Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In tillage, on S-facing slope, overlooking Awbeg River. Depicted as hachured circular enclosure (diam. c. 50m) on 1842 OS 6-inch map, immediately to NNE of second ringfort (CO023-15901-). Levelled; no visible surface trace of site. Excavated (as Ringfort 1) by Dermot C. Twohig in 1972 (Twohig 1990, 1-32), along with two other ringforts (CO023-15701-; CO023-15901-), due to impending quarry development. At time of excavation a short segment of bank remained to N, incorporated into field fence system, and short segments of backfilled fosse visible as shallow depressions. Excavation showed site to be univallate ringfort, elliptical in plan (max. diam. 60m NE-SW; min. diam. 45m NW-SE); fosse of ringfort 1 and 2 (CO023-15901-) separated by only c. 2m of ground. Section through N bank (H 1.5m) revealed U-shaped fosse (D 1.2m); palisade trench, containing stone-packed sockets of palisade posts, found beneath collapsed outer face of bank. Evidence for habitation, from SW quadrant, consisted of two circular houses (diam. 6m), one rectangular house (7m x 5.5m) and three hearth sites. Finds included a bronze buckle, iron knives, spindle-whorl fragments, whetstones, upper stone of rotary quern, a crucible fragment, sherds of E-ware pottery and both human and animal bone remains.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009