Barryscourt

Map Reference: W823725 (1823, 0725)

Barryscourt was the chief seat of the Barrymore family from about 1170 although the present buildings date from the 16th century. It is a large tower-house with corner towers projecting beyond the main walls on two sides.



At a third corner is a tower which is almost completely detached. There is a squinch between this tower and the main building. Two of the corner towers project beyond the wall with the entrance. They provided flanking cover to protect the doorway, which also had a musket loop to the left and a murder-hole just inside. There are some good windows at the upper levels with defensive loops lower down.



The ceiling of the first floor room is vaulted.



The upper floors are reached by a straight mural stairway. All three of the corner towers have spiral stairways. In two of these the stairways rise to roof level and go down to smaller rooms. Some of these rooms are L-shaped and some are rectangular. The large room above the vault has a fine fireplace dated 1588.



Higher chambers may be reached by the stairs in the corner towers. The roof walk is intact but interrupted by a chimney and the corner towers. At roof level on the opposite side of the building is a room with a fine fireplace. This was the Earls bedroom. Beneath it is a chapel, which has a fine east window, a small south window and a piscina.



Surrounding the castle is a bawn with the remains of three round corner towers.



The following images of Barryscourt were taken in 1984