A bawn was essentially a fortified courtyard that provided protection for livestock and people during turbulent times, typically attached to a castle or tower house. This particular example is thought to have belonged to Ballynakill Castle, with researchers in 1979 documenting the remains of a small rectangular enclosure marked by a low earthen bank along the southwest wall of the associated tower house.

The historical significance of the site is reinforced by its appearance on the 1837 Ordnance Survey six-inch map, where the possible bawn area was carefully marked with a dotted outline, suggesting it was already considered a feature of archaeological interest by Victorian surveyors. This early cartographic evidence provides valuable documentation of the site’s layout and extent during the 19th century, when more of the structure may have been visible above ground.

Today, the physical remains of the bawn have all but vanished from the landscape. Modern aerial photography shows no visible surface traces of the enclosure that once stood here, leaving only historical records and maps to tell its story. The site serves as a reminder of how Ireland’s medieval landscape, once dotted with these defensive structures, has been gradually reclaimed by the peaceful pastures that now characterise much of the Westmeath countryside.