James Butler, Duke of Ormond, built the Main Guard in 1675 as the courthouse for the Palatinate of the administrative area of County Tipperary. In 1715, the Palatinate jurisdiction was extinguished. In about 1810, the ground floor, a loggia of open arches, was converted into shops, a basement excavated and additional floors inserted. It has been recently restored to its original form and the open arcade of sandstone columns is once again a feature of the streetscape. As this site is managed by the OPW, school tour visits are permitted free of charge provided certain conditions are met.