Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating, improved pasture and parkland within the former Maryfort Estate, with reasonable views of the surrounding landscape, overlooked by higher ground to WNW. According to Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997, vol. 6, 1), ‘the castle of Lismeehan, also known as Maryfort, was built about 1420 to 1440 by Mahon or Rory MacNamara. It is one of the earlier castles of the county and was built on the site of a fort or earthwork’. A roughly oval bawn rock (overall 24m WNW-ESE; 18m NNW-SSE) which has been modified by the addition of earth to form a steep scarp to WNW (Wth 3.85m; H 1.2m) and steep scarp to ESE (Wth 8.2m H 2.4m), with a more gradual scarp (Wth 8m; H 1.7m) to NNW and SSE. The top of the bawn (c. 12m WNW-ESE; c. 11m NNW-SSE) is small and is occupied by the remains of a castle (CL035-032002-) which are roughly in the centre. The bawn appears to have been quarried at ENE and WSW. Irregular lumps of masonry from the castle are evident within clumps of briars along the SSE side.

The following images have been uploaded:

CL035-032001-_01.jpg From NNW. Cross sectional view of scarp of bawn at WSW.
CL035-032001-_02.jpg From NNE. Cross-sectional view of scarp of bawn at ESE.
CL035-032001-_03.jpg From ESE. Cross-sectional view of scarp of bawn at NNE.
CL035-032001-_04.jpg From SE. General view of bawn.

Compiled by: Mary Tunney, Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 10 July 2018