Located near Manorcunningham, this defensive dwelling represents the type of stronghold that Protestant settlers built throughout the region during the 17th century, when the threat of attack from dispossessed Irish clans was a constant concern. These fortified houses served a dual purpose; they were both family homes and military outposts, designed with thick walls, narrow windows, and defensive features that could withstand siege or raid.

Its very existence tells us much about life in plantation Ulster. Such structures typically featured stone construction with defensive elements like machicolations, murder holes, and gun loops cleverly integrated into what might otherwise appear to be domestic architecture. The builders often incorporated earlier tower house designs with newer architectural trends from Scotland and England, creating a unique hybrid style that reflected both the settlers’ origins and their new Irish context.