Dun Ar Ruin, Duncannon, Wexford

Rarely does such a property come to the market, located only a short walk from the seaside village of Duncannon, Dun Ar Ruin is a most charming and exceptionally well maintained 3 bed property dating from the late 1950’s and historic Martello Tower which dates from the early 19th century.

Approached via a beautiful driveway, the main property which extends to
approximately c.92sq m includes a bright entrance hall, sitting room with solid fuel stove, dining room, kitchen, utility,
3 bedrooms and shower room.

The granite built Martello Tower is one of only 3 built in Co. Wexford as defences against a planned invasion by Napoleon Bonaparte.

The Martello Tower is a free-standing,
compact, squat, circular, two-storey structure built over a vaulted cellar with a parapet- protected roof which has a fixture for a large traversing cannon. The tower stands 10m high, with bomb-proof walls, over 3 metres thick in places. It is built with large granite blocks and is a magnificent feat of engineering. It is one of the few Towers in Ireland that still has its boundary walls and embankments that are fairly intact.

There is a stone staircase to the roof. The first- floor was the garrison's living
quarters for eleven men and one officer. There were 2 rooms on this floor with one window & one fireplace in each. The entrance door was on this floor also. It was 3 m from the ground and access was by a ladder, which could be withdrawn into the tower in an emergency.

The latrines were outside in the corner of the grounds. The ground floor was
devoted to storage of materials and supplies. Incorporated in it was an
ammunition’s magazine which was walled off for safety reasons. There is a well in the cellar.

The Tower is surrounded by a stone wall with a 3m wide and sloping embankment in front so that any attackers could not hide behind it. Local myth suggests there are tunnels connecting the Towers to the Fort. The defeat of Napoleon and the advance of gun technology meant that Martellos were rendered surplus to requirements. They were then used as watch towers to combat smugglers.