Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, on the lower S-facing slopes of Lackacroghan hill with extensive views over the mouth of Bantry Bay. A circular raised area (diam. 45m E-W; 43m N-S) is enclosed by an earthen bank (Wth 8.9m; int. H 1.25m; ext. H 3.9m to the base of the fosse) of varying height, but best preserved along the S-N arc, and by an external fosse (Wth 3-5m) SSW-NW. There are several cattle-breaks in the bank, which is lower (H 0.1-0.7m) and more damaged along the N-S arc. A children's burial ground (CO126-035002-) is in the level interior, which is in pasture. The fosse now accommodates a farm road, along which the external face of the enclosing bank has been cut back, giving it a vertical appearance. A field wall runs along the outer face of the fosse. It is likely that the fosse has been distorted over the years. At W, a short section of the fosse appears to have been cut through brittle shale-type rock, which is visible on both sides (Wth c. 3-4m; H 1.9m at the outer W side). Some of this cutting may be a more recent occurrence. A stone field wall has been inserted into the external base of the bank along the ESE-S arc. A farm building abuts the external face of the bank at N.

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

Date of upload: 22 December 2009