Castle - motte

The National Monuments Service's description

Shown on the 1837-1937 OS maps as a substantial circular mound with an enclosing fosse titled 'Kilshane Moat'. The site was subject to geophysical survey (Licence no. 07R093) which confirmed the presence of archaeological responses at the site of the motte. The responses are sub-circular in form surrounded by an enclosing ditch (67m NS x 62m EW). Internal responses may indicate plough damaged occupational activity (Harrison 2007, 11). The responses correspond to a prominent mound in the northwest corner of a large open tillage field. The owner has been farming it since 1955 and noticed lots of stone in the area as the plough would have to be raised. A crop-mark illustrating an extent of the earthwork is visible on digital globe measuring 67.5 N-S and 72.8 E-W. This aerial view was created on the 9 June 2016. Additional information provided from an aerial photograph taken in the dry spell in July 2018 shows a tapering avenue defined by a pair of ditches extending out from the SE side of the monument and visible for approximately 140m.

Compiled by: Geraldine Stout

Updated by: Christine Baker and Margaret Keane

Date of upload: 21 January 2015

References

Harrison, D. 2007a Geophysical Survey Report: Cherryhound Interchange, North Co. Dublin (Licence no. 07R093). Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht