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bawn

A bawn is a fortified enclosure surrounding a castle or tower house, a common feature of Irish fortified residences from the late medieval period. The English term is derived from the Irish bábhún, meaning a protective enclosure or sanctuary.

Bawns were usually built as curtain walls enclosing a courtyard attached to a residence, often with projecting

Historically, bawns were constructed by Gaelic chiefs and Hiberno-Norman lords in the 13th to 17th centuries

The use of bawns declined with changes in warfare in the 17th century and with the gradual

towers
at
the
corners
and
a
gatehouse.
They
may
include
a
ditch
or
moat
and
a
parapet
along
the
wall.
The
layout
varied
with
local
needs
and
the
size
of
the
compound;
some
bawns
were
relatively
small,
while
others
enclosed
substantial
domestic
and
store
areas.
to
withstand
raids
and
sieges
and
to
provide
a
defensible
refuge
for
dependents,
livestock,
and
treasure
during
unrest.
The
presence
of
a
bawn
enhanced
both
security
and
status,
and
its
walls
could
be
used
to
control
access
to
the
main
residence.
centralization
of
power,
though
many
survive
today
as
archaeological
sites
or
ruins.
In
Ireland,
bawns
are
studied
as
part
of
the
wider
category
of
tower
houses
and
fortified
houses,
illustrating
regional
variations
in
medieval
defensive
architecture.