Fortification

The National Monuments Service's description

Marked on the 1842 and 1916 OS maps as 'The Bone Fortification (in ruins)', on the 1916 OS map 'Cave' is marked in the SE corner of this fortification. According to Smith (1756, 110), this 'is a square stone building'. When O'Donovan visited this site (OSL, 1841), he stated that 'It is built of stones and earth ... Some of its walls are eight feet high, and seven feet thick, ... there are so many port holes on them as would occupy too much time in enumerating them.' Today this can be described as a large fortification consisting of two rectangular enclosures, one circular enclosure and many connecting and independent banks. Although very much levelled, the foundations can still be determined; they would appear to be constructed of stone and in many places large boulders can be seen.
The fortification appears to span the large field in which it is situated. In the W sector of the field there are the foundations of two rectangular enclosures, measuring 21m x 36m and 24m x 33m internally. The width of the bank at the base measures 6m. The external height of the bank measures from .6m-.9m while the internal height measures .6m-1.2m. The axis of these rectangular enclosures is N-S and they would appear to have a common bank in the centre. To the N of the top enclosure is a mound extending out from its N wall, measuring 7.5m x 21m.
In the SE sector of the field, there is a roughly circular enclosure, measuring 34.5m x 34.5m internally. It has a low, wide bank, measuring 9m wide at the base and from .6m-.9m high both internally and externally. Extending out of the NNE and SE corners are stone banks. The former extends NNE and joins another bank at a distance of 15m. This bank runs in a NW-SE direction towards the fieldbank. The latter bank runs for 18m and also runs into a fieldbank.
Extending out from the fieldbank that runs E-W is a low, wide bank. It extends for c 22m and then curves back towards the fieldbank for 12m before turning E; it then runs down a slope towards a small stream called 'the bone rivulet'. About 21m to the N are what could be the remains of a rectangular and circular enclosure; however, they have been cut in half by a field fence running in a N-S direction. On the W side of the fieldbank there is no surface evidence of the possible extension of the enclosures in question.
It has been suggested that this fortification could have been constructed by one of the Cantillon or D'Cantillon family of Ballyheigue. Also, it has been suggested that the name 'bone' could come from 'bawn' and if this is the case it would have been a heavily fortified cattle enclosure (Smith, 1756, 110).

The above description is derived from C. Toal, ‘North Kerry Archaeological Survey’. Dingle. Brandon in association with FAS Training and Employment Authority (1995), no. 986. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 3 August 2013