Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight W-facing slope, in pasture, with moderate views in all directions, 55m E of a townland boundary with Rathbranagh. Not depicted as an antiquity on OS historic mapping. Monument identified as an enclosure (Site 28) during test excavations (Licence No. 97E0408) by Colin Gracie along the Croom bypass in 1997 and was described as a raised circular-shaped mound (diam. 22m). Test excavations revealed an infilled ditch (Wth 3.6m; D 1.2m) and an interior gravel surface of small stones upon which a plain copper-alloy dress-pin (diam. 4mm; L 80mm) (NMI Reg. No. 97E0408:1) was found that has been dated to the 12th-13th century (Gracie 1998). In 1999, Tracey Collins undertook limited excavations (Licence No. 97E0408 ext.) to facilitate two toe drains associated with the Croom bypass road (Collins 2000, 165-6). These excavations uncovered a wide inner U-shaped ditch (Wth 3.8m; D 0.9m) which encircled a platform (ibid). An outer ditch (Wth 9.9m; D 1.8m) was recorded c. 10m out from the inner ditch, on the S side of the monument (ibid). Excavations revealed that this ditch was recut twice, with the latter phase perhaps being associated with a field boundary (ibid). Two phases of activity were noted within the interior, both represented by U-shaped slot trenches which were interpreted as relating to probable houses. A Jew’s Harp and a fragment of medieval local ware were recovered during these partial excavations (ibid). New roadway runs N-S across this area, slightly W of centre. Not visible on Digital Globe orthophotos taken 2011-13 or on Google Earth orthoimages taken 28/06/2018.

See attached Google Earth orthoimage.

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 6 August 2020

References

Collins, T. 2000 Fanningstown; Enclosure (ringfort). In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1999: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 165-6 (No. 501). Bray. Wordwell.

Gracie, C.D. 1998 Fanningstown; Earthwork Enclosure. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1997: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 114 (No. 340). Bray. Wordwell.