Balgarrett

Townland in the civil parish of Mullingar, barony of Moyashel And Magheradernon, Co. Westmeath

Parcel 115762

Back to Balgarrett

1330 m across. Click a parcel to see it. © Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0

Area: 317,959 m² (31.8 ha, 78.57 acres)
Buildings: 1 building touches it, 32 m² on the ground
Zoning: No zone of a development plan covers it in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply.
Townland: Balgarrett

Planning applications on this parcel

26 Apr 2017Conditional
slurry lagoon and protective fencing as constructed and all ancillary site services
Retention · Westmeath County Council, 176131

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

Designated sites

Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Royal Canal 002103

Recorded monuments around it

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 8 recorded monuments.

WM018-071 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated on a low rise, in undulating pasture, with good views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a roughly circular-shaped earthwork. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a modified penannular-shaped earthwork. Circular-shaped earthwork depicted on an estate map of Sonna Demesne (NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) ). Bivallate ringfort described in 1980 as an oval-shaped area (41.5m N-S; 40.5m E-W) enclosed by an inner bank, an intervening fosse and an outer bank. The perimeter of the monument has been levelled from NE-E-SE, where it is marked by a rise in ground level into the interior. The inner bank is low and poorly preserved with a number of small disturbance gaps. There is no sign of an entrance. A deep intervening fosse is visible from SW-W-N-NNE. The outer bank is fairly substantial and survives from SW-W-N-NNE. The surface of the interior is uneven and there are a number of small disturbance depressions within the NE and SE quadrants. Two small subrectangular-shaped enclosures (WM018-071001-) are visible outside the outer bank at SW and W. There are old cultivation ridges in the field surrounding the monument and the field boundaries to NE and SW have been removed. Monument is visible as a penannular-shaped enclosure on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 February 2019
WM018-071001 Enclosure
Description
Situated on a low rise, in undulating pasture with good views in all directions. Outside the outer bank of ringfort (WM018-071----) are the remains of two small enclosures. A relatively large subrectangular enclosure (dims. 25m E-W; 21m N-S) defined by a low earthen bank is located at W. A smaller subrectangular enclosure (dims. 13.7m NE-SW; 11.5m NW-SE) defined by a low earthen bank is located at SW. These may be annexes to the ringfort or form part of an old field system. Enclosures not visible on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 February 2019
WM018-072 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated on top of a prominent hill, surrounded by gently undulating pasture with excellent views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a roughly circular-shaped enclosure annotated 'Fort'. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a modified oval-shaped enclosure. Circular-shaped earthwork depicted on an estate map of Sonna Demesne (NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) ). Described in 1975 as an almost completely levelled monument consisting of a subcircular-shaped area (approx. diam. 29m) defined by faint traces of a levelled bank. There is no visible trace of a fosse. The original entrance is not recognisable. The interior has a slight NW-facing slope and is disturbed by modern cultivation ridges. Faint outline of monument visible on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 05 February 2019
WM018-108 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated on a prominent oval-shaped hill, in pasture, with extensive views in all directions. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as a broad, roughly oval-shaped earthwork. Castle (WM018-110----) and house site (WM018-109----) lie c. 115m to S and SE, respectively. Ringfort (WM018-072----) 160m to NNE. Circular-shaped earthwork depicted on an estate map of Sonna Demesne (NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) ). Monument described in 1980 as an oval-shaped area (approx. dims. 34.5 N-S; 17.5m E-W) enclosed by an earth and stone bank, an intervening fosse and an outer bank. The inner bank of earth and stone is very poorly preserved and can be traced only from NNW-N and at S. There is a gap (Wth at top 5.8m; basal Wth 3m) in the bank and a slight causeway (Wth at top 3.5m; basal Wth 8m; H 1.1m) at ESE. This is defined by some stones on the N side which may be the remains of a revetment. The fosse is best preserved from NW-N-NNE and from SSE-S-SSW. The fosse can be traced as a much broader and shallower feature from W-NW just inside the field fence which runs NW-SE along the line of the outer bank. The outer bank of earth and stone is fairly substantial and survives from NW-N-NNE and from SSE-S-SSW. There is a narrow sloping berm-like feature at the foot of the outer bank from NNE-E-SE, beyond which is the natural slope. There is a small depression in the side of the hill outside the outer bank from NNW-N. The interior rises irregularly from the perimeter to the centre at E and W. The central area is occupied by a large rectangular house site (WM018-108001-). The SW corner has been disturbed in antiquity by quarrying. Monument clearly visible today as an oval-shaped tree-lined earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. The defensive hilltop location may suggest that this could be the remains of a defensive Anglo-Norman ringwork rather than that of a ringfort. See sketch plan of monument in SMR file which has been drawn by the ASI. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 08 February 2019
WM018-108001 House - indeterminate date
Description
Situated on a steep side oval-shaped hill, in pasture, with extensive views in all directions. In centre of ringfort (WM018-108----) is a rectangular-shaped house site (dims. 9.5m N-S; 3.8m E-W) defined by poorly preserved, sod-covered wall footings (approx. Wth 1.4m; H 0.3m), best visible along W side, no more than a line of stones on the surface elsewhere. A gap (approx. Wth 1.8m) in the E wall may represent the site of a doorway. The very poorly preserved remains of an internal dividing wall consist of a line of stones running E-W across the interior of the house site. The interior consists of two rectangular rooms: The room (dims. 4m N-S; 3m E-W) at S is slightly larger than the room (dims. 3.1m N-S; 3.2m E-W) to N. See sketch plan of monument in SMR file which has been drawn by the ASI. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 08 February 2019
WM018-109 House - indeterminate date
Description
Situated on the W edge at the top of a small ridge, in pasture, with good views to N, E and W blocked by a higher ridge to S. Castle (WM018-110----) and ringfort (WM018-108----) lie c. 115m to SW and NW, respectively. Depicted on the revised 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a rectangular-shaped earthwork. Monument described in 1980 as a rectangular-shaped house site (dims. 7.8m NW-SE; 5.5m NE-SW) defined by the grass-covered remains of a stone wall which is best preserved on the NW and NE sides, where the stones are quite large and form inner and outer facings of the wall. The stone wall is poorly preserved on the SE side. A reasonably well-preserved bank of earth and stone defines the SW side. There are traces of an inner stone facing on the SE and SW sides. A narrow gap (Wth 0.85m) located in the middle of the NW wall and a second gap (Wth 1.6m) in the SE wall probably represent doorways. There are old cultivation ridges running NW-SE in the vicinity of the house site. Monument is visible as a rectangular-shaped earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 08 February 2019
WM018-110 House - fortified house
Description
Situated in an old farmyard approximately 12m N of a dwelling house. Ringfort (WM018-108----) and house site (WM018-109----) are c. 115m to N and NE, respectively. Depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map as the outline of a rectangular-shaped structure, annotated ‘Castle’, with a farm building running S off the E end of the S wall of the castle. Depicted on the OS 25-inch map as a sub-rectangular-shaped structure with rounded corners at SW, NW and NE with a farm building built up against external face of E and S wall. No castle depicted in the townland of Balleagny on the Down Survey map of Mullingar parish (NLI, MS 723-4). The terrier of this map recorded that in 1641 the lands of Balleagny belonged to Sir Oliver Tuite (ibid.). Ballegan Castle is depicted on an estate map of Sonna Demesne (NLI, MS 21 F. 48 (018) ). Balleagny Castle described in 1980 as the ruins of a roughly rectangular building (approx. dims. 15m NE-SW; 9m NW-SE) aligned E-W with small projecting semi-circular-shaped towers on NE and SW corners. The walls are constructed of undressed limestone laid in irregular courses and bonded with mortar. The interior is partly filled with collapsed, sod-covered masonry and is overgrown with trees. Castle described by Salter (2004, 145) as following; 'Only the very defaced lowest storey remains of a tower 12.7m long by 9m wide over walls 1.8m thick with traces of three loops. There are circular turrets 5m in diameter at the SW and NE corners, the latter containing the lowest part of a spiral staircase'. A modern field wall runs NW from the NE corner as shown on the 25-inch OS map. Possible earthworks (WM018-110001-) visible in the vicinity of the castle to SW and S. Monument is visible as a roughly rectangular-shaped area obscured by trees on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 08 February 2019
WM018-110001 Bawn
Description
Situated in an old farmyard approximately 12m to N of a dwelling house. A low broad bank runs S from the SW corner of Balleagny Castle (WM018-110----) and extends as far as a wide ditch running NW-SE which may be a fosse. This possible fosse extends from the modern field fence SW of the castle to the S of the castle where it appears to turn to run N towards the farmyard. This bank and fosse may form part of the castle defences or bawn but it is difficult to be certain due to the presence of the post-1700 farmyard buildings. The post-1700 farmyard appears to have been replaced by a modern dwelling house. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 08 February 2019

