Measuring 50 by 40 metres, this enclosure sits within a larger field system and likely represents the remains of a bawn; a fortified enclosure that once protected a castle recorded on the Down Survey maps of 1655-6. Though the castle itself has long since vanished, this subtle imprint on the landscape serves as a reminder of the defensive structures that dotted the Irish countryside during the plantation era.

Bawns were essential features of Irish fortified houses and castles from the 16th to 17th centuries, typically consisting of high stone walls that enclosed a courtyard where livestock could be secured during raids. The association with the Down Survey, commissioned by Oliver Cromwell to map lands for redistribution to his soldiers and adventurers, places this site firmly within one of the most transformative periods of Irish history. The survey itself was remarkable for its time, representing the first systematic mapping of an entire country, and sites like this one help archaeologists piece together the defensive landscape of post-medieval Ireland.

Today, what remains is a grass-covered enclosure that might easily be overlooked by the casual observer, yet it forms part of a broader archaeological complex catalogued as CW019-081001. The site was documented by maritime archaeologist Claire Breen and uploaded to archaeological records in January 2012, ensuring that this fragment of Carlow’s heritage is preserved for future study. Though modest in appearance, such earthworks provide valuable insights into patterns of settlement, defence, and land use during a period when control of the Irish landscape was fiercely contested.