Bawn, Glouria, Co. Kerry
About 43 metres east of a circular bivallate rath in Glouria, County Kerry, sits a curious rectangular enclosure that tells a story of medieval Irish agricultural life.
Bawn, Glouria, Co. Kerry
This sub-rectangular structure, measuring roughly 31 by 15 metres and standing just over half a metre high, is connected to its neighbouring rath by a substantial earthen bank about 4 metres wide. The enclosure runs northwest to southeast along its longer axis, creating a purposeful link between the two archaeological features.
The structure likely served as a bawn; a fortified enclosure commonly built in medieval Ireland to protect livestock from raids and wild animals. These defensive enclosures were particularly important in rural areas where cattle rustling was a constant threat, and livestock represented significant wealth for local families. The physical connection between the bawn and the nearby rath suggests they functioned as a single defensive complex, with the rath possibly serving as the main residential fort whilst the bawn provided secure grazing and shelter for animals.
Archaeological surveys conducted in North Kerry during the 1990s documented this site as part of a broader mapping of the region’s rich medieval heritage. The surviving earthworks, though modest in height after centuries of erosion and agricultural activity, still clearly define the original boundaries of this ancient farmstead. Together with the adjacent rath, these remnants offer a glimpse into how medieval Irish communities organised their settlements, balancing the needs for defence, agriculture, and daily life in the Kerry countryside.