Grange Beg

70 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Grange Beg, from 179 m² to 594,092 m² (59.41 ha, 146.8 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 25 neighbouring parcels touch it.

• M2Self Sustaining Rural Consolidation (City/Town/village Centre, central area)
  WCC CDP 2021 - 2027 Raharney, Westmeath · 2 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

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

• 16 Nov 2022Conditional

  Planning permission for a private dwelling house, proprietary effluent treatment system and percolation area, shared entrance onto public road and all ancillary site services

  Permission, 1 home · Westmeath County Council, 2260009

• 14 Feb 2020Refused

  to construct a new bungalow type dwelling, domestic garage, installation of a new septic tank and percolation area, new vehicular entrance and all ancillary site works

  Permission, 1 home · Westmeath County Council, 206024

• 21 Jun 2019Conditional

  construction of new two storey type dwelling, domestic garage, installation of a new septic tank & percolation area, upgrade of existing agricultural entrance to vehicular entrance and all ancillary site services

  Permission, 1 home · Westmeath County Council, 196165

• 5 Apr 2017Conditional

  construction of a four bay cattle shed with ancillary facilities, an underground slatted tank and associated site works.

  Permission · Westmeath County Council, 176103

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

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC 002299
• Special Protection Area: River Boyne and River Blackwater SPA 004232

Recorded monuments

• WM021-008 Church
  Description

  Known locally as Kilcolumb church and graveyard (WM021-008001-). No church is depicted in this townland on the 1655 Down Survey map of Farbill Barony (NLI MS 723-4). In pasture, at N end of N-S ridge in undulating countryside overlooking valley and River Deel 35m to W. Sub-rectangular shaped graveyard (WM021-008001-) with ruins of a small church standing in S quadrant of graveyard that is depicted on all editions of the OS six-inch maps. Present remains consist of a rectangular structure (int. dims. 8.6m E-W; 5.35m N-S; wall T 0.45-0.6m) with entrance gap (Wth 1.1m) in centre of E wall that has been repointed and partially rebuilt c. 2010. This structure or church may have been built on the footprint of a medieval church although today there are no surface remains visible for the existence of a medieval church inside this graveyard. The thin walls of this structure suggest that this building dates from the post medieval period. Inside the structure are the remains of a memorial dating from the 19th century along with concrete crosses of recent date. The walls of this structure have been mainly repointed and the tops of the walls have been rebuilt with a concrete triangular headed window inserted into centre of W wall. All of these works appear to date from c. 2010 and it is not clear if any walls of this rebuilt structure belong to the medieval church that is depicted on the OS 6-inch maps. It is possible that this structure was built in the post medieval period on the site of the medieval church. The structure may have been built to serve as a post-medieval church or as a private burial area in order to enclose the 20th century memorial standing in the centre of this structure. In 2010 the walls of this building appear to have been rebuilt to form the present structure visible today. In 1980 the remains of this building depicted as a church on the OS 6-inch map was described as consisting of ‘some fragments of stone walls, almost totally obscured by ivy and briars. They seem to be the remains of the SE and SW walls of a rectangular stone built structure whose long axis lay NW-SE. The walls are built of rough limestone laid in courses and bond with mortar. No dressed stone or features are visible. The original outline of the structure is not discernible but it seems to have been quite small and probably of late date. The graveyard contains memorials dating from the post-medieval period onwards. No evidence of any earthworks or trace of an ecclesiastical enclosure in the fields surrounding the graveyard. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 15 October 2014

• WM021-008001 Graveyard
  Description

  Known locally as Kilcolumb church (WM021-008----) and graveyard. In pasture, at N end of N-S ridge in undulating countryside overlooking valley and River Deel 35m to W. Sub-rectangular shaped graveyard (dims. c. 48m N-S; 40m E-W) enclosed by a stone wall (max. H 1.7m; T 0.4m) of post-medieval date with entrance gate at E. The ruins of a structure standing in S quadrant of graveyard are depicted as a church on all editions of the OS six-inch maps. The graveyard contains memorials dating from the post-medieval period onwards. No evidence of any earthworks or trace of an ecclesiastical enclosure in the fields surrounding the graveyard. The surface of the graveyard is now quite level and appears to have been levelled and re-seeded with grass possibly around 2010 when the possible church structure was rebuilt. Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 15 October 2014

• WM021-008002 Ecclesiastical enclosure
  Description

  The sub-circular form of the graveyard (WM021-008002-) boundary wall possibly indicates the presence of an Early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure (Swan 1988, 21). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 12 October 2015

• WM021-012 Castle - tower house
  Description

  Grange Beg Castle was situated on a low rise, in gently undulating pasture, 35m NE of the River Deel and 110m W of early 18th century Grange Beg House and c. 15m to E of a late 17th/early 18th century dovecote. Grange Beg Castle described in the 1655 terrier of the Down Survey map of Farbill Barony as one of 'two castles in repaire' (NLI, MS 723-4). The castle is depicted as a tower house type structure standing on lands belonging to Nicholas Darcy in 1640 on the Down Survey map of Farbill Barony (ibid.). Grange Beg House (NIAH Reg. No. 15402105) described in 1983 as '2 storeys over basement with an attic. The house is 5 bays, the end bays break forward having a lower roofline (no attic) & having no windows at ground level. The central doorway has a moulded architrave & is flanked by narrow side lights. Similar side lights now blocked up flank the central window overhead. Small attic windows in the gable. The house appears to be of late 17th c[entury] or very early 18th c[entury] origin'. Dovecote (NIAH Reg. No. 15402106) described in 1983 as following; 'Near the SW side of the rise [castle site] is the ruin of a circular pigeon house approx[imately] 3.5m high & 7m in diam[eter]. The pigeon house is built of limestone rubble, lined with brick within. Much of the brick now collapsed. Literally hundreds of pigeon holes can still be seen. There is a doorway in the SE side'. Castle shown on the Down Survey Parish Map of 1654-6 and mentioned in the terrier. Castle potentially depicted as a rectangular-shaped structure on the 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map. Monument described in 1983 as a low natural rise defined by scarp visible from NE-E-S and by a field fence from SW-W-N-NE. The top of the rise is wide and flat with slight hollows and rises indicating an area of disturbance in the past. According to local information, this is believed to be the site of a castle. Area of castle obscured by trees and vegetation on Digital Globe aerial photography. Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 10 July 2019

