This bawn, a type of defensive farmhouse unique to Ireland, dates from the plantation era when English and Scottish settlers required protection from potential raids. The term ‘bawn’ derives from the Irish word ‘bábhún’, meaning cattle enclosure, which hints at its dual purpose; these structures served both as fortified residences and secure livestock compounds.

The Castlequarter bawn follows the typical design of these defensive structures, featuring thick stone walls that once enclosed a courtyard where cattle could be driven in during times of danger. Built during the 16th or 17th century, it represents the uneasy period following the Tudor conquest of Ireland, when new landowners constructed these fortified houses as a compromise between comfort and security. Unlike the grand castles of medieval lords, bawns were practical structures built by farmers and minor gentry who needed protection but couldn’t afford elaborate fortifications.

Today, the remains at Castlequarter offer visitors a glimpse into this distinctive chapter of Irish architectural history. The surviving walls, though weathered by centuries of Atlantic storms, still convey the sense of isolation and vulnerability that prompted their construction. These structures dot the Irish landscape, particularly in Ulster and Connacht, serving as stone witnesses to a time when the countryside was far from peaceful, and even prosperous farmers slept behind barricaded walls.