This substantial rectangular enclosure stretches 67 metres from east-northeast to west-southwest and 48.3 metres from east-southeast to west-northwest, with walls rising to 1.8 metres high. Built from undressed mortared stone, the fort features two circular turrets positioned at opposing corners; the eastern turret remains particularly intact, standing two storeys tall with five gun loops on each floor. Its western counterpart also retains five gun loops, whilst a garderobe chute can be spotted beside the eastern turret in the southeastern wall. The collapsed entrance, approximately 1.1 metres wide, faces east-northeast.

At the heart of the fortification lie the remains of a rectangular house, measuring 12.2 metres long and 5.9 metres wide. Near the northern corner, grass now covers the foundation lines of what were once associated outbuildings, hinting at the domestic life that continued within these defensive walls. The entire complex is surrounded by an extensive field system, evidence of the agricultural activities that sustained the fort’s inhabitants.

Designated as National Monument 369, Cregboyne Fort represents a significant piece of Ireland’s plantation-era heritage. These fortified bawns served as both defensive structures and symbols of authority during a turbulent period of Irish history, when English and Scottish settlers required protection whilst establishing their estates. The fort’s gun loops, strategically placed turrets, and thick walls speak to the very real threats faced by its occupants, whilst the domestic buildings within remind us that these were living, working communities as much as military installations.