The defended gate arch would have provided controlled access to the bawn, a defensive courtyard that was a common feature of Irish tower houses during medieval times. These structures served both as residences for local lords and as defensive strongholds during uncertain times.

Aerial photography from 1973 revealed something that ground level observation might miss; cropmarks showing the outline of a fosse, or defensive ditch, that once surrounded a rectangular enclosure. The area measured approximately 65 metres from northeast to southwest and 50 metres from northwest to southeast, giving us a clear picture of the original defensive perimeter. These fosses were typical defensive features, designed to slow attackers and provide the defenders with a tactical advantage.

Today, the site tells a different story of Ireland's agricultural evolution. Modern farm buildings and a substantial concrete yard now cover much of the monument, showing how these historic sites have been continuously occupied and adapted over centuries. While the medieval defences may be partially obscured, the remaining traces of the gate arch and the archaeological evidence from aerial surveys help piece together the defensive architecture that once protected this Kildare stronghold.