Tower house

From Freepedia

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.