The original builders constructed it with defence firmly in mind; the main entrance sits in the western wall, whilst a clever barrel vault supports three floors above. A spiral staircase built directly into the western wall’s thickness provides access between levels and leads up to the crenelated battlements that crown the structure. The first floor even features a garderobe tucked into the southeast corner, a medieval convenience that speaks to the domestic life once lived within these defensive walls.

What makes Bolton Castle particularly fascinating is how it has evolved over the centuries. During the eighteenth century, the medieval tower was incorporated into a newer double-gabled house, creating an architectural timeline that spans three hundred years. This blending of defensive medieval architecture with later Georgian domestic comfort tells the story of how Ireland’s fortified houses gradually transformed from military strongholds into family homes as the country became more peaceful.

Just south of the tower house, you’ll find an intriguing structure that likely started life as a bawn turret; a defensive tower that would have protected the castle’s outer walls. This barrel-vaulted building was later converted into a columbarium, or dovecote, complete with a pigeon loft added in subsequent years. The repurposing of military architecture for agricultural use reflects the changing priorities of castle owners, who found more value in keeping pigeons for meat and eggs than maintaining defensive positions. Together, these buildings offer a window into how one small corner of Kildare adapted through centuries of Irish history.