Ightermurragh Fortified
House
OS
77: 7: 3; OD 0-40ft. South-east county Cork.
Ightermurragh fortified house is built on a limestone outcrop in a gentle sloping pasture land north
of the Womanagh River. It is a cruciform house. The main block is 22m east-west and 10m north-south and has a central projecting
block on the north which is 5m north-south and 6m east-west and a projection on the south is 5m north-south and 6m east-west.
All wall stand to full height. It is a four storeys building marked by continuous string courses on outside elevations. The
main entrance door is found at first floor level in the south wall of the front projection. A recess for a plaque is located
above this door. There is a second door within the projection giving access to the main house. It has decorated wrought stone
jambs. The ground floor enters into a semi-basement in the rear projection, with a semi-circular arched doorway in the west
wall and another on the wall of the main block. The kitchen fireplace is situated in the west wall of the main block. Some
of the chimney stacks protrude externally. All floors were wooden and the joist holes and scarcements survive. The rear projection
contained a wooden newel staircase, indicated by the remains of the wall plaster that still survives. Access to all floors
was from this stairs and to the wall walk. Defence was provided at first floor level by gunloops and a machicolation is positioned
atop the front projection wall over the first floor doorway. All floors are very well light by large rectangular mullion and
transom windows, these vary from single to one and two light divisions, many of the lintels are missing. There are 12 fireplaces
and 6 chimney stacks that still survive, a 7th stack has fallen. Many of the fireplace surrounds are very finely
carved some have joggle-arched lintel one has carved detail and another has an inscription. The remains are seventeenth century
in form.
;-)
Field Walking Photography
