House — 17th century in Synone

In grassland atop a low rise of ground, with good views in all directions. A house of limestone rubble, roughly coursed, which has been incorporated into the S face of a circular tower house (TS053-035001-). The tower house is described in the Civil Survey (1654-6) as an old ruined castle whose proprietor in 1640 was listed as Sir William St. Leger, Lord president of Munster (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 216). Only the N angle of the house survives with a wall running SE (L 1.3m externally; T at ground level 1m; T at first-floor level c. 0.5m) and SW (T at ground level over 1m; T at first-floor level c. 0.5m). There is a vertical joint in the SE and SW external faces of the tower house where the masonry has been removed to facilitate the incorporation of later masonry. The lower courses of the later masonry, up to 1.8m above ground level, are keyed into the original masonry. There are the remains of a springing arch (H 1.25m above ext. ground level) in the NE gable which appear to have supported the opening for a fireplace as there is a blocked flue in the masonry behind this feature. Though nothing remains of the chimney it appears to have been adjoining the external face of the tower house at roughly the second-floor level of same. At first-floor level there are the remains of a chamber (L SE 1.2m; L SW 1.4m) or perhaps a large window embrasure. The house was possibly added in the late 16th or 17th century. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011