See also
| Husband: | Theobold II + of BOTILLER (1199-1230) | |
| Wife: | Rohese + of VERDUN (1204-1246) | |
| Children: | Maud + of VERDUN (1225-1283) | |
| Marriage | 4 Sep 1225 | Staffordshire, England |
| Name: | Theobold II + of BOTILLER | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Theobald FITZWALTER (1165-1206) | |
| Mother: | Maude + of VAVASOUR (1176-1226) | |
| Birth | 1199 | Arklow, Wicklow, Ireland |
| Death | 19 Jul 1230 (age 30-31) | Poitou, Charentes, France |
| Name: | Rohese + of VERDUN | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | Nicholas + of VERDUN (1169- ) | |
| Mother: | Clemence + of BOTILLER (1175- ) | |
| Birth | 4 Sep 1204 | Alton, Staffordshire, England |
| Death | 10 Feb 1246 (age 41) | |
| Name: | Maud + of VERDUN | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Spouse: | John + FITZALAN ( -1267) | |
| Birth | 1225 | Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England |
| Death | 27 Nov 1283 (age 57-58) | England |
Castle Roche ("Castleroche") is a Norman castle located north-west of Dundalk, Co. Louth. It was the seat of the De Verdun family (also spelt De Verdon), who built the castle in 1236 AD. [1]
Rohesia de Verdun from Alton, Staffordshire, England was married to Theobald "le Butzllen" Le Botiller (Butler). After her husband’s sudden death whist travelling in Poitou, France, she moved to her lands in Ireland. The De Verdun's had a history in the region, with Rohesia's grandfather[2] Bertram de Verdun arriving as part of John's first expedition to Ireland.
She immediately set about fortifying the land with a castle. However, her quick tempered reputation deterred all potential architects. She then offered her hand in marriage (and thereby a share in her wealth) to the man who would build the castle to her liking. Local legend has it, after their wedding banquet in the newly completed castle, she invited her husband to the bridal suite and urged him to view their estate from the large bedroom window. Taking no chances with the castle’s secrets, she promptly pushed her new husband from the window, where he plummeted towards his death. [3]
Although it is generally accepted that Rohesia originally commissioned the castle, much of it is thought to have been added by her son by Theobald; John. [4]
The site of the castle held a strategic position on the frontier between the (then) exclusively Gaelic province of Ulster, and the Anglo-Norman territory known as The Pale. Situated high on a rocky hilltop, it offered panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, and controlled the pass into what is now South Armagh.
The de Verdon family held the site for many years. Nicholas de Verdon (who died in 1316) was in charge during the Bruce Invasion (Edward Bruce, brother of Robert the Bruce). A hosting of all English forces in Ireland took place here in 1561, and the castle was finally laid to ruin in 1641, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland