Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

Internal diam. c. 20m. A ruined drystone wall encloses an area roughly circular in plan. The outer face is visible much of the way round and the inner face for two short stretches between N and NNE, where the wall ranges from 2.6m to 3m in width. The inner and outer faces now average c. 0.5m in height. Modern build-up obscures the inner face to the W of a modern, stone field wall which crosses the site from N to SE. The cashel wall has been removed for a 10m stretch from the S to the Wedge of the modern dividing field wall but a slight scarp seems to mark the line of its inner face. Outside the line of the cashel wall here there is a bank of earth and stones which joins the cashel wall on the S and combines with it to mark the E side of a lane that curves around the cashel on the S and W. The interior is grass-covered and follows the slight down-ward slope of the surrounding ground. On the S there is a slight depression measuring c. 3m by c. 1m and c. 0.3m deep which is grass-covered and stony under-foot. The site is on a gentle S-facing slope but to the N and NW the ground begins a steady rise to the Knockalla Mountain Range. This is light-soiled grazing land with much rock outcrop occurring.

The above description was derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century.' Compiled by: Brian Lacey with Eamon Cody, Claire Cotter, Judy Cuppage, Noel Dunne, Vincent Hurley, Celie O'Rahilly, Paul Walsh and Seán Ó Nualláin (Lifford: Donegal County Council, 1983). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated.

Date of upload: 22 September 2008