Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

In the SW corner of a raised formal walled garden (dims. c. 46m N-S x 35m E-W) belonging to the ruins of Toberdaly House constructed in the mid-18th century which stands 24m to the NE. Situated on top of high ground with commanding views over the surrounding countryside. Croghan Hill [769 ft. OD] clearly visible 4.1km to the W, the summit of Clonin Hill visible 1.8km to the N. Extensive views of bogland in the townland of Coole to the S. Toberdaly Castle (OF011-013----) with possible bawn was possibly built as a low squat-shaped tower originally by the O’Connor’s in the 14th or 15th century, with an adjoining bawn or curtain wall that was reused as the wall of the formal garden belonging to Toberdaly House in the 18th century. During this period the land around the N and E side of the tower was raised to create a formal garden for Toberdaly House, when the medieval tower house became a corner tower on the SW angle of the formal walled garden. An octagonal-shaped gazebo was constructed on top of the tower house and the interior of the castle was converted into a dovecote.
Present remains consist of a multi-period, three storey high tower-house with a slight base batter and walls built of random rubble with dressed alternating quoin stones. A section of wall (L c. 29m) running out to the E from the SE angle of the tower which now acts as a retaining wall for the 18th century walled garden of Toberdaly House may be the remains of a medieval bawn wall contemporaneous with Toberdaly Castle. There is no straight joint visible at the junction between the lower S wall of the tower house and the S retaining wall of the raised formal garden which suggests that this wall is contemporaneous with the tower. A second wall now covered in ivy and impossible to examine, runs off the NW angle of the tower which also served as the W retaining wall for the raised garden of Toberdaly House that is depicted on the 1838 ed. OSi 6-inch map. It is unclear what section if any of of this wall dates from the medieval period and what section dates from the 18th century.
The 1550 survey of the O’Connor lands of east Offaly, described Toberdaly Castle as, ‘an old ruynouse base courte whereof a greate parte of the wallys standeth’ in the ‘Towne of Tobberdallaghe’ that was situated in the ‘Lordship of Towtemoyglyncholgen [Tuath Maigh Clann Colgain/Totmoy]’ (Curtis 1930, 321). The description of the castle as a 'base courte' may be a reference to the bawn/curtain wall of an enclosure-type castle rather than a tower house but this is uncertain.

See attached 1908 ed. OSi 25-inch map showing location of castle on SW angle of walled garden of Toberdaly House

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 24 February 2022

References

Curtis, E. 1930 The survey of Offaly in 1550. Hermathena 20, No. 45, 312-52. Dublin. Hodges Figgis, & Co.