Tower house

Image:Ireland tower house near quin county clare.jpg
A tower house stands on a hillock near Quin along the back road from Limerick to Ennis.

A tower house is a particular type of stone dwelling, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Such buildings were built throughout Ireland, beginning in the middle ages and continuing at least up to the 17th century. The remains of such structures are dotted around the Irish countryside. Some are still intact and even inhabited today, while others stand as mere shells in a field.

Such buildings are often roughly classified as castles, as despite their diminutive size compared to a full castle, they are formidable habitations.

See also

Broch - the defensive round houses of the Scottish Highlands