Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

In reclaimed pasture, with site of Fanningstown Castle (LI022-038001-) standing in SW quadrant, cropmarks of enclosures (LI022-035----) immediately to W. Public road running N-S runs through the W quadrant of an adjoining enclosure to W. Present remains consist of a square shaped area (approx. dims. 64m N-S x 69m E-W) defined by a scarp (H 0.3m) and water-filled moat (int. D 1.8m; ext. D 1.85m; base Wth 2.4m; overall Wth 5.5m) only visible from NW through E to SE. Site inspection in 2000 describes a slight slope (H 0.2m) on the N side of the interior with rubble stone indicating possible modern field clearance debris, the moat appears to have been re-cut in modern times. Two ramps across the moat at E and N and at E end of S side appear to be modern access ramps for livestock. Interior accessed via a modern causeway (Wth 4m) at SE. A post-1700 field drain (D 1.8m; top Wth 2m) runs W from the S end of the E side of the moat and runs through the centre of Fanningstown Castle site. The moat is visible as an L-shaped feature on Google Earth orthoimage taken 2019. The cropmark of the rectangular-shaped area visible on Google Earth orthoimages immediately W of the road is a continuation of the moated enclosure. This moated enclosure possibly represents the moated bawn of Fanningstown Castle, the W quadrant of which was bisected by the public road running N-S. The L-shaped cropmark on the W side of the road possibly represents the W enclosing element of this moated bawn or an adjoining enclosure associated with the castle site. Alternatively this earthwork could be the remains of a moated site which was reused as a bawn for Fanningstown Castle (Barry 1981, 84). Outline of moated earthwork clearly visible on oblique aerial photograph (CUCAP AVT004) taken 20/07/1968. The 1654-56 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that Barnaby, Earl of Thomond was the owner of the lands of Fanningstown on which there was 'an oulde Ruinous Castle & six Cabbins' (Simington 1938, 106).

See attached sketch plan surveyed and drawn by ASI, CUCAP photo and Google Earth orthoimages

Compiled by: Fiona Rooney

Date of upload: 29 July 2020

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1938 The civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. IV: county of Limerick, with a section of Clanmaurice barony Co. Kerry. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com

Barry, T.B. 1981 The shifting frontier: medieval moated sites in counties Cork and Limerick. In F.A. Aberg and A.E. Brown (eds), Medieval moated sites in north-west Europe, 71-85. Oxford. British Archaeological Reports. International Series, 121.

O'Kelly, M.J. 1942-3 A survey of the antiquities in the barony of Small County, Co. Limerick. North Munster Antiquarian Journal 3, 75-97, 169-84, 222-46.