House - 17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on S facing slope of rising ground in undulating countryside with ringfort (OF045-008----) nearby. Poorly preserved 17th-century two storey gable ended T-plan house (14.65m N-S; 8.8m E-W; wall T 1.2m) built with uncoursed rubble limestone. Projecting tower along centre of E wall at rear of house contains the stairs from which the upper floor was accessed. All floors were wooden with the first floor carried on corbels and the second carried in the thickness of the wall. There was a destroyed fireplace at both gable ends. Immediately W of the house there is a semicircular sunken area defined by a scarp which may indicate possible bawn area. An earlier widely splayed round headed window was inserted backwards into the centre of the N gable. This feature may have belonged to an earlier building on the site. Although marked as a castle this is the site of a late 17th-century house similar to other T-plan houses such as Culleenwaine (OF046-008----) and Graffan (OF044-011001-) which are characterised by their distinctive plan and similar architectural features.

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

References

ASIAP - Archaeological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1996 - c. 2010).