Built during the 16th or 17th century, these defensive structures were essential features of the Irish landscape during a period when settlers required protection from potential raids and attacks. The term ‘bawn’ derives from the Irish word ‘bábhún’, meaning a fortified enclosure, and these structures typically consisted of high stone walls surrounding a house or tower, often with defensive features such as corner towers or flankers.

This particular bawn would have served as both a residence and a defensive stronghold for its inhabitants, likely Anglo-Irish landowners or planters who received land grants during the various plantation schemes. The walls, which would have been several metres high and quite thick, enclosed a courtyard where livestock could be secured during times of unrest; a practical necessity in an era when cattle raiding was commonplace. Within or adjacent to the enclosure, the main dwelling would have provided living quarters for the family, whilst the enclosed space offered protection for agricultural activities and storage.

Today, like many bawns throughout Ireland, the Lecarrow Upper structure serves as a physical reminder of a complex period in Irish history when new landowners sought to establish themselves in often hostile territory. These fortified houses represent an architectural response to the social and political tensions of their time, blending defensive military architecture with domestic requirements. Their remains, whether intact or ruined, continue to dot the Irish countryside, offering visitors a tangible connection to the centuries of conflict, settlement, and eventual integration that shaped modern Ireland.