Castle Ffrench

74 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Castle Ffrench, from 351 m² to 132,225 m² (13.22 ha, 32.67 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 22 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 Castle Ffrench 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.

No planning application touches the townland of Castle Ffrench 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

• Natural Heritage Area: Castle Ffrench West Bog NHA 000280

Recorded monuments

• GA047-014 Castle - unclassified
  Description

  On a steep ridge in gently undulating grassland. Known locally as O'Kelly's Castle, it was acquired by the ffrench family in the late 16th C (Bence-Jones 1978, 66). Only fragmentary remains survive, principally at SW corner (L 1.5m), while overgrown boulders may indicate the line of NW (L c. 10.5m) and SE walls (L c. 2m). Faint traces of on overgrown wall (L 10m) adjoining castle wall at SW may be the remains of the bawn. According to the landowner, a pointed arch doorway in the walled garden immediately to NE may originally have been part the castle. A 17th-C tower house (GA047-015----) lies c. 200m to E and an 18th-C mansion c. 300m to NE. (O'Flanagan 1927, Vol. 1, 243) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-015 Castle - tower house
  Description

  In gently undulating pastureland, c. 200m E of 'Castle Ffrench' (GA047-014----). A rectangular four-storey tower (L 6.25m, Wth 4.5m) in fair condition. An inscribed plaque bearing the ffrench coat of arms records that it was built in 1683. This is set into SW wall, at 1st-floor level, where it is blocking a small window. The original doorway was probably at S end of SE wall where a blocked ope is overlooked by a machicolation at parapet level. Present access is via a wide segmental archway (Wth 2.55m) in NW wall. None of the floors survive but corbels and beam slots indicate their position. Fireplaces survive in E corner on 1st and 2nd floors and a chimney stack rises from 3rd floor. There are three large rectangular windows in NE wall, probably later insertions. Apart from these, the other windows are just small rectangular opes. Traces of a possible bawn wall are visible at S end of SW wall. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-016 Country house
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

• GA047-017001 Enclosure
  Description

  In gently undulating grassland. Poorly preserved irregular enclosure (E-W >116m, N-S 115m) defined by an inner bank, intervening fosse and outer bank. The monument is cut from N to S by the Ahascragh-Ballygar road and no visible surface trace survives to W of it. The inner bank survives from N through E to SSE and is best preserved from ESE to SSE: a large pit lies immediately outside it in this sector. The fosse and outer bank survive from N to NE. There are a number of low banks in the interior, possibly representing internal divisions, and a modern field wall cuts through S half on a SE-SW axis. A private burial ground (GA047-017002-) overlies the inner bank at SE. This monument also extends on to OS sheet 46 (GA046-033----). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-017002 Burial ground
  Description

  On the inner bank, in SE sector of a large enclosure (GA047-017001-). Marked on 1st ed. of OS 6-inch map as a partially enclosed triangular graveyard (c. 35m by c. 15m). On 3rd ed. (1932), it is shown as an unenclosed oval area (c. 35m by c. 25m) delimited by a broken line within which is a hachured hollow. Though the latter, a quarry pit, is still visible, no surface trace of a boundary survives. Only two grave-markers are visible, one commemorating 'Hamilton ffrench', dated 1771. Beside the latter, and inserted into the enclosure bank, is a partially visible burial vault roofed with red brick. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-018 Ringfort - unclassified
  Description

  On an E-facing slope in undulating grassland. Almost circular rath (E-W 39m, N-S 38m) defined by a bank. According to local information, there was formerly a fosse and outer bank but these were levelled some years ago. Traces of a rectangular enclosure (L 17.5m, Wth 9.5m), enclosed by a bank of earth and stone with a possible entrance at E, lie within W half of interior. It may be associated. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-019 Designed landscape - tree-ring
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

• GA047-020 Designed landscape - tree-ring
  Description

  On flat pastureland within the former demesne of Castle Ffrench. Marked on OS 6-inch maps as a circular tree-planted enclosure. What survives is a poorly preserved circular platform (D 35m) defined by a slight scarp (H 0.2m). Traces of a possible external fosse, indicated by a darker band of vegetation, are visible at N. The interior has been cleared of trees; a pit in E half is probably the result of quarrying. Possibly a tree-ring. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-021 Designed landscape - tree-ring
  Description

  On a gentle N-facing slope in former demesne land. Marked on 1st ed. of OS 6-inch map as a kidney-shaped enclosure and on 3rd ed. (1932) as an oval enclosure (c. 60m by c. 40m), both tree-planted. What is visible is a very poorly preserved ploughed-out oval enclosure defined by a scarp (H 0.7m). Possibly a landscape feature associated with the nearby Castle Ffrench House. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

• GA047-022 Quarry
  Description

  In undulating pastureland. A hachured feature marked on the 1932 edition of the OS 6-inch map proved on inspection in 1984 to be a shallow irregular depression; a disused quarry pit. As it is of post-AD 1700 date it does not come within the remit of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 9 July 2014

• GA047-023 Quarry
  Description

  In pastureland on the grounds of the Castle ffrench estate. A hachured feature marked on the 1932 edition of the OS 6-inch map proved on inspection in 1984 to be a disused quarry pit. A limekiln is associated. As the pit is of post-AD 1700 date it does not come within the remit of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 9 July 2014

• GA047-024 Quarry
  Description

  In undulating pastureland. Four hachured features marked on the 1932 edition of the OS 6-inch map proved on inspection in 1984 to be disused sand or gravel pits. Only traces of the most northerly pit survived as a subcircular shallow depression overgrown with nettles. As they are of post-AD 1700 date they do not come within the remit of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 9 July 2014

• GA047-025 Designed landscape feature
  Description

  The Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) is in the process of providing information on all monuments on The Historic Environment Viewer (HEV). Currently the information for this record has not been uploaded. To access available information for research purposes please make an appointment in advance with the Archive Unit (open Fridays 10.00 am – 5.00 pm), Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, The Custom House, Dublin 1 D01W6XO or email NMarchive@housing.gov.ie.

