This defensive enclosure once protected a tower house at the heart of what was the medieval settlement of Earlstown, a place with a fascinating history of changing ownership. The site’s strategic position offered clear sightlines to the east, south and west, making it an ideal location for both defence and surveillance of the surrounding lands.

The castle and settlement originally belonged to the D’Erley family before passing to the Sweetmans towards the end of the 14th century. The Sweetmans maintained control of the property for nearly three centuries, establishing themselves as significant landholders in the area. Their tenure came to an abrupt end during the Cromwellian confiscations of the mid-17th century, when the estate was seized and divided amongst several new owners, marking the end of an era for this once-unified medieval holding.

Today, visitors can still trace the outline of the bawn’s defensive walls, built from roughly coursed limestone rubble about a metre thick. The southern wall stretches nearly 24 metres and reaches heights of up to 2.5 metres in places, whilst the western wall extends an impressive 46.5 metres, though it survives in a more ruinous state. The southern wall appears to have been constructed against a steep, south-facing slope; however, the dramatic drop visible today may be the result of later quarrying activities rather than the original medieval landscape. These substantial remains offer a tangible connection to Ireland’s turbulent medieval past and the families who shaped this corner of County Kilkenny.