Bawns

A bawn is a defensive walled enclosure surrounding a castle, fortress, or tower house, a feature most associated with Ireland and parts of Scotland. The word derives from the Irish Gaelic báthún or bábhún, meaning fortification or stronghold. In practice, a bawn is the outer defensive space that protects the principal residence and its outbuildings.

Construction and layout commonly include a stone or earth wall surrounding a rectangular or irregular enclosure, often with corner towers or strong circular towers and a fortified gatehouse. The gatehouse is typically the strongest point of defense, sometimes featuring murder holes, arrow slits, and a bridge or portcullis. Inside the enclosure lie domestic buildings, stables, storehouses, and sometimes a courtyard, all shielded from direct attack by the surrounding wall. Some bawns also adjoin a ditch or moat.

Purpose and use varied: the bawn provided a safe haven for dependents and valuable goods during raids or warfare, offered space for daily activities away from the main keep, and served as a controlled approach to the residence. It reflects a shift from purely military fortresses to fortified domestic centers in late medieval and early modern Ireland and among Gaelic- and Anglo-Norman-influenced architectures.

Historical context and significance: bawns are a characteristic feature of tower houses and fortified residences in Ireland, especially in Ulster and the central and western regions, dating roughly from the 14th to the 17th centuries, with some continuing in use or being altered in later periods. Today, many bawns survive as archaeological sites or monuments, illustrating adaptive defense strategies in Gaelic and colonial-era architecture.