- Fortified Houses
In
Ireland at the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth century the fortified House, along withstronghouses , developed as a replacement for thetower house . Fortified Houses were often rectangular, or sometimes U or L-shaped, three-storey structures with high gables and chimney stacks and large windows with hood mouldings. Some examples have square towers at the corners. The interiors were relatively spacious with wooden partitions and numerous fireplaces. In a number of cases fortified houses were built onto pre-existing tower houses. Fortified houses were protected by gun fire from the angle towers andbartizans and were also provided withbawn walls with gun loops, towers and protected gateways. Fortified houses were built throughout Ireland by large landowners from a variety of backgrounds such as the Old EnglishEarl of Clanricarde who builtPortumna House inCo. Galway ; Gaelic Lords such asMacDonogh MacCarthy ,Lord of Duhallow , who builtKanturk Castle inCo. Cork andCromwellian Soldiers such asSir Charles Coote who builtRush Hall inCo. Offaly .
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