Bawn

The National Monuments Service's description

On high ground, on the summit of a hill in undulating pasture. The Civil Survey (1654-6) refers to ‘Shanballyduffe Castle & Court’ and describes it as ‘a good Castle with a slate house within a Bawne thereof alsoe an oarchard’ being in the proprietorship of Pierce Butler in 1640 (Simington 1931, vol.1, 158, 240). Shanballyduff tower house (TS060-114001-) is roughly centrally placed with the bawn, the N and W sides of which are largely intact (L of W wall to SW angle tower 61.64m; L of N wall to NE angle tower 57.7m) and the W end of the S wall (L 27.5m including an 8m length of rebuild). The line of the S wall continues eastward for another c. 30m though this section appears to be largely rebuilt and incorporated into later farm building. The bawn is built of limestone rubble, roughly coursed (H c. 4.3m; T 0.85m). The original opening of the entrance (Wth 2.77m) survives N of centre in the W wall, with a stone pillar (H 3.06m) on either side, however, the arch is missing. There is a blocked up flat-arched postern gate (Wth 1.5m; H 2.25m) towards the E end of the N wall. There is a circular angle tower at the opposing NE and SW angles. The NE tower (int. diam. 2.42m N-S; 2.45m E-W), two-storeys high, has four gun-loops at ground-floor level. The first-floor was carried on a wooden floor supported by corbels and has a fireplace as well as gun-loops. The parapet was supported on an offset. The interior of the SW angle tower was not accessible, it appears to be three storeys high, with five gun-loops at ground floor level and a flat-headed single-light window facing SSE at first and second-floor level.There is also a gun-loop at the W end of the N bawn wall, near the NW angle. Several farm buildings have been built up against the internal face of the bawn along the N and W wall. Where the wall is best preserved, the rubble stone coping (H c. 0.5m) survives, it has a rounded-profile and projects slightly from the wall. In the N wall, near the W end, just below the projecting coping, there are 6 large, roughly square recesses, well formed with flat stone lintels. There are 4 similar recesses at the E end of the N wall and 4 corbels.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 23 July 2014

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1931 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol I: county of Tipperary: eastern and southern baronies. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.