Promontory fort - coastal

The National Monuments Service's description

This previously unrecorded promontory fort lies on one of several headlands suitable for fortification along the W coast of the Mullet peninsula. The area is one of gently undulating pasture and sand dunes. The surrounding fields are covered with traces of lazybeds. There is a good view from the site and it is visible from several directions.

The promontory fort consists of a triangular SSW facing headland lying 40 feet above sea level, it is defended by a single bank and ditch. The bank is slightly convex to the land and consists of a round topped 4.5m wide bank of earth and stone. Its inner face has been nearly reduced to a scarp averaging only 0.40m high. The external ditch lies 2.5m below the bank at the east, diminishing to 0.90m at the western cliff edge. The ditch is 8m to 10m wide across the base and is U-shaped in section. Several large slabs lying against its inner face may be the remains of a revetting, while a rise in ground level in the base of the fosse near the western end may be the remains of an entrance causeway. The fosse averages 1.5m deep below the outer ground level and there is no counterscarp bank. Recent slippage along the western cliff edge has exposed a section through the defences. This clearly shows the old ground level 0.35m below the present surface, and a bank of earth with a vertical revetting of slabs along the inner face. The interior of the site is nearly level, and except for old cultivation ridges, is quite featureless. It measures 25m in length and is 21m wide. Access to the shingle coves flanking the headland is possible. A larger headland immediately to the E was also defended (MA009-013002-).

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.

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 Unpublished MA thesis, National University of Ireland, Galway.