What began as a medieval tower house was gradually transformed into an 18th-century residence, with each generation of the Barnewall family leaving their mark on the structure. Local legend suggests the original castle was built using stones from the nearby nunnery of Grace Dieu, giving the building a rather poetic connection to the area’s religious past. Though the house was demolished in 1987, archaeological work in 1993 uncovered significant remnants of all three building phases, revealing the site’s complex history.

The earliest structure on the site was a rectangular tower house measuring 11.5 metres long and 8 metres wide, featuring an angle tower in its northwest corner. This medieval stronghold included some rather sophisticated features for its time; a barrel vault over the ground floor (though it has since collapsed), a double garderobe chute in the north wall, and a splayed window embrasure. The surviving sections of the vault still show traces of wicker-centring, a construction technique that reveals the craftsmanship of medieval builders. During the late 16th century, the tower house was extended southward with an L-shaped addition, of which fragments of four original windows remain, including the sill of what was once a three-light window, along with an original doorway and fireplace.

Today, the site sits fenced off and overgrown, a shadow of its former grandeur when it served as the seat of the Barnewall family. The 18th-century mansion that once incorporated these earlier structures is gone, but the archaeological remains offer tantalising glimpses into centuries of Irish domestic architecture. From defensive tower house to comfortable residence, Turvey House’s ruins chart the changing needs and aspirations of one family whilst reflecting broader shifts in Irish society, from medieval insecurity to Georgian elegance.