Marriage Stone Fragment - Kilshane Demesne

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This fragment resurfaced during excavations at the 19th-century coach house within Kilshane Demesne, County Tipperary. The stone boasts intricate spiral line work along its outer edge, accompanied by the date 160? and VB : B?, likely representing the initials of a married couple. Considering the date falls within the 17th century, it's plausible that this stone originated from nearby Scelin Castle (TS067-058----), situated approximately 1km to the south-southwest. According to the Civil Survey conducted between 1654 and 1656, 'On the lands of Swyfine in the said Parish [Killshane] stands a castle in good repair'. By 1840, however, the castle had vanished. The OS Letters (1840) description notes, 'a small portion of a stone wall... on the summit of the hill, belongs to a Castle that formerly stood here and was called Caislean Suidh Finn.' Kilshane house and associated farm buildings, where this stone and other medieval fragments were unearthed, were constructed in the 1800s, likely incorporating stones from the nearby castle into its construction.