Towers

On the S-sloping edge of an E-W ridge overlooking the River Suir and a small lake c. 150m to the S, in an area of undulating ground with outcrop to the N of the tower house. According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) the Countess of Ormond was the proprietor in 1640 and 'On the sd. lands stands a castle Demolished with a Bawne on one side thereof together with a thatcht house a few cabblins all Inhabitted (Simington 1934, 9). The tower house (TS060-059001-) is situated at the W end of this rectangular bawn (dims. 32m N-S; 52.6m E-W) which kinks in at the W end of the N wall, where the round-headed entrance (Wth 2m; H 2.8m) is situated, towards the NW angle. The tower house is located at this W end of the bawn. In the 15th century the W bawn wall ran up to the W wall of the tower house, though there is no evidence of it being keyed into it. In the late 16th century the N end of the W bawn wall was extended to enclose rather than incorporate the W wall of the tower house and two circular two-storey towers with corbelled roofs were built at the NW and SW angle of the extension which juts out (4.86m) beyond the existing bawn wall but is not keyed into it. The entrance to the bawn is flanked externally by buttresses and above the arch there is a narrow loop. Another loop is positioned immedately W of the doorway and another at the NW angle of the bawn. The angle towers have several embrasures with gun-loops. In the original bawn (wall T 1.45m), towards the W end of the S wall there is a 15th/16th century postern, flat-headed, chamfered externally, with a hanging-eye on the E side. On the 1st ed. OS 6-inch map an earthwork is depicted funnelling out from the postern to form a roughly square platform or enclosure which is no longer visible above ground. The SW angle of the bawn incorporated in an internal building (TS060-059009-) and the S wall of the bawn within this building has three openings which were possibly broken out to form windows while there is one large opening in the W wall. In the NE angle of the bawn an internal building (TS060-059010-) was incorporated but there are no breaches in the bawn wall. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 5 February 2013

The tower house at Ballynahinch was likely built by the Butler family, who were prominent landowners in the area during the 15th or 16th century. It is remembered for its strategic position overlooking the River Suir and for being recorded in the 1654–56 Civil Survey, indicating its significance in the early modern period.