Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on flat floodplains of a nearby river which is located to the N in undulating countryside. Small rectangular shaped tower (OF043-007----) three storeys high built with roughly coursed limestone rubble with base batter evident. There are outhouses attached to the NE and SW faces and a portion the NE wall is destroyed. Main two centred pointed door with chamfered punch dressed jambs with drafted margins and rebated in a similar fashion to Ballycowan Castle (OF016-018001-) and Srah castle (OF017-006001-) located at the centre of the SW wall. The internal plan consists of a small single chamber at each level the floors of which are carried on wooden beams. There is evidence for an internal wooden stairs via support holes on the face of the SW wall. There is evidence of a flanking turret 25m to the N of the tower which probably belonged to the original bawn. Only the SE half of the tower (ext. diam. 4.2m; wall T 1m) survives with outhouses attached to the SW. No other trace of the bawn survives. Probable late medieval tower and bawn wall with flanking corner towers.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 23 May 2011