Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Settlement deserted - medieval
Moonhall, County Kilkenny, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Moonhall
- County
- Kilkenny
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 52.65829, -7.12019
- SMR number
- KK020-022004-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
On E-facing slope in marshland; bounded by streams on all sides with a pond and well (KK020-022002-)named 'Castle Well' to the SW. The stream to the S could be crossed by a now ruined footbridge. On the 1st (1839) ed. OS 6-inch map a large field named 'Castle Field' is indicated, showing a complex of small and large enclosures with a castle (KK020-022001-) in the E portion. Since 1839 this large field was divided roughly in half by a N-S field boundary. The field W of this boundary, which on the 1st ed. contained two large enclosures (dims. c. 100m x 90m; c. 110m x 85m) has been reclaimed and though visible on satellite imagery, these enclosures appear to have been levelled. The field E of the boundary remains largely undisturbed and contains a series of low rectangular and linear earthworks to the E and S of the castle. A total of four rectangular enclosures could be identified at ground level. Adjoining castle to E, the largest enclosure (dims. 14.2m N-S x 13.8m E-W) is levelled with only grassed-over wall-footings of earth and stone traceable. To the SE of the castle a smaller enclosure (dims. 6m E-W x 5.2m N-S), also reduced to wall-footings, can be discerned with a larger enclosure extending at a right angle to its S wall (dims. 12.4m E-W x 5.6m N-S). Both the above are flanked to S by a smaller enclosure (dims. 10.3m E-W x 5.6m N-S). Four linear earthworks, possible components of former enclosures, extend downslope to the E of the castle towards a stream. Another enclosure (KK020-022003-) is located along the S edge of the Castle Field and there are further enclosures (KK020-0116-; KK020-117----; KK020-023----) in the field immediately to the SE and two (KK020-020----; KK020-021----) in the field immediately SW of the original Castle Field.
Compiled by: Jean Farrelly
Date of upload: 24 November 2020
Nearby in the register
- Castle - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Wellunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.