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. 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).

Download this parcel: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program; GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map.

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.

Area: 166.9 ha; 412 acres
Land parcels: 20; registered freehold, median 3,931 m² (0.39 ha, 0.97 acres)
Zoning: —; not in a zoned settlement
Planning: 2; applications since 2010

Land parcels

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann

2233 m across. Click a parcel to see it. © Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0

20 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Balgarrett, from 1,448 m² to 488,192 m² (48.82 ha, 120.63 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 23 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Zoning

Development plans, national zoning

No zone of a development plan covers Balgarrett 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.

Planning applications

Sites that touch the townland, newest first

30 Mar 2026Conditional
Permission which is sought for the construction of two agricultural sheds (300 sqm) & (125 sqm), located approximately 110m from the existing dwellings to the west of the site and approximately 200m from the existing ringfort. Permission is also sought for the widening of the existing vehicular entrance onto the adjoining public road to the north of the site, together with all associated site development works at the above address. This planning application falls within the curtilage of a Recorded Monument WM018-060 and WH018-060001.
Permission · Westmeath County Council, 2660147
3 Jun 2025Refused
planning permission to construct an agricultural shed to include a machinery storage area, feed storage area and 4 number pens and an ancillary concrete area with all ancillary site works
Permission · Westmeath County Council, 2560279

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

Nature and heritage

Designated sites and recorded monuments

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Balgarrett.

