Bawn, Slevoy, Co. Wexford

Bawn, Slevoy, Co. Wexford

Situated on a south and east-facing slope in Slevoy, County Wexford, this historic bawn reveals the defensive priorities of medieval Irish tower houses.

Bawn, Slevoy, Co. Wexford

The rectangular enclosure, measuring approximately 40 metres northeast to southwest and 30 metres northwest to southeast, once formed a fortified courtyard to the west of its associated tower house. These bawns served as protective walls surrounding the main residence, providing shelter for livestock and storage whilst offering a crucial first line of defence against raiders.

The site has undergone significant changes since its medieval origins. During later centuries, the Piggott family constructed their house at the eastern angle of the bawn, repurposing the ancient defensive space for domestic use. Farm buildings gradually filled the other sides of the enclosure, transforming what was once a military structure into an agricultural complex. Today, the Piggott house has been removed entirely, whilst the farm buildings that once lined the bawn walls stand either derelict or have vanished altogether, leaving only traces of their foundations.



Despite these alterations, the original footprint of the bawn remains discernible in the landscape. The connection between the tower house and its defensive enclosure tells a broader story of Irish fortified residences, where powerful families needed both imposing towers for status and practical bawns for everyday protection. This particular example at Slevoy demonstrates how these medieval structures evolved through the centuries, adapting to changing social and economic circumstances whilst maintaining their essential form in the Irish countryside.

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Slevoy, Co. Wexford
52.30270852, -6.71481125
52.30270852,-6.71481125
Slevoy 
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