The site consists of a square bawn wall, measuring roughly 48 by 49 metres, built from locally sourced limestone rubble. The defensive wall once featured a gate tower at its northern entrance, flanked by musket loops; narrow openings that allowed defenders to fire upon attackers whilst remaining protected. Though one of these defensive features has since been blocked during Victorian renovations, evidence of the site’s military architecture remains visible throughout, including the foundations of a circular flanking turret at the southeast corner and traces of a bartizan, a small overhanging turret, that once projected from the northeast angle on stone corbels.

The original tower house stands in the northwest corner of the enclosure, though only its northern and western walls survive intact today. What remains reveals careful construction in coursed limestone with a distinctive batter, where the walls slope outward at the base for added stability. A particularly fine Jacobean window, complete with stone mullions and transoms, graces the western wall; a reminder of the building’s dual purpose as both fortress and home. The ground floor features a narrow defensive slit opening, whilst the southern wall of the bawn displays an intriguing string course with paired post holes above and below, possibly indicating where timber buildings once stood against the defensive walls.

Perhaps most interesting is the small two-storey house built at the southern end of the bawn, likely dating to the late 1600s or early 1700s. Its T-shaped plan incorporates a characteristic feature of houses from this period: a small rear tower containing the staircase, which provided the only access to the first floor. This architectural quirk reflects the continuing need for defensive considerations even as Ireland transitioned from medieval warfare to more settled times. The house received a northern extension during the 19th century, when many of Ireland’s old fortifications were being adapted for more comfortable domestic use. Together, these structures tell the story of Cullenwaine’s evolution from a 17th-century defensive stronghold to a more peaceful, though still impressive, country residence.