• GA047-026 Quarry
  Description

  In pastureland. Two hachured features, c. 15m apart, marked on the 1930 edition of the OS 6-inch map proved on inspection in 1984 to be most likely infilled sand or gravel pits. Darker vegetation and nettles marked their locations. As they are of post-AD 1700 date they do not come within the remit of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland. Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 9 July 2014

Architectural heritage

• Castle Ffrench, farmyard complex, 1775–1785 · Regional interest
  Description

  Complex of farm buildings to Castle ffrench country house, built c.1780, comprising cobbled courtyard formed by country house to east, buildings to west and south, and remains of outbuilding to north. Elliptical arch gateways at south-east and north-east, having slightly projecting keystones and wrought-iron vehicular gates. West building comprises two-storey block having six-bay first floor and eight-bay ground floor, with single-storey catslide addition to rear. Slate roof, half-hipped to south end and with bellcote to pitched north end. Roughly dressed limestone walls to front block having tie plates, and rubble walls to rear block. Depressed arch vehicular entrances to middle of front façade, Venetian-style doorways towards ends with spoked fanlights, flanked by square-headed narrower door openings, with dressed stone surrounds, and having timber battened doors. Inner narrow openings converted to windows. Square-headed windows to first floor having dressed stone jambs and nine-pane timber windows. Further single-storey building attached to north-east corner of main block, having pitched slate roof and rubble stone walls. Building at south is three-bay two-storey with external stairs at east end approached by stone doorcase having panelled shouldered and kneed surround. Half-hipped slate roof with recent chimneystack to east end, rubble limestone walls and square-headed openings, door to middle of ground floor, with dressed stone surrounds , recent timber door and recent window frames. Small yard to west bounded by low rubble limestone wall with wrought-iron pedestrian gate. Further single-storey building at right angles to rear, having slate roof and rubble stone walls.

• Castle Ffrench, country house, 1775–1780 · National interest
  Description

  Detached three-storey over basement country house, built 1779, with limestone walls and detailing, having five-bay front façade with shallow three-bay breakfront, four-bay rear elevation having central bays grouped, and three-bay side elevations. Hipped skirt slate roof with ashlar limestone façade to front and side elevations having pilasters with stepped tops surmounted by urns, all above moulded cornice. Rendered chimneystacks in line with ends of breakfront. Dressed limestone walls with cut-stone coping to plinth. Timber sliding sash windows throughout, with dressed stone voussoirs and cut-stone sills. Round-headed window openings to rear elevation, serving stairways, having nine-over-six pane windows with cobweb fanlights. Square-headed window openings elsewhere, three-over-six pane to top floor, six-over-six pane to first, nine-over-six pane to ground and six-over-six pane to basement, latter slightly cambered. Two three-over-three pane windows below stairs windows. Round-headed doorway to rear elevation having dressed stone voussoirs, spoked timber fanlight and timber battened door. Carved limestone doorcase to main entrance comprises square-headed opening with cut-stone surround having lintel to moulded top edge, and elliptical fanlight with spoked tracery, rosettes to spandrels, flanked by fluted pilasters with capitals and plinths, frieze with rosettes to ends, supporting moulded cornice, and having retaining segmental arch above. Carved timber panelled double-leaf door, moulded threshold, approached by steps with rounded corners. Cobbled yard to rear with seventeenth-centuty carved limestone fireplace from tower house to east, and gravel driveway and lawns to front.

• Castle Ffrench, gate lodge, 1770–1790 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached two-bay single-storey former gate lodge, built c.1780, having single-storey extension under construction to east. Hipped natural slate roof with limestone dressed eaves course. Lined and ruled rendered façades with draughted and pecked projecting stone plinth, draughted and pecked stone edging band to end gables. Pointed-arch window openings with draughted and pecked stone surrounds, tooled limestone sills, multi-pane timber sliding sash windows. Pointed-arch timber entrance door with glazed panels to upper section having stained glass to apex panel, timber panels to lower section, and draughted and pecked stone surround. Set in yard with single-storey rendered outbuildings to south and single-storey house to south-west, random rubble boundary wall to road leading to entrance gates of Castle ffrench estate. Entrance gates at road comprises square-plan carved limestone piers having panelled faces and moulded square-plan caps, with wrought-ieon railings atop dressed plinths with cut-stone copings, with hemispherical wheelguards.

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 Castle Ffrench, about 1 in 5 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 low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

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

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 Castle Ffrench with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Galway.

Name

Castle Ffrench · An Clochar

Area

1,838,624 m² (183.86 ha, 454.33 acres)

Civil parish

Killosolan, and its townlands

Barony

Kilconnell

Electoral division

Castleffrench, the unit of the census

Census 2022

522 people lived in 178 households in the Castleffrench electoral division. 92% of households owned their home. 30% of homes were built since 2001. 19% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 1% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ballyvoneen, Castle Ffrench East, Castle Ffrench West, Cornananta Beg, Cornananta More, Corrabaun, Lisnaclassagh

Placenames

Castle Ffrench 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.