• WM021-012001 Dovecote
  Description

  Grange Beg Castle (WM021-012----) was situated on a low rise, in gently undulating pasture, 35m NE of the River Deel and 110m W of early 18th century Grange Beg House and c. 15m to E of a late 17th/early 18th century dovecote. Grange Beg Castle described in the 1655 terrier of the Down Survey map of Farbill Barony as one of 'two castles in repaire' (NLI, MS 723-4). The castle is depicted as a tower house type structure standing on lands belonging to Nicholas Darcy in 1640 on the Down Survey map of Farbill Barony (ibid.). Grange Beg House (NIAH Reg. No. 15402105) described in 1983 as '2 storeys over basement with an attic. The house is 5 bays, the end bays break forward having a lower roofline (no attic) & having no windows at ground level. The central doorway has a moulded architrave & is flanked by narrow side lights. Similar side lights now blocked up flank the central window overhead. Small attic windows in the gable. The house appears to be of late 17th c[entury] or very early 18th c[entury] origin'. Dovecote (NIAH Reg. No. 15402106) described in 1983 as following; 'Near the SW side of the rise [castle site] is the ruin of a circular pigeon house approx[imately] 3.5m high & 7m in diam[eter]. The pigeon house is built of limestone rubble, lined with brick within. Much of the brick now collapsed. Literally hundreds of pigeon holes can still be seen. There is a doorway in the SE side'. Compiled by Alison McQueen, Vera Rahilly and Caimin O’Brien. Date of upload: 10 July 2019

• WM021-015 Burial
  Description

  A single inhumation was discovered in a reclaimed bog area. Site was inspected on 2 March 2012 and remains removed for deposition in the National Museum of Ireland. No cist or other burials were noted. Compiled by: Paul Walsh Date of upload: 9 March 2012

Architectural heritage

• Graveyard/cemetery, 1700–1760 · Regional interest
  Description

  Graveyard on irregular plan having a variety of cut stone markers dating from c.1700 to c.1920. No longer in use. Ruins of a single-storey chapel on rectangular-plan to the centre, now overgrown and collapsed. Surrounded by rubble limestone boundary wall. Main entrance gate to the east side, comprising a pair of rubble limestone gate piers (on circular-plan) supporting a wrought-iron flat bar gate. Rubble limestone gate piers (on circular-plan) supporting a wrought-iron flat bar gate to the east gives access to site from the road. Pier to the south now collapsed. Located to the southeast of Raharney.

• House, 1730–1850 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached four-bay single-storey house, built c.1760 with extension added c.1800. Now derelict and in use as a domestic outbuilding. Hipped corrugated-iron roof to eastern end and hipped slate roof to western-end having cast-iron rainwater goods. Constructed of mud/earth over battered stone plinth/base. Square-headed window and door openings having timber lintels and timber sheeted doors. Remains of a single four-over-two pane timber sliding sash window survives to rear of mud-walled section and a single two-over-two pane sliding sash window to the front of the later nineteenth century extension. Detached single-bay single-storey outbuilding with loft level to the north with mud/earth walls over battered stone plinth having hipped corrugated-iron roof over. Square-headed openings now containing timber sheeted doors. Set back from road in own grounds to the east of Raharney with modern house to south. Site is accessed by a concrete pillars and mild steel gate to road edge.

• Grange Beg House, country house, 1710–1750 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached five-bay two-storey over basement country house with attic level, built c.1730, with advanced single-bay gable-fronted bays to either end. Possibly incorporating earlier fabric. Now derelict and boarded-up. Pitched slate roof with rendered chimneystacks to either end. Roughcast rendered walls. Square-headed window openings with moulded stone sills having remains of early-nineteenth century six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed door opening to centre of main block having timber door with intersecting diagonal boarded pattern and moulded cut stone architrave. Doorcase flanked by narrow four-over-four timber sliding sash windows. Ranges of two-storey rubble limestone outbuildings, arranged around a central cobbled courtyard to rear of house, having square-headed openings, segmental-headed carriage arches and pitched natural slate roofs. Modern farm buildings to east. Set back from the road and accessed by long avenue from the north. Simple cut stone gate posts to road edge supporting pair of cast-iron gates with spear finals over. Remains of a former gate lodge adjacent to the entrance. Set back from road in mature grounds to the southeast of Raharney.

• Grange Beg House, dovecote/pigeon house/aviary, 1680–1730 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached pigeon house, built c.1700. Now in ruins. Approximately seven metres in diameter and three metres high. Constructed of limestone rubble and brick-lined to the interior. Hundreds of pigeon holes remain to the interior. Square-headed doorway to southeast side. Located to the southwest of Grange Beg House (15402105) and to the southeast of Raharney.

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).

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

Name

Grange Beg

Area

2,537,373 m² (253.74 ha, 627 acres)

Civil parish

Killucan, and its townlands

Barony

Farbill

Electoral division

Riverdale, the unit of the census

Neighbouring townlands

Brutonstown, Cloghanstown, Derrymore, Grange More, Raharney Little, Ratrass, Riverdale, Wardenstown

Placenames

Grange Beg 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.