House - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in a bawn (CL010-040001-) on a high prominence surrounded by undulating, hazel-covered land. Indicated on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This large rectangular medieval house (21m NE-SW; 8.2m NW-SE) is defined by a stone wall (Wth 1.2m) at the NE (int. H 0.8; ext. H 0.5m), SE (int. H 2.4m; ext. H 2.8m) and SW. The SE wall of the house appears to have been incorporated into the surrounding bawn (CL010-040001-) wall. The present W wall (int. H 0.6m) is mostly of later date. In the inner face of the SW wall there is a partly blocked aumbry (Wth 1.2m; H 0.9m; D 0.88m) and a fireplace (Wth 1.77m; D 0.95m) with a well-shaped chamfered stone on its SE side. Ua Cróinín and Breen (1996, 9) suggested that three large double-corbels over the aumbry indicate a machicoulis for the defense of this corner of the bawn. Ua Cróinín and Breen (ibid.) also identified evidence for two NW-SE orientated internal walls in the house. There is a tower house (CL010-040002-) c. 6m to the NW.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott

Date of upload: 18 April 2023

References

Ua Cróinín, R. and Breen, M. 1996 Some tower houses with bawns in the Burren. The Other Clare 20, 5-13.