Bawn in Fiddaun (kiltartan By.)

This large irregular outer bawn (c. 300m N-S; c. 200m E-W) protects the tower house (GA128-052----) and inner bawn (GA128-052001-) that are located in its S half. It incorporates the natural defensive features of the area to great effect. The lakes to the E, Lough Aslaun, and W, Lough Doo, form natural barriers. A channel running between the lakes to the N of the tower is defended by a three-storey high gatehouse (4.3m NW-SE; 3.6m NE-SW) that originally had a drawbridge. A rebate on the external wall-face of entranceway in the NE wall indicates the position of the drawbridge when lifted. The SE end of the house, including the entrance archway and overhead machicolation, has been reconstructed. The vaulted entranceway is defended by a small guardroom to the NW. Musket loops are visible in the NW and NE walls and there is a fireplace in the NW wall. The entrance passage was also defended by musket loops on each side of its NE end. Straight stairways to the SW of the guardroom access the 1st and 2nd floors; that to the latter floor is partially destroyed. The 1st floor is now floored with concrete but the corbels which supported the 2nd floor are visible in the NE and SW walls. Musket loops are visible in the four walls at 1st-floor level. In addition, two openings over the entranceway may have conveyed the ropes that raised and lowered the drawbridge. A fireplace is visible in the NW wall at 2nd-floor level. Traces of the original S wall of the bawn are incorporated into a later field wall that extends between the two lakes c. 100m to the S of the tower house. In a section of the original walling (L 7.5m; H 2.3m; T 0.85m) to the SE, an embrasure and musket loop are visible. Here the wall is constructed of irregular limestone blocks with a rubble core. Its foundation line continues for a further 8.5m to the E. Almost to the S of the tower house a number of partially robbed-out embrasures are evident in another section of the wall (L 29m). Part of this wall projects southwards for c. 3m and contains two musket loops facing SW and W. This section may mirror the V-shaped projection in the S wall of the inner bawn. No visible surface trace survives of the field wall indicated on the OS 6-inch maps to the NW of the tower house, running between Lough Doo and the channel to the W of the gatehouse. This wall followed a line of natural limestone outcrop and it is possible that it may indicate another section the line of the bawn. There is also no visible trace of the building shown on the 1938 OS 6-inch map c. 35m to the NW of the inner bawn. (Cochrane 1905-6, 79-87) Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 7 September 2016