Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in an area of wet bogland along the steep cliffs N of Broadhaven. The site is flanked by two much larger headlands with deep chasms on either side and it is overlooked by higher ground to the N and E. This promontory fort consists of a W-facing diamond shaped headland measuring 36m E-W by 34m N-S which shows traces of once having been defended by a deep fosse and an earthen bank running across its narrow neck. The fosse seems to have been the main defence its base lying 3m below the level of the interior and between 5m and 6m below outer ground level. Outside the fosse are the poorly preserved remains of an earthen bank with some stone in its makeup. There is no trace of any revetting or an entrance causeway. The depth of the fosse compared to the small size of the bank suggests that the fosse may be partly natural. Outside the site 25m to the east where the neck of the headland joins the mainland are the remains of a straight earthen bank with an external fosse running across the head land. The interior of the site is level and has the remains of a low earth and stone bank running around the perimeter. Otherwise it is featureless.

These descriptions are derived from the MA thesis of Markus Casey 1999 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland. A survey of counties Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway. In this instance the entry has been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 5 December 2018

References

Casey, M. 1999 The coastal promontory forts of Ireland. A survey of counties Sligo, Mayo, Galway and Clare. Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.