks. In light of this, a geophysical survey was undertaken by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd, the results of which indicate the presence of four circular enclosures with associated field systems and a partial circular feature in the north-west of the field. The boreholes and trial-pits were sited to avoid the cropmarks, geophysical responses and upstanding features as much as possible. They were excavated using a mechanical digger fitted with a grading bucket and a percussion-coring rig fitted with a 150mm coring bit. No material of archaeological significance came to light during these investigative groundworks (Fegan 2004, 287-8). Monitoring of topsoil-stripping was carried out in advance of the proposed M7 Portlaoise– Castletown/M8 Portlaoise–Cullahill motorway scheme between February and June 2005. The work was carried out on behalf of Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority. The section described in this report is Testing Area 14 of Contract 1. Contract 1 of the project incorporated the Portlaoise–Cullahill section of the scheme, consisting of c. 14km of motorway, which extends from Aghaboe to south of Cullahill through the townlands from Gortnaclea to Oldtown. Testing Area 14 was located to the west of the N8 Cork–Dublin road. It was located between Chainage 10460 and 10250 of the proposed scheme. A geophysical survey (02R068) of a portion of Testing Area 14 was undertaken by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd on behalf of ARUP Consulting Engineers. A broad area of settlement activity was recorded over Testing Areas 13 and 14. It comprised three circular enclosures, a double ditched enclosure, a possible enclosure and associated field systems. As a result, Testing Area 14 was stripped of topsoil to ensure that any archaeological remains present would be detected. However, no archaeological features were exposed on this site (O'Neill 2008, 224). See attached Google Earth aerial photograph of cropmark taken 28/06/2018 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 13 June 2016

• LA034-052 Enclosure
  Description

  Cropmark of a circular-shaped enclosure visible on Google Earth aerial photograph taken 28/06/2018. See attached Google Earth image taken 28/06/2018 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details kindly provided by Paul Walsh Date of upload: 28 January 2019

• LA034-053 Enclosure
  Description

  Cropmark of an oval-shaped enclosure (diam. c. 40m NE-SW; c. 32m NW-SE) with an entrance (Wth c. 5m) in the NE quadrant, visible on Google Earth aerial photograph taken 28/06/2018. See attached image taken from Google Earth Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Paul Walsh Date of upload: 28 January 2019

• LA034-054 Enclosure
  Description

  Cropmark of a circular-shaped enclosure visible on Google Earth aerial photograph taken 28/06/2018. See attached image taken from Google Earth Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details kindly provided by Paul Walsh Date of upload: 28 January 2019

• LA034-055 Enclosure
  Description

  Cropmark of a circular-shaped enclosure (diam. c. 12m) visible on Google Earth aerial photograph taken 28/06/2018. See attached image taken from Google Earth Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Paul Walsh Date of upload: 28 January 2019

• LA034-056 Enclosure
  Description

  The W side of a curvilinear enclosure (diam. N-S c. 33m) visible as a cropmark on Google Earth (imagery date 28 June 2018, identified and reported by Simon Dowling. The E side of the enclosure may be incorporated in the field boundaries which kink out, possibly following the line of the enclosure. A religious house (LA034-032001-) and ringfort (LA034-032002-) are located c. 70m to the SE. In tillage. See attached Google Earth image taken 28/06/2018 Compiled by: Jean Farrelly based on information supplied by Simon Dowling Date of upload: 2 April 2019

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Oldtown.

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).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Oldtown, 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 high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Oldtown.

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.

No address of the register names Oldtown with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Laois.

Name

Oldtown · An Seanbhaile Thiar

Area

3,089,113 m² (308.91 ha, 763.34 acres)

Civil parish

Aghmacart, and its townlands

Barony

Clarmallagh

Electoral division

Cullahill, the unit of the census

Census 2022

362 people lived in 123 households in the Cullahill electoral division. 89% of households owned their home. 21% of homes were built since 2001. 8% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Aghmacart, Ballinfrase, Ballydavin, Coolnacrutta (Co. Kilkenny), Gorteennahilla, Graigueagarran, Parknahown, Scrub and Glenmacolla, Shanbally

Placenames

Oldtown on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address. Old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.