Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; ‘A triangular west-facing headland shows evidence of having been defended by two straight banks and intervening fosse. Five large subrectangular enclosures with hollow interiors along the bank may be associated with kelp storage and burning, although quarrying is also possible. It is also possible that they may be part of the defences of the headland, stone within the perimeter of the enclosures and their regularity suggest that they may be house-site foundations. A small offshore islet (Pierce’s Island) shows evidence of two further possible house foundations. Besides the faint traces of a perimeter bank along the northern cliff edge, the interior of featureless. The sea is accessible with great difficulty from within. Earthworks in the adjacent field may be associated with the monument. The area is one of flat fertile pasture and a Land Commission field boundary runs along the shoreline, cutting off the headland’ (Casey 2002, 62, no. BB).

References

Casey, M. 2002 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland: interim report for the Heritage Council. Unpublished specialist report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.