This rectangular tower, measuring roughly 8 by 9 metres, rises from the southeast corner of what was once a square bawn; a fortified courtyard typical of plantation-era defences. The castle’s turbulent past saw it pass from the Barry family, who forfeited it during the 1641 rebellion, to the Purdons, before finding new life around 1807 when it was repaired as a residence for the steward of the Ballyclogh estate. Though substantial outbuildings were constructed along the bawn walls during this renovation, both the tower and its additions now stand abandoned, slowly surrendering to time and weather.

The tower itself reveals its dual nature as both medieval fortification and Georgian residence through its architectural features. The ground floor, accessed through a north-facing doorway, contains a vaulted chamber lit by a single window, whilst the upper floors showcase a fascinating blend of periods. Original medieval elements include the spiral staircase tucked into the northeast corner, defensive bartizans supported by tapering corbels at two corners, and mullioned windows with hood mouldings that speak to its defensive origins. The 19th-century modifications are equally apparent; inserted fireplaces warm chambers that once relied on braziers, a wooden partition creates a corridor on the third floor, and external stone steps provide a more civilised approach to the first-floor entrance than the original ladder access would have offered.

Each floor tells its own story of adaptation and use, from the first floor’s garderobe and mural chamber to the second floor’s impressive pointed vault running north to south. The third floor, perhaps the most altered, features twin-light windows and opposing openings that would have flooded the space with light, whilst the fourth floor, now topped with a deteriorating slate roof from the 1800s, once gave access to the battlements that have long since crumbled away. Though the Down Survey of 1655-6 marked it simply as a house on their barony map, this tower represents far more; a layered history of conflict, confiscation, and reinvention that characterises so much of Ireland’s built heritage.