Platform

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on top of a broad low hill, overlooked to N by a higher hill and at SE–S by Knockalla Mountain, which spans the E–W width of the Fanad Peninsula. To N–NE there are distant views of Lough Swilly with the uplands of the Inishowen peninsula beyond. There is a gentle fall of ground immediately to NE of the platform. A bye-road borders the S side of the field.
This monument is not indicated on any edition of the OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a low, roughly equal-sided triangular platform (side L 10-12m) defined by a relatively vertical-sided stone-faced scarp (H 0.3-0.5m). The scarp is lowest on the W side (H 0.3m), and somewhat higher on the E and S sides (H 0.4-0.5m), where there is a natural all of ground. The stone facing is most clearly visible on the W side where it appears to consist of a close-set row of medium to large-sized stones, one stone high. Some of the larger stones/boulders may be field clearance stones pushed against the platform.
The platform appears to be of earthen construction; the flat-top is grass-covered. A partly sod-covered concentration of stones is located on top of the platform at its SW corner, and a scatter of loose stones rests on the central area of the platform. Small blackthorn scrub grow along the scarp on the S half of the E side.
The nature of this platform is uncertain. The field is known locally as the ‘Fort field’; one local tradition is that it was used as ‘a look-out point’.

Attached images:
DG018-042----_01.JPG viewed from W
DG018-042----_02.JPG stone-facing on W side
DG018-042----_03.JPG viewed from SE
DG018-042----_04.JPG viewed from SW

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 15 June 2023