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HISTORY of Aghamarta Earliest evidence of occupation of the lands of Aghamarta exist in the form of earthen ramparts, the "fairy forts". These were likely built by the first settlers and farmers of the 7th or 8th Century. The wooden stockades are gone, of course, but the earthworks have survived some twelve centuries. This suggests that the original height of these walls must have been considerable. At the time of these settlements munster was divided into loosely held kingdoms. And there must have been ever present the threat of raid from a neighbour. By the middle of the nineth century the viking invasion created the need for a more unified defence and the first high kingship was established. Settlements were still defended with earthen palisaded ramparts and wooden towers. But by the time of the Norman Invaasion of 1169 the building of important defences out of stone had already spread into Ireland. And as the Norman knights advanced they built castles. In the south a line of fortresses was created stretching from Cork to Bantry and across Kerry.
PICTURE King Henry II De Cogan became the first feudal lord of the Carrigaline - Crosshaven area and his family remained in control until 1439 when they handed over to the Fitzgeralds Earl of Desmond who resided in Carrigaline. There is some evidence that Desmond may actually have built the Castle or perhaps added to it. An article in the Journal of the Cork Historical & Archelogical Society of 1956 refers to the Will of one John de Wynchedon who died in 1306 apparently in possession of land at Aghamarta. By 1551 rhw Wynchedon family were renting Aghamarta from the Earl of Desmond. John Wynchedon died in 1565 leaving as heir his daughter, Johanna, who held Aghamarta until 1584. After the Desmond estates were confiscated in 1586, the same family (now called Nugent) succeeded in freehold possession. It had been a troubled time in the history of Aghamarta.
PICTURE a reproduction of Sir Frances Drakes ship "The Golden Hind"
Later the Nugents opposed Cromwell and for their trouble lost Aghamarta for good. Tradition states that while in residence the Nugents maintained a gallows for the purpose of hanging anyone who offended them in the slighest way. Parts of the old gallows were apparently unearthed during the construction of a bridge in 1735 and the spot remained a place to avoid after dark. PICTURE Sir Oliver Cromwell As a result of the Cromwellian confiscations in 1668 Aghamarta and the townlands of French Furze were granted to Lord Shannon, first Earl of Cork. Under the Act of Settlement he was asked to pay £120,4,5. When Charles II was restored to the throne, Catholics who had supported his cause hoped to recover their lands but the commonwealth army insisted that Cromwells land settlements be enforced. Shannons title was duly recorded. He in turn sold the property of Aghamarta to Arthur Pomeroy, Dean of Cork. The Pomeroys were later created Viscounts Harberton. There appears to be no record of the state of the Castle at this time, 1691, through the 18th Century and up to 1824 when the family finally sold the property for £1,200 to Carew Smith O'Grady. The land, some 869 acres was generally leased out for farming. For a time Mr Judge (Jago) had the land at 7s6d an acre and later Colonel Hodder leased Aghamarta lands for 2 guineas per acre. The old stone castle, built for the needs of a distant time, was probably considered unsuitable for habitation by a promenant Cork family. It may well be that the Castle was seriously damaged during the Cromwell campaigns. In any event the ruins of the Castle shown in the sketch of 1831, were further reduced by a violent storm in 1839. It is probable that the O'Gradys used the broken stonework in the construction of the present mansion. And the walls that surround the garden above the house today may be all that is left to mark the site of the original fortress. Defences would likely have stretched down to the river and, of these, a stone tower remains today in the front field.
By 1916 the O'Grady family sold the property to the Clarke family, tobacco merchants of Cork. It is said that the Clarkes carried out many improvements and established a modern dairy facility including the innovation of an ice-cream plant. What is now Thompsons Farm Shop was this Dairy and is approx 100 years old. Ailish and Frank Thompson have sympathetically renovated the buildings and most of the original features have been retained. The original ice-cream freezer is still in situ.
The renovations were completed over a year and the original dairy is now host to Thompsons Farm Shop. There are other interesting old stone buildings on the property. In the nineteenth century a bolting mill was in operation by the creek. This mill still stands. Near the entrance to the estate there are the ruins of lime kilns and a store house. Lime was brought by boat from Coolmore to be burned in kilns. There was also at one time a rhetting pit for flax. A tradition survives that underground cellars exist under the lawn in front of the present house. Every castle had its underground escape tunnel and tradition supports these too at Aghamarta. Perhaps the oldest structure is the standing stone in the front field, presumably marking the site of an ancient burial.
The standing stone and view from existing house to Drakes Pool through the trees.
One of the internal archways in the existing walled gardens and the view from the house today
Beautiful arched stonework in the existing ruins built over 500 years ago
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The building of Aghamarta castle has been ascribed to a Mil de Cogan, one of the Norman invaders, who with Robert FitzStephen was given a grant of "The Kingdom of Cork" by Henry II in the late twelfth century. In a violent and barbaric age square stone towers were the usual primary habitations of the landowners because of the very real threat of attack.
The Story of Sir Frances Drake manoeuvring his fleet into the pool below Aghamarta in 1589. With a squadron of five ships, being chased by a Spanish fleet of superior force, Drake ran into Cork harbour; and sailing up Crosshaven, moored his squadron in a safe basin, sheltered by Corribiny Hill, close under Coolmore. The Spaniards pursued, but, being unacquainted with the harbour, sailed round the shores without discovering the English fleet, and giving up the search, left it here in perfect security. The basin in which Sir Francis lay has since been called Drake's pool which is at the bottom of the Aghamarta estate.
There were two rebellions led by the Desmond Family in the sixteenth century against the determination of Elizabethan English to control Ireland using Cromwell. The Earl of Desmonds men stayed at Aghamarta castle twice a year and this service served as rent for the Nugents to hold Aghamarta. The Castle must have been a sizable structure to have been suitable for the accommodation of the Earl and all his retinue.
