Hillfort

The National Monuments Service's description

In commanding position surrounding the flat summit of Mount Garret. Circular level terrain fort has panoramic views in all directions, however, the shape of the hill prevents views of the N base of the mountain. The mountain overlooks an E-W running gap in the Slieveardagh Hills http://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk/records/IR0676).
The circular hillfort (diam. 205m) encompasses the higher S end of the ridge and has a large cairn, possibly a passage-tomb (KK008-124001-) at its centre. The hillfort is enclosed by a grass-covered stoney bank (Basal Wth 4-5m; Wth at crest 2.5-3m; H c. 0.3-0.5m) which is clearly visible except in the NW quadrant where it is more denuded. In the E-SE quadrant upright facing stones are visible and for a short length low stone slabs survive both internally and externally, indicating that the grass-covered bank was originally a wall (Wth 2.8m). The interior of the hillfort is undulating and the enclosing element does not follow the contours of the hill but largely ignores them in order to maintain circularity (Pers. Comm. Barry Raftery, 7 October 1986). There is no evidence of an entrance. A substantial field boundary runs NE-SW across the northern half of the hillfort, from NE-W. Another field boundary runs NW-SE through the SW quadrant.

See attached Google Earth satellite image taken 8 March 2010

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 4 February 2020

References

Lock, G. and Ralston, I. 2017 Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland.(Online website at https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk)