Not a lot remains of Monktown Castle, just the north-east tower and the northern facing wall.. The ruin stands four storeys high and is believed to have been constructed in the late medieval period. It stands now on what is private ground near Balrath Cross on the road to Duleek
We sought some directions to this ruin from a publican in Skreen, a Village not too far away and once we were on the right road, we had no difficulty in locating it. The Castle stands in a field close to the road and you can park easily on the grassy verge outside the gate. There is a sign on the gate which says "sanctuary" and this accounts for the numerous well groomed horses ambling around the place. As there were no "Keep Out" signs we decided to climb over and take a quick close up look.
The Castle shows signs that it once had a bawn or large house attached to it and one can assume that the stairs must have been within that structure or in a similar Tower on the southern end. The archway beneath the Castle is now being used by the aforementioned Horses as a shelter.
We were on our way to Athcarne Castle that day, so it was good to take a slight detour to take in Monktown on our way.
To find the ruin, take the N2 as far as Balrath Cross and then turn onto the R153 heading west. Continue on until you see a grey Church on your left at a crossroads. Turn right here and continue on through the next crossroads and you will see Monktown ahead of you.
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