Moated site

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on low-lying level ground between two E-W ridges and close to the base of the S ridge. A square enclosure named 'Danish Fort' is indicated on a 1774 map (no. 1) of the manors of Lismore, Lisfinny, Mogeely and Curraglass by B. Scalé (NLI MSS 7216-18). The remains of this moated site consist of a slightly raised square area (46m E-W; 45m N-S) in the SE corner of the field. The interior is defined by a scarp which is topped by a low bank along the S half of the E side and on the S side. There is an external fosse on the E and S sides. The scarp (H 0.7m) on the W, N and along the N half of the E side is low and grass-covered. Elsewhere the scarp (H 1.4m) is topped by a low earthen bank (H 0.4m) which is incorporated into the field boundary system. The fosse (Wth 6m; D 0.8m) along the N half of the E side is defined externally by an earthen bank (int. H 1.4m; ext. H 0.8m). An earthen bank crossing the fosse at an angle joins this bank with the low bank (H 0.2m) topping the scarp along the S half of the E side. The fosse (D 0.4m) along the S half of the E side and along the S side has been recut to act as a drainage ditch. The interior is grass covered and no internal features were noted. According to local information, this moated site formerly consisted of a square area surrounded by a high earthen bank and a deep waterlogged fosse but it was partially levelled in the 1970s by filling the bank into the fosse on the N and W sides.

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009).

Date of upload: 22 December 2009