Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

The 1654-6 Down Survey map of Effin Parish shows a Creggane Castle (LI047-029----) standing in the centre of a square-shaped bawn (NLI, Ms 718). The 1659 Civil Survey of Limerick recorded that John Supple of Creggane was the owner of this townland on which there stood 'a Castle [LI047-029----] and a Bawne out of repaire and an orchard on the p'[re]misses' (Simington 1938, 129). The Ordnance Survey Letters recorded that the 'old Castle of Gregaun, situated on a small hill in the Townland of the same name, has been lowered and newly roofed by Mr. Hutchins, to whose dwelling house it is attached. It measures thirty four feet [10.3m] by twenty six feet [8m] on the outside, its walls being about forty five feet [13.7m] high at present and five feet [1.5m] in thickness. It now contains but three stories. The floor over the ground one is arched' (O'Flanagan 1929, 31).
The outhouses associated with Creggane Castle was described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) as 'a Range of U-plan outbuildings, c. 1840, to south-west having multiple-bay single-storey range to east with lean-to to west elevation. Part of the Creggan Castle demesne. Four-bay single-storey range to south having single-pitched corrugated-iron roof. Rubble limestone walls. Detached four-bay two-storey house, built c. 1790, having single-bay single-storey extension to rear (west) elevation' (https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/21904702/creggane-castle-creggane-county-limerick; NIAH Reg. No. 21904702).

See attached Down Survey map of Effin Parish which shows a tower house standing in the centre of a bawn.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 20 August 2021