Town defences in Townparks (ballybrit By.)

Birr is situated in the low-lying fertile valley of the Little Brosna River. The town developed SE of the castle (OF035-012004-) and within the bounds of a pronounced meander in the River Camcor. The Camcor joins the Little Brosna to NW of the town. St Brendan reputedly established a monastery (OF035-012001/003-) here in the 6th century which subsequently became a prestigious and influential foundation and one of the most celebrated members of St Columcille's great federation of churches. Located in the border area between the provinces of Munster, Meath, Leinster and Connacht and itself located in the territory of Eile in Munster, the monastic settlement was frequently chosen as a venue for the meetings of both kings and churchmen, perhaps the most significant of which were the synods of AD 697 and 1174. An Anglo-Norman castle (OF035-012009-) and settlement had been established at Birr by 1207 and continued at least until c. 1315. By the mid-14th century the settlement had reverted to the O'Carrolls of Ely. The 'Black Castle' (OF035-012010) became one of the principal seats of the ruling branch of that dynasty and remained as such until its sale to Butler of Ormond in 1594. In 1621 as part of the Plantation of Ely O'Carroll, Laurence Parsons was granted the lands, 'castle and fortilage' of Birr which became the manor of Parsonstown and a new castle (OF035-012004-) was erected by the Parsons family. It was from this time and under Laurence Parsons' direction that Birr began to develop as a true town. A map of Birr made by Michael Richards in 1691 indicates that the town was esentially linear in plan, a layout which is preserved in Main St. with a subtriangular market place at the S end near the bridge. Richards also shows town defences (OF035-012007-) on his plan, the N wall running from William St. to the junction of Emmet St. the present day Spinner's Lane marking its original line. The Square was fortified with two bastions one of which possibly stood at the N end of Spinner's Lane and the other at the point where Emmet St. meets the Square. At this bastion the town wall turned S terminating on this side at a rectangular tower lying between Chapel Lane and the mill race. Ot has been suggested that portion of the town wall defences at SE are incorporated into the fabric of a later wall running from the SE end of Brendan St. towards the Manor Saw Mill. The southern defences followed the line of what is now Mill Lane. Moving W of the river, there was an additional stretch of walling which terminated in yet another bastion. With the castle (OF035-012004-) and the church (OF035-012001-) positioned in this quarter of the town and their need for protection, the western defences were reinforced with earthen embankments. These earthen embankments are marked on a 1691 map of the town drawn by Michael Richards as 'Cromwell's old Intrenchment'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien. Date of upload: 23 May 2011