Recorded monuments

WM018-060 Ringfort - rath
Description
Situated in good pasture. Not depicted on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. Depicted on the 1913 ed. OS 25-inch map as a subcircular-shaped earthwork enclosed by a field boundary to E. Monument described in 1983 as a large circular-shaped ringfort (diam. 64m) enclosed by a bank of earth and stone, having no indications of an external ditch. The bank (approx. H 1-1.5m) is well preserved except where low in profile from WSW-W-WNW. It has been incorporated into a modern field fence from NE-E-ESE. There is a gap at E which is defined on one side by a large upright slab which may indicate an entrance feature. The interior is covered by cultivation ridges and in the centre there is a natural hillock with the remains of two house foundations (WM018-060001-). There are indications of a probable internal division on the E side of the enclosure. Well preserved monument is clearly visible as an oval-shaped earthwork on Digital Globe aerial photography. See attached plan of monument surveyed and drawn by ASI. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 04 February 2019
WM018-060001 House - indeterminate date
Description
Situated on a natural hillock, in good pasture. In centre of ringfort (WM018-060----) are the remains of two rectangular-shaped house sites defined by earth and stone banks. The southern-most house site (dims. 12m N-S; 8m E-W) is slightly larger, whilst the second house site (dims. 11m E-W; 8m N-S) is situated perpendicular and is slightly smaller. These are described in 1977 as forming part of a ‘large stone built complex of houses which are linked together and running NW-SE which suggests there were more than two. There are indications of internal divisions within some of the house sites. House sites are clearly visible on Digital Globe aerial photography. Cultivation ridges running roughly E-S are clearly visible in field immediately to S and W. Compiled by: Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 04 February 2019
WM018-069 Barrow - stepped barrow
Description
Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 29-30) as following: 'Fairly well-preserved roughly circular stepped-barrow (Diam. 39.3m N-S x 40m E-W) strikingly sculpted from a natural kame in a glaciated landscape, such that the central mound (Diam. 19.1m N-S x 18.7m E-W) is 1.70m higher than the surrounding bank on E side and 1.37m higher on W side, and the ditch between mound and bank is higher than external ground level. The overall diameter of the monument given above should be taken as an approximation, as its construction from a natural knoll makes it difficult to distinguish between the outer slope of the bank and the natural slope of the knoll. Mound is partly eroded on W side, exposing boulders beneath the sod, some very large. Mound has a markedly flattish upper surface (Diam. 9.3m N-S x 9.5m E-W) which rises up to 2.1m above ditch on W side and slopes down 0.86m from W to E; there is a sharp junction between top and sides of mound. Bank and ditch also slope down from W to E, the bank being much higher on W side than on E. Where highest and most massive at W, bank is 7.5m in width and rises up to 0.63m above the ditch and up to 1.4m above external ground level; at E end of monument, as on N and S sides, bank is barely visible, such that there is more of a step on a level with the base of the ditch, which then falls off to the natural slope of the knoll; this berm-like feature is up to 7m in width. Breaches in the bank, probably due to erosion, are evident on NE and SE sides. On NW side there is a funnel-shaped gap in the bank measuring 6m from inside to outside, widening towards the outside; to S of gap, bank is much thinner than to N. Ditch is up to 3.8m in width, where clearest on W side. Outside bank on E side of monument are two other low mounds apparently forming part of the same glacial feature on which barrow is situated. Monument lies in rough, undulating pastureland. Four other barrows (WM018-070----; WM018-106----; WM018-107---; WM018-151----) lie in the same townland, the nearest being c. 400m to SSE. Frewin Hill is visible to NE and mound-barrow on glacial hillock at Kilpatrick (WM018-097----) is visible over 400m to NNW'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of upload: 23 February 2015
WM018-070 Barrow - ring-barrow
Description
Ring-barrow sited on top of a low but prominent natural hillock described in 1977 as consisting of a circular shaped earth and stone mound (approx. diam. 7.7m; overall diam. 14m) with a very slight depression on top enclosed by a wide shallow flat-bottomed fosse with a poorly preserved or much denuded earth and stone bank. Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 30-1) as following: 'Fairly well preserved, roughly circular stepped-barrow (Diam. 18m N-S x 19m E-W), shaped from a low knoll such that the central domed mound (Diam. 8m N-S x 7.8m E-W) is higher than the surrounding bank, and the ditch between them is higher than external ground level. Numerous large boulders have been incorporated in various parts of the mound and bank, especially the well-preserved western stretch of bank; N and NE sides of bank are poorly preserved. Mound rises up to 0.90m above ditch on W side; its upper surface is slightly hollowed, as if dug into by treasure-seekers. Bank is up to 2.10m in width on S side and, on its highest SSW side, rises up to 0.37m above ditch. Ditch is widest in SW quadrant of monument, reaching up to 3.60m in width on W side. Monument is situated on tiny knoll, apparently a kame, in undulating pastureland; surrounding ground slopes down steeply to SE, where base of knoll is 2.2m below base of bank, but much less so in other directions. Frewin Hill is prominent to NE. There are three other barrows (WM018-069----; WM018-106----; WM018-151----) in this townland, the nearest being c. 400m to E'. See attached profile of monument, drawn and surveyed by the ASI Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of revised upload: 05 March 2019
