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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Bastioned fort

Port Island, County Galway, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Bastioned fort, Port Island, County Galway, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Townland
Port Island
County
Galway
Country
Ireland
First-edition OS map
Cromwells Barrack (in ruins)
Latest-edition OS map
Cromwells Barrack (in Ruins)
Coordinates
53.61045, -10.21656
SMR number
GA009D023----

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1841 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

On a rocky headland commanding the entrance to Bofin Harbour, on S side of Inishbofin. A well-preserved, roughly rectangular fort (L 32.6m, Wth 22.85m) built of local stone with limestone quoins, now mostly robbed. The entrance, via round-headed gate, is midway along SE side, flanked by symmetrical spear-shaped artillery bastions at E and S corners. The N and W bastions are of variable design; that at N, overlooking the harbour entrance, is of irregular plan (L c. 8.2m, Wth c. 6.1m), while W one is a small rectangle with musket loops. Near it is a small semicircular turret on SW wall. In the interior is a courtyard with a blocked well, flanked on three sides by ruined buildings. Built 1656-7, apparently incorporating some works constructed there during the Confederate period; local tradition asserts that it was previously occupied by 'Bosco's Castle'. (Walsh 1990a; Molloy 1988; Westropp 1911, 69-72)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993).

The attached image (GA009D023----_01.jpg) shows the landscape setting of 'Cromwell's Barrack'. Note the the quay wall feature to the east just north of the shingle beach.

The attached aerial image (GA009D023----_02.jpg) of 'Cromwell's Barrack' was taken in 1982.

Date of upload: 21 January 2014

References

Molloy, S. 1988 Inishbofin - the ultimate stronghold. Irish Sword 17, no. 67, 105-15.

Walsh, P. 1989-90 Cromwell's Barrack: a Commonwealth garrison fort on Inishbofin, Co. Galway. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 42, 30-71.

Westropp, T.J. 1911 Clare Island survey: history and archaeology. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 31, Section 1, Part 2, 1-78.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
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