This Castle, now in ruins, stands in the Townland of Baggotstown in Knockany Parish. The east and south walls remains; the north and west one have been entirely destroyed. It was thirty-three feet by twenty-three, and at its north-east corner stands a square tower, equal in height with the rest of the building and measuring fourteen and a half feet by thirteen and a half feet. The first stone arch remains on this tower. This Castle was five stories high; the walls are about sixty feet high and six feet, eight inches thick. All the windows are quadrangular and built with well chiselled lime stones. This structure rested on oak beams, two of which are still seen.

On the floor of the tower lies a stone (Fitzgerald says it belonged to one of the chimnies) which was built in the west wall until it fell to utter ruin, having the date 1019 inscribed on it. (see sketch opposite)

It is more than improbable this date was intended for 1610. Fitzgerald in his History, Volume 1, page 307 above referred to, gives the following account of this old Castle. He says: – 

“In the Parish of Aney are the ruins of the fine Castle, Baggotstown, built by the family of the Baggots. It has five chimnies of polished stone in shape of hexagon, and the top of each is so formed as to have the appearance of an inverted cone; this Castle formed two sides of a square. It has no appearance of having been defended by outworks, but it was rendered almost inaccesable by the marshy grounds and trenches, by which it is surrounded. John Baggot of this place attended the General Assembly of Confederate Catholics which met at Kilkenny on the 10th of January, 1647; he was also one of the Commissioners on the side of the Irish who signed the Articles of Limerick with Ireton on the 27th of October, 1651. His son, Maurice Baggot of Baggotstown, was among those who were excepted from general pardon on the surrender of the City at the same time, and the Castle and vast estate annexed to it were then forfeited.”

“On a square stone of one of those chimnies which has fallen are the figures 1019 in alto relievo, which some imagine to be the date of the year the Castle was built; but from every appearance it seems to have been erected at a much later period.”

On the Townland of Rathany (Rath Tanaidhe) is situated a green flat moat, twenty-two paces in diameter and about ten feet high. There is no ditch around it, nor is there any appearance of an old building at it.

The antiquities of this Parish were examined by me and Mr. A. Curry.