The origin of this castle dates back to 1172, when Hugh de Lacy was granted the Liberty of Meath and he chose to occupy this site, protected by the river Boyne on a side and a marshy ground on the other side.
The original wooden structure was soon replaced by a more robust keep in 1175, later protected by a curtain wall, with a single doorway and a bridge over the moat to the northwest.
With the developing of the town outside the walls, a new Barbican Gate was built on the south side of the walls.
The castle needed major repairs after the siege of 1224, and in the second half of the 13th century new features were added to the fortification.
Newtown Cathedral and the Borough of Newtown could live safely thanks to the imposing presence of the castle not far from them.
We visited this castle for the first time on December 12th, 1995, but it was under restoration and we were allowed to get to the court only.
The castle was used as one of the filming locations for the movie "Braveheart" (1995), by Mel Gibson. In the movie it was the residence of king Edward in London.
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