Court, Newtown, Co. Offaly
In the upland countryside near Newtown, County Offaly, the ruins of a 17th-century fortified house stand as a testament to Ireland's turbulent past.
Court, Newtown, Co. Offaly
This two-storey structure, measuring approximately 11.2 metres north to south and 8.1 metres east to west, was built from roughly coursed rubble masonry with walls a metre thick; substantial enough to withstand both the elements and potential attackers. Though the western wall has completely collapsed, the remaining three walls reveal fascinating architectural details, including two fireplaces at each gable end on both floors, complete with plain rectangular chimney stacks. The first floor was supported by wooden beams set into the thickness of the walls, whilst four rectangular openings punctuate the eastern wall, with two at ground level and two above.
The house sits within a defensive bawn wall that extends 25.5 metres east to west and 23 metres north to south. This protective enclosure, with walls 0.6 metres thick, wraps around the north, south and eastern sides of the building. At the southwest and northeast corners, circular turrets rise two storeys high, each about 4.2 metres in diameter and peppered with gun loops for defence. These turrets were accessible only from inside the bawn, providing secure vantage points for defenders. Evidence suggests a bridge once crossed what may have been a moat at the southern end of the western wall, adding another layer of protection to this fortified residence.
Archaeological evidence points to several intriguing features that reveal how the building functioned. A possible doorway at the northern end of the now-destroyed western wall would have served as the main entrance, whilst remnants of a wall-walk at first floor level indicate that defenders could patrol the perimeter. The combination of domestic features like fireplaces and defensive elements such as gun loops, thick walls and turrets illustrates the dual nature of these fortified houses; they needed to be both comfortable family homes and defensible strongholds during an era when local conflicts and raids were common threats to landed families in rural Ireland.





