Tower — Kiltinan

Enclosing Kiltinan Castle (TS070-101004-) which is situated on a steep precipice overlooking the Clashawley River to the E. The bawn, built of limestone rubble, roughly coursed, was entered through a high pointed gateway (internal Wth 3.17m; L 2.92m; H 4.2m) at the N end of the W bawn wall. The W side of the gateway has been lowered to form a round-headed archway. There is a splayed outwork (Wth at entrance 8.11m; Wth at western end 10.5m) in the form of a wall on either side of the entrance pierced with gun-loops. The N wall (surviving original H c. 3.8m; L 9.66m; T 1m) runs directly from the entranceway and contains two embrasures, both with circular gun-loops with vertical sighting slits and a doorway at the E end of the wall. A narrower later wall continues westward from the outwork for a short length. The S wall (surviving original H c. 3m; L 12.7m) of the outwork does not run directly from the S side of the entranceway but projects from the bawn wall 2.8m S of the gateway. The embrasures in the S wall are blocked up and are not clearly identifiable. A recent stone-faced structure has been built in the SE angle of the outwork. Internally S of the gateway the wall-walk is evident with a high external parapet with possibly a small embrasure for a gun-loop. Between the top of the wall-walk and the gateway there is a diagonal offset supported on cut limestone blocks, which appears to be functioning as a form of squinch. The N length of bawn wall (H 4.2m; L 24.9m), running NE-SW, is built onto natural limestone outcrop. It survives to full height with a parapet along the external face of the wall-walk and connects the gateway with the NE angle tower. The E wall of the bawn connects the 13th-century keep with the NE angle tower. It runs NW of the keep, along the edge of a natural precipice for 35m before kinking northward for a short length (9.42m) to a two-storey circular angle tower (int. diam. 2.3m; wall T 1.15m). Immediately N of the kink there is a stirrup gun-loop within a splaying embrasure. The cut limestone doorway at ground level is unusual in that it is cut to fit into a right angle, the door head tapering to a point. The ground floor is circular in plan and is well defended with gun-loops in the WSW, NNW and ENE. A shallow embrasure, containing shelving or nest boxes, between the doorway and the ENE embrasure appears to be a later insert. The first-floor is square in plan and rested on a wooden floor supported on an offset at the top of the first-floor and was accessed via a flat-headed doorway in the S face from the E wall-walk of the bawn. It has been reused as a dovecote, with brick nesting boxes inserted. Any original features at this level have been obscured internally by the nesting boxes but a key-hole gun-loop is visible externally facing NW and another gun-loop facing W along the external NW length of bawn wall, c. 4m above the external ground level. The W wall of the bawn runs N-S from the gateway (L 73.25m; T 1.48m). At the S end there is a buttress against the E face but no surviving indication of a return. A later walled garden runs W of and incorporates the bawn wall. The W wall of the bawn is punctuated by two gateways, an 18th/19th stone arched gateway giving access to outbuildings and a round-headed gateway which appears to be late medieval in date but was possibly inserted from another location in the 18th/19th century to provide access to the walled garden as it opens externally, the door being barred from outside the bawn. The S wall of the bawn does not survive. The E wall of the bawn, S of the keep, appears to be incorporated in the E range of building which run along the edge of a natural precipice. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 12 February 2013