Tower (in Ruins) — Ballinterry

Adjacent to Ballinterry House (5986); 1842 OS 6-inch map shows four towers standing at corners of large, roughly square enclosure (distance between towers c. 50m), with house in centre; only ivy-clad tower to NW of house now stands. This is circular in plan (int. diam. 3.5m); door opes to N and SE have recent surrounds, latter may be in original position; six lintelled gun loops, evenly spaced, set around wall. Featureless 1st floor largely rebuilt. Walls running out from this tower, on line of bawn enclosure, not keyed in and appear to be later than tower. Tower at SW corner reduced to low overgrown mounds of rubble; no surface indication of other two towers. Surviving tower early 17th-century in appearance, probably surrounding fortified house replaced by present house in late 17th century. Not listed by Healy (1988); nothing of its earlier history appears to be known. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009