Hilltop enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

The site encloses a hilltop (556ft. OD)south-west of Garristown village. There are extensive views westwards to Tara and east to the coast. Reputedly the site of Rath Esa which is mentioned in the Metrical Dindsenchus (Morris 1939, 179-89). The enclosure is oval in plan (int. dims 90m N-S; 82m E-W) and is defined by a counterscarp bank (Wth 2.5-3m; internal H 0.7m; external H 1.8m). There is an entrance in the S (Wth 2.5m). Ground drops steeply to east and north beyond the enclosure, more gently to south and west. Remains of a windmill (DU003-004002-), built in 1736 by Marie and Edward Walsh of Borranstown, cap the summit. It has been suggested that this enclosure is possibly contemporaneous with the windmill and was constructed to keep cattle away from the sails of the windmill as is the case at Skerries windmill (DU005-028----) (SMR File 05/10/1995).

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 7 March 2023

References

Morris, H. 1939a Cist and food - vessel near Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 69, 117.

Rocque, J. 1760 An Actual Survey of the County of Dublin, on the same Scale, as those of Middlesex, Oxford, Berks and Buckinghamshire. Available at http://sdublincoco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=e0c5595b033341dea7661e248d2e9ee9// [Accessed 21 September 2016]