Bawn in Grange (smallcounty By.)

The Bawn or enclosure that surrounds Grange Castle is formed on a distinct rock outcrop on which Grange Castle (LI032-001002-) once stood. The castle enclosure is located 40m E of the townland boundary with Grange and 840m W of Lough Gur. The rock outcrop and castle site are depicted on the 1840 ed. OSi 6-inch map and are also depicted on the 1897 ed. OSi 25-inch map where the rock outcrop is illustrated as a roughly sub-rectangular rock formation (ext. dims. c. 100m N-S; 22m E-W). The rock is identified on the OSi Cassini 6-inch map as 'Cathair Chinn Chon', which was one of the seats of the King of Cashel (O'Kelly 1944, 51). According to Lynch (1895, 251) this rock was called 'Grange Rock' and that the stones from Grange Castle were used in the construction of Raheen House located 460m to the SW (ibid.). There are conflicting claims as to the location of Cathair Chinn Chon, O'Donovan identified it as a stone fort or cashel standing near Rockbarton, the residence of Lord Guillamore (Lynch 1917, 231). In spite of this, the rock outcrop is likely to have been a focus for settlement prior to the construction of the castle and was almost certainly a focus for outbuildings around the castle tower whilst it was in use. The site is covered is scrub woodland and is visible as heavily overgrown rock outcrop on Google Earth orthoimages taken 16/03/2016; 28/06/2018 and 20/09/2020. See attached Google Earth orthoimages Compiled by: Edmond O’Donovan Date of upload: 3 November 2020