Barrow - stepped barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

This two-tiered earthen mound is located in a field of pasture NW of a 17th century manor house (DU021-015001-) and within a ceremonial enclosure (DU021-015006-). The first stage of the earthwork is a raised, steep-sided platform (diam.42m; H 2.5m) with a wide berm around the upper edge (Wth 3.5m). The second stage is a smaller earthen mound (diam. c. 20m; H 2.5m). A circular stone wall of limestone masonry runs around the top of the upper mound (diam. 10m). Inside of this is a square turret with a plain doorway and window with chamfered brick corners. The upper stage of the earthwork had been landscaped to insert an external stone stairs on the SW side. Beranger's drawing of 1767 shows this as a two-storied turret. This 'Sham Ruin' was probably erected on the earlier mound in the 17th century as part of the landscaping of the manor (McDix 1898, 40, 19; Handcock 1899, 6; Ball 1906, 116, Stout 1998, 145-154).
Compiled by Geraldine Stout

References

McDix, E.R. 1898 Kil-Ma-Huddrick, near Clondalkin, Co. Dublin. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 28, 165-6.

McDix, E.R. 1898c The lesser castles in the Co. Dublin. 38th article: Newcastle. Irish Builder, 40, No. 85.

McDix, E.R. 1898a The lesser castles in the Co. Dublin. 47th article: The late Ballyfermot Castle. Irish Builder 40, 168.

McDix, E.R. 1898b The lesser castles in the Co. Dublin. 35th article. Irish Builder, 40, No. 35, 57.

Handcock, W.D. 1877 (1991 ed.) The history and antiquities of Tallaght in the county of Dublin. Dublin. Anna Livia Press.

Ball, E.F. 1902-20 (Reprint 1979) A history of the County Dublin, 6 vols. Dublin. Gill and Macmillan.

Stout, G. 1998 The archaeology of Ballymount Great, County Dublin. In C. Manning (ed.), Dublin and beyond the Pale, 145-54. Bray. Wordwell.