Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

The following description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Carlow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload/revision: 8 July 2011
Revised by: Claire Breen

Aerial photographs (CUCAP BGH 36, 37) show complex of earthworks consisting of large enclosure (CW007-042004-) (est max. diam. c. 100m) marked on 1938-9 OS 6-inch map, enclosing at N smaller circular enclosure (CW007-042002-), probably a ringfort (est max. diam. c. 30m) and traces of what may be a much smaller circular enclosure (CW007-042003-) (est max. diam. c 15m) to E of ringfort and between ringfort and bank of large enclosure. At S, large enclosure is overlain by approximately square enclosure (CW007-042001-) with fosse and bank (est max. dims. c 40m N-S x 40m E-W), probably moated site (also shown on 1938-9 OS 6-inch map). Aerial photograph (GB90.BE.07, 13 July 1990) shows cropmarks of a large enclosure (CW007-042005-) defined by a fosse attached to the S and E of the moated site (CW007-042001); also traces of a possible trackway and related field boundaries.
Sixth/seventh-century terminal found at complex probably came from ringfort. Fourteenth/fifteenth-century pendant also found (NMI file). Complex has been levelled.