Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Promontory fort described by Casey (2002, 20) as; 'A 30m long narrow west-facing finger of land south of Sybil Head shows evidence of having been defended by an earthen bank and external fosse running across the promontory some 12m from its neck. The garth is barely 7m from edge to edge at this point but the 2m high and 6m wide bank and 5m wide fosse are clearly the remains of a more substantial earthwork (arrowed). No trace of an entrance gap survives and much stone in the bank material suggests that it may have had a stone revetment, although no clear trace survives. The garth consists of an oval grassy platform close to the enclosing element with a lower outer platform cut off by a ridge of exposed outcrop. Sheer cliffs flank the headland and sea rocks extending westwards at low water suggest the headland was once larger. The sea is not accessible from within. The area is one of fertile drained pasture with traces of old lazybeds visible in adjacent fields. A smaller earthen field bank crosses the neck of the promontory on the landward side. Two headlands immediately to the south were also defended.’

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 Unpublished specialist report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.