A ‘Lost’ Medieval Castle Was Just Discovered Hidden in an Unexpected Place

A 13th-century Irish castle thought lost to history has been rediscovered hidden within University College Dublin’s Roebuck Castle (UCDRC). The team behind the unusual find, considered rare for a pre-17th-century castle south of Dublin, said the newly unearthed structure makes UCD home to Ireland’s oldest building on any university campus. The structure was built within what the team described as “living memory” of the 1169 Norman invasion of Ireland. The most famous residents included a medieval Lord High Chancellor of Ireland. According to local tradition, James II, the deposed King of England and Ireland (and Scotland as James VII), may also have lived in the lost castle in 1689 after being dethroned.

• The castle was discovered beneath the modern structure’s layers of plaster.
• The medieval walls and features are still preserved inside the newer one.
• The medieval features are still there, but obscured by centuries-later construction.

The lost castle’s discovery means that the university can now lay claim to the oldest standing building on any university campus in Ireland. The team noted that few castles south of Dublin from this significant period have survived the intervening centuries. Like the lost castle before its discovery, most were likely believed to be demolished and pillaged for their raw materials in the 17th century. The passage of time has been unkind to the castles which were built across south Dublin in the Middle Ages. Lost buildings are lost historical records. They leave gaps in our knowledge.

The discovery highlights the importance of preserving historical sites and the value of archaeological research. The team is “incredibly lucky that the Georgian and Victorian modernisers of the property simply built around the medieval castle,” rather than tear it down. The university is also lucky that they built very little else on the site. The medieval castle courtyard is actually the medieval castle courtyard. The castle’s architectural remains provide valuable insights into medieval construction and history. The team emphasized that the castle’s survival is a rare and significant find, and it will not get lost again.

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