House - 16th/17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on the gentle rise of a headland on the N shore of Kenmare Bay. The ruin of a rectangular (ext. dims. 14.5m x 7m) two-storey house (long axis WSW-ENE) consisting of gable ends which still stand to first floor height and short returns of the sidewalls. There are fragmentary remains of internally projecting fireplaces, that originally had large wooden lintels. According to local information, the house was built c. 1673 as part of Sir William Petty's 17th-century plantation and was the site of a siege in 1688/9. According to Bary (1994, 244), the house was defended by the erection of earthworks but there are no visible remains of these. According to Orpen (1930, 41), two wooden balconies were added to opposite corners of the house for defensive purposes (Orpen 1930, 75). McCarthy (1993, 41) describes the house as having 'four large rooms and a garret and two fine hearths with high chimneys.' In an entry in Sir William Petty's journal dated 30 August 1683 this house is referred to as 'Killowen house' (Wood 1934, 39); this has subsequently resulted in some confusion between this and another house (KE093-021001-), in the same townland, which is named 'Killowen Ho.' on the OS 6-inch map.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 30 May 2011