Fortification

The National Monuments Service's description

On the SE shore of Inchmore Island at the S end of Lough Gowna. Depicted as an enclosure with the designation 'Fort' on the 1837 ed. of the OS 6-inch map where it is represented as a C-shaped bank, curving from S-W-NNE, with the lakeshore forming its E boundary. The lake levels were lowered during the 20th century and the monument now consists of a raised subrectangular area (c. 44.5m NNE-SSW; c. 25.6m NNW-SSE), which is defined from WSW-W-NW by a substantial bank of earth and stone (Wth 2.9-4.9m; H 0.5-1.4m) with a wide, deep, flat bottomed, external fosse (Wth c. 6.8-8.2m; D 0.9-1.2m). The remains of an outer bank (Wth c. 2m; H 0.2-0.4m) are visible from S-W-NNW. Elsewhere the banks have been levelled but ephemeral remains of the inner bank are visible and the fosse is clearly recognisable as a depression (D 0.2-0.5m) occupied by scrub. The SE edge towards the lake is defined by a scarp (H c. 0.3–c. 1.5m). At the S end of the enclosure is a raised, flat-topped, triangular-shaped feature with the acute angle pointing to the S. This has the appearance of a bastion or redoubt (Wth 6.9m; H 0.75-2.2m) though there is no record of such ever having been built on the island. The relationship between it and the enclosure is unclear and the possibility that the bastion-like feature may be a later addition cannot be ruled out.

Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan

Date of upload: 26 June 2013