Bawn, Cahernamuck West, Co. Galway
In Cahernamuck West, County Galway, the remains of a medieval defensive structure tell a story of changing fortifications over centuries.
Bawn, Cahernamuck West, Co. Galway
The site features a moated enclosure with an earthen bank topped by what appears to be remnants of a stone bawn wall, likely connected to a tower house that was later built overlying the southeast corner of the original structure. This layering of defences suggests the site evolved from an earlier moated settlement into a more substantial fortified residence during the late medieval period.
The most impressive surviving feature is the stone wall running along the inner bank, particularly well preserved on the southern side where an 11-metre stretch remains visible. Built with large limestone blocks forming inner and outer faces around a rubble core, the wall measures 1.3 metres wide and stands about 30 centimetres high today. Stone revetment, which would have helped stabilise and strengthen the earthen banks, can still be spotted intermittently along both faces of the embankment, offering glimpses of the original construction techniques.
The site has seen continued use through the centuries, with a later field wall now running along portions of the western and northern banks, showing how these ancient fortifications were incorporated into the agricultural landscape. Protected under a preservation order since 1991, this monument represents a fascinating example of how medieval defensive structures evolved and adapted over time, from simple earthen enclosures to more sophisticated stone fortifications.