_Bawn.--Mutual._--In vol. iii. p. 506. of Hallam's _Constitutional
History of England_, there occurs the following passage in reference to
the colonisation of Ulster in 1612, after Tyrone's rebellion:
"Those who received 2000 acres were bound within four years to
build a castle and bawn, or strong court-yard; the second class
within two years to build a stone or brick house, with a bawn;
the third class a bawn only."
What was the bawn, which was equally indispensable to the grantee of
2000, 1500, or 1000 acres? Richardson variously describes the term as
almost any kind of dwelling, or "an enclosure of walls to keep cattle
from being stolen at night;" in fact, a court-yard. This, however,
conveys a very unsatisfactory idea, unless I am justified in supposing
that a court-yard was insisted upon, even when a house could not be
built, as insuring a future residential settlement, and thereby warding
off the evils of absenteeism.