St David’s Castle

Saint David’s Castle in Naas is a 13th Century Norman Tower House and last surviving example of this type of fortified house on the administrative edge of The Pale. It is also known as King John’s Castle as the monarch is believed to have held councils there during his visit to the area.

Scope

Crannog were contracted to carry out extensive roof repair and remodeling to the roof structures. The tower roof was in a significant state of disrepair. Installation of roof supports allowed us to replace the wall plate timbers and “scarf and sister” new hips and rafters to ensure structural integrity. Once the roof structure was stabilized, we installed new coverings, including salvaged Welsh slates and Code 8 lead.

As a gift to this historic property, a finial was designed for the hipped roof, and is a tribute to the Welsh connections of this castle and the area. The plant reaching skywards is a leek, the Welsh national emblem. Below it we see its roots of the Welsh diaspora spreading around the globe, and above that the crown of Patron Saint David adorned with a thistle, shamrock, and a rose – for Scotland, Ireland, and England.

This finial was a collaborative effort between Geo Gargan, a Scottish lead contractor, and Percy Burke from Crannog Roofing, with the design by Niall O’Regan of Crannog Roofing.