WM018-106 Barrow - ring-barrow
Description
Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 31) as following: 'Fairly well preserved roughly circular barrow (Diam. 21.5m NE-SW x 19m NW-SE), strikingly formed out of the upper surface of a NE-SW oriented esker which rises towards the SW, so that the monument is on a slope, and comprising a level or slightly domed mound (Diam. 10m x 8.8m) surrounded by a ditch with external bank. Height of apex of mound above ditch ranges from 0.34m on SW side to 1.45m on NE side. Where clearest and particularly massive on SW side, bank is at least as high as central mound, rises 0.50m above the ditch, and is up to 5m in width, being much lower and only 4m wide on the opposite side of the monument; it ranges in height above external ground level from 0.55m on SW side to 1m on NE side. Unlike the high SW side, bank is more like a berm or step from the ditch to the surrounding ground on lower NE side, and is barely apparent on NW and SE sides. Ditch reaches up to 2.2m in width where clearest on NE side. Measurements given for width of bank and, by extension, for the overall diameter of monument should be taken as fairly crude approximations as the site was covered in high grass when surveyed, making it difficult to distinguish between the outer edge of the bank and the surrounding ground. Given its location on a high, narrow esker running NE-SW, ground slopes down steeply to NW and SE, with a magnificent view to N. Frewin Hill is visible to NE. The monument is in a deliberately unplanted area of commercial forestry. There are four other barrows in this townland (WM018-069----; WM018-070----; WM018-107----; WM018-151----), the nearest being c. 500m to ESE'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of upload: 23 February 2015
WM018-107 Barrow - mound barrow
Description
Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 32) as following: 'Circular tumulus (Diam. 8.5m N-S x 8.6m E-W) with well-defined edge, domed to conical in shape and up to 1.45 in height above ground level on NE side. Boulders protrude from upper surface of mound. Although mound was covered in fairly thick grass when visited, narrow circumferential terraces visible on its W side appear to show no pattern and are almost certainly due to erosion or soil-flow. Mound is very prominently sited on an eminence in a deliberately unplanted area of commercial forestry; view would be excellent but for trees. Four other barrows (WM018-069----; WM018-070----; WM018-106----; WM018-151----) lie in this townland, the nearest being c. 500m to WNW'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of upload: 23 February 2015
WM018-151 Barrow - mound barrow
Description
Surveyed in 2013 and described by McGuinness (2014, 32-3) as following: 'Low sub-circular mound with long axis running NE-SW (Diam. 7.8m NE-SW x 5.7m NW-SE); NW side of mound is up to 0.6m in height and is appreciably higher than SE side, which may have been robbed or eroded in the past, although edge is fairly well defined on all sides. Large boulders protrude from parts of the edge and interior of the monument; another lies just beyond the current edge of the monument to NE in the direction of Frewin Hill. Monument is prominently positioned at N end of summit of low hill or ridge running N-S, with spectacular views to NE, centred on Frewin Hill. Four other barrows (WM018-069----; WM018-107----;WM018-070----; WM018-106---- ) lie in this townland, the two nearest being c. 400m to W and NNW respectively. This monument has not previously been recorded'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by David McGuinness. Date of upload: 23 February 2015
WM018-163 Barrow - unclassified
Description
Situated in area of modern forestry plantation with ring-barrow (WM018-106----) 80m to NNE. Small mound may be the remains of a possible barrow visible on Digital Globe aerial photography. Not depicted on any edition of the OS maps. Exclusion zone of forestry around the low mound in a similar fashion to nearby ring-barrow. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 11 February 2019

Homes sold

Property Price Register

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

The townland

Name: Balgarrett
Area: 1,669,264 m² (166.93 ha, 412.48 acres)
Civil parish: Mullingar, and its townlands
Barony: Moyashel And Magheradernon
Electoral division: Rathconrath, the unit of the census
Neighbouring townlands: Balleagny, Gaddrystown, Glascarn, Kilpatrick
Placenames: Balgarrett on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, 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.