Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Greatheath (maryborough East By.),greatheath (portnahinch By.), County Laois, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Greatheath (maryborough East By.),greatheath (portnahinch By.)
- County
- Laois
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- NULL
- Latest-edition OS map
- Rathshane
- Coordinates
- 53.06466, -7.21418
- SMR number
- LA013-016----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid 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
Situated on the highest point of the Heath, the surrounding land slopes dramatically to NE and SW. A subcircular ringfort (dims. 40.5m NW-SE; 37m NE-SW) defined by an earthen bank (Wth 6m; max. int. H 1m; max. ext. H 1.6m) , except from NE-E and from S-WSW where it has been scarped in connection with the approaching golf course fairway, and a flat-bottomed fosse (Wth 1.5-2m; max. D. 0.6m). A gravelled entrance and causeway at NE appear modern. The interior of the ringfort, which also slopes steeply to NE and SW, is now used as the thirteenth hole of the golf course, and, according to local information, bones were found when the green was made.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload: 17 December 2007
Nearby in the register
- Barrow - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Barrow - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Barrow - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
- Barrow - ring-barrowunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.