Description
"The position of the castle is commanding, and its two deep ditches, and the ruins of its massive walls, bespeak its former strength. The Castle itself is thickly clad with ivy, and the entire hill covered with large and spreading trees. The whole is now reserved ground, enclosed with a strong fence. The solemn gloom of the place, its dark winding walks, and the profound silence that reigns around, make it a delightful solitude."
A mound may have preceded the present medieval Norman structure. The polygonal keep was the notable feature of the castle. Attached to it was a large squat building. A curtain wall, interspersed with towers, surrounded the castle. There is a moat or ditch constructed around the castle. Today, the site is surrounded by trees while the ruins are seldom visible from the road except in winter. The earliest extant drawing of the castle by Francis Place also shows it in ruins, but somewhat less dilapidated than at present.
There is also a small mound to the west of Castleknock College buildings known as Windmill Hill. There is a water tower there now which was built originally as an observatory by a previous owner, Simon Guinn.
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