Outlined — Esker

Esker Castle (OF006-031001-) stands on the SW angle of a large walled bawn area to the N and E of the castle. There are several stone buildings now covered in briars and trees to the N of the castle which were built inside the bawn wall. The large multi-period rectangular-shaped bawn measures externally c. 47m E-W by c. 29m N-S with walls 0.9m thick, encloses an area to the N and E of Esker Castle, was entered through a poorly preserved gatehouse in the centre of the E wall. The south wall of the bawn stands 2.7m to the S of the SE angle of the castle. There are numerous gun-loops visible in the N and S walls of this ivy-covered bawn which in places survives to a height of c. 2m and in other places especially along the W side only the wall footings of the bawn wall survives. Detailed examination of the bawn wall is impossible due to the dense cover of scrub growing on the inner faces of the bawn wall. The wall footings of several buildings of unknown date are located to the N of the castle where they are built against the internal face of the bawn wall. There is a possible rectangular building measuring internally 9.4m E-W by 7.1m N-S in the NW angle of the bawn. In this building there are the remains of a possible window embrasure in the W wall and a second window embrasure in the N wall. Immediately to the E of this building are the ivy covered walls of a second possible building which is also orientated on an E-W axis measuring internally c. 6.7m N-S by c. 9m E-W. The N wall of these two buildings form the N wall of the bawn. The outline of this second building is indicated on the 1838 edition of the Ordnance Survey six-inch map. The castle tower stands on the SW angle of the bawn. There are the remains of a possible mural tower measuring c. 1.6m by 1.8m with walls 0.8m thick projecting from the external face of the bawn wall on the W side of the bawn. The N and S walls of the gatehouse located on the eastern side of the bawn survive c. 3m high. There are insufficient remains of the walls of this gatehouse to indicate the original floor plan of the building. The entrance through the gateway measures 2.3m wide, the walls of the gatehouse on the S side project externally from the bawn for a distance of 2.1m and project internally for a length of 3.4m. The wall on the N side of the gatehouse flanking the entranceway projects internally for a length of c.3.2m. The collapsed rubble of this gatehouse in the NE angle of the bawn obscures several architectural features which may be the remains of a window belonging to the gatehouse. The NE angle of the bawn has recently collapsed and a section of the N wall at the E end adjacent to the NE angle is now freestanding due to the collapse and this freestanding section of the ivy-covered wall is now offline. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Offaly' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 28 February 2022