Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Boley (Ballyadams By.), County Laois, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Boley (Ballyadams By.)
- County
- Laois
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 52.92912, -7.07171
- SMR number
- LA025-022----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesNational Library of ScotlandDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1942 · Sheet 349 - Third Edition (Layered) - Ordnance Survey of Ireland, One inch to the mile… (National Library of Scotland)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
A circular area (diam. c. 36m) defined by a bank (Wth c. 4m; int. H c. 0.35m, ext. H c. 1.5m) from SE-N and a shallow external fosse (Wth c. 7m). Known as 'Rath Easpuic' or 'the Bishop's Rath' (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 301). In undulating countryside with Rathaspick church (LA025-023) to the E. In 1846 the Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland recorded that, 'The monastic ruins (LA025-023001-/002-/003-/004-) of Rathasbuck [Rathaspick], the Bishop's fort [LA025-022----), on the estate of Sir William Grace, Bart., formerly presented an interesting object from the house of Gracefield' (Anon 1846, vol. 3, 117)'. The fort was described in 1846 as, 'At the distance of about 150 yards to the south-west of these ruins are the remains of a rath, or fort, the appellation of which evidently assists in forming the name of this parish; and the adjunct of 'Asbuck' (Bishop) is strongly indicative of primeval importance'(ibid.).
Anon (1846) The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland, 1844-45. 3 Volumes. A. Fullarton and Co., Dublin, London, and Edinburgh.
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.
Compiled by Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload/revision: 16 January 2012
Nearby in the register
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.