Gallery
Modern drawbar in a medieval drawbar slot in Cantwell's Castle
Drawbar slot at Rothe House, an early modern townhouse in Kilkenny
Set of (at least) 3 drawbar slots at Churchclara Church ruin, Co. Kilkenny
A drawbar is a defensive implement used to secure a door or gate in a medieval or Early Modern building such as a castle, [1] [2] but also churches and townhouses.
When drawn across the full length of the door, it prevents the door or gate from being opened. To open the door or gate, the drawbar is pushed into a drawbar slot in the wall. These drawbar slots often survive in ruins and preserved buildings from that time. [3] [4] [5]
The use of gunpowder and the possibility to blow up the door rendered them obsolete.
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. Kilkenny County Council is the local authority for the county. At the 2022 census the population of the county was 103,685. The county was based on the historic Gaelic kingdom of Ossory (Osraighe), which was coterminous with the Diocese of Ossory.
Kilkenny is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2022 census gave the population of Kilkenny as 27,184, the thirteenth-largest urban center in Ireland.
Youghal is a seaside resort town in County Cork, Ireland. Located on the estuary of the River Blackwater, the town is a former military and economic centre. Located on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a long and narrow layout. As of the 2022 census, the population was 8,564.
Kilkenny Castle is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland, built in 1260 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. It was a symbol of Norman occupation, and in its original 13th-century condition, it would have formed an important element of the town's defences with four large circular corner towers and a massive ditch, part of which can still be seen today on the Parade.
Lismore is a historic town in County Waterford, in the province of Munster, Ireland. Originally associated with Saint Mochuda of Lismore, who founded Lismore Abbey in the 7th century, the town developed around the medieval Lismore Castle. As of the 21st century, Lismore supports a rural catchment area, and was designated as a "district service centre" in Waterford County Council's 2011–2017 development plan. As of 2022, the town had a population of 1,347 people.
The architecture of Ireland is one of the most visible features in the Irish countryside – with remains from all eras since the Stone Age abounding. Ireland is famous for its ruined and intact Norman and Anglo-Irish castles, small whitewashed thatched cottages and Georgian urban buildings. What are unaccountably somewhat less famous are the still complete Palladian and Rococo country houses which can be favourably compared to anything similar in northern Europe, and the country's many Gothic and neo-Gothic cathedrals and buildings.
Carlingford is a coastal town and civil parish in northern County Louth, Ireland. For the purposes of local government, the town is part of the Dundalk Municipal District. It is situated on the southern shore of Carlingford Lough with Slieve Foy mountain as a backdrop, sometimes known as Carlingford Mountain. It is the main town on the Cooley Peninsula. Located on the R176/R173 roads between Greenore and Omeath village, Carlingford is approximately 27 km (17 mi) north east from Dundalk, 90 km (56 mi) north of Dublin and 11 km (7 mi) south of the border with Northern Ireland. Carlingford won the Irish Tidy Towns Competition in 1988.
Cappoquin, also sometimes spelt Cappaquin, is a town in western County Waterford, Ireland. It is on the Blackwater river at the junction of the N72 national secondary road and the R669 regional road. It is positioned on a sharp 90-degree bend in the river and lies at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains. The town is a few miles from Mount Melleray and Lismore, County Waterford.
Rothe House is a late 16th-century merchant's townhouse complex located in the city of Kilkenny, Ireland. The complex was built by John Rothe Fitz-Piers between 1594–1610 and is made up of three houses, three enclosed courtyards, and a large reconstructed garden with orchard. As a museum, it is accessible to the public.
Carrigaphooca Castle is a ruined five storey rectangular tower house situated on a steep-sided rock overlooking the River Sullane. It is located 6 km west of Macroom, County Cork, Ireland, in an area once known as Gleann na n-Dearg. The tower dominates the landscape of Lissacresig (Fairyland) in Clondrohid, and Lower Shanballyshane, in Kilnamartyra. Carrigaphooca is made of sandstone and limestone and was built as a defensive tower by the MacCarthys of Muskerry in the early 15th century.
Paulstown is a small village in County Kilkenny in Ireland.
Mount Loftus is a country estate in the civil parish of Powerstown in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It was originally home to the Loftus baronets, the baronetcy being extinct since the death of the third baronet in 1864. The original 18th century manor house was demolished in 1906. The current house on the estate, built in the early 20th century, was rebuilt from staff accommodations after a fire in the 1930s. This house, and several of its outbuildings, are included on Kilkenny County Council's Record of Protected Structures.
Portlick Castle is a late medieval tower house castle near the village of Glasson, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located approximately 6 miles from Athlone on the shores of Lough Ree. It comprises a square late medieval 4-storey stone tower with an attached 2-storey Georgian wing and Victorian tower.
Newtown Pery is an area of central Limerick, Ireland, and forms the main city centre of the city. The district is known for its Georgian architectural heritage and is the core area of Limerick's Georgian Quarter. It is one of the three towns that make up modern-day Limerick City Centre, the other two being the older Englishtown and Irishtown, which date from the medieval period. Newtown Pery houses the largest collection of Georgian townhouses in Ireland outside of Dublin. In 1837, Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Newtown Pery as "one of the handsomest towns in Ireland".
The Irish Landmark Trust is an architectural conservation and educational organisation founded in Ireland in 1992. Similar to the British Landmark Trust, it is a registered charity which renovates buildings of historic interest and makes them available for holiday rental, while collating and sharing information on construction and restoration techniques. As of 2018, the organisation had restored over 30 properties on the island of Ireland, including a number of lighthouses and castles.
Grace's Old Castle is a historic castle building in the centre of Kilkenny which has been extended to create the city’s modern courthouse structure. It houses one of the oldest courthouses in the country.
William Robertson, an Irish architect, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, some days before 4 December 1770. He attended the Dublin Society where he was awarded with a silver medal for his drawing skills in 1795.
Cantwell's Castle is a tower house located in the townland of Sandfortscourt in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It served as the main residence for the head of the Cantwell family.
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