Bawn, Bawn, Co. Longford

Bawn, Bawn, Co. Longford

In County Longford, the remnants of a bawn wall tell a story that stretches back centuries, linking medieval Anglo-Norman ambitions with later fortified houses of the 1600s.

Bawn, Bawn, Co. Longford

This defensive wall, associated with a 17th-century fortified house, may actually incorporate much older elements; specifically, what could be the curtain wall of a 13th-century Anglo-Norman castle. The surviving sections along the northwest and northeast sides reveal the substantial nature of this fortification, with wall footings indicating it once stood half a metre high with walls measuring 1.2 metres thick.

The bawn itself represents a particularly Irish form of defensive architecture that emerged during the plantation period, when fortified houses required protective enclosures for livestock and inhabitants alike. These walls created a secure courtyard around the main dwelling, offering protection during raids and local conflicts. What makes this site particularly intriguing is the possibility that its builders incorporated or built upon the foundations of a much earlier castle, a common practice that allowed settlers to save both time and resources whilst establishing their defensive positions.

Today, much of the original structure has been lost to time and development. The southeast and southwest sections show no visible surface traces of the medieval walls, having been built over by a 19th-century wall that follows the same line. Despite these alterations, the remaining wall footings offer tangible evidence of how successive generations adapted and reused defensive structures, creating a palimpsest of Irish history written in stone and mortar.

0.0/5

Good to Know

Tags

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete
Pete
I like knowing about my local area, and helping others to learn about theirs too. If you'd like to contribute to this website, please get in touch.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Bawn, Bawn, Co. Longford. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 50 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.
Bawn, Co. Longford
53.67714428, -7.76863995
53.67714428,-7.76863995
Bawn 
Castle Features 

Related Places