Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pasture, crowning the top of a knoll.
Broadly oval area (24.5m N–S; 21m E–W) defined by a stony earthen bank (Wth c. 5m, int. H 0.2m; ext. H 2.9m, at SW), and enclosed by a fosse (Wth 3m) and external bank (Wth 4.4m; int. H 0.9m; ext. H 1.4m, at SW). The inner bank retains only a slight internal lip, evident mostly on the S half, and is reduced to a scarp elsewhere. It has a pronounced external slope, up to 3m in height, where it is enhanced by the natural slope of the knoll. The fosse and external bank are well defined SE–SW but at W–NW the external slope of the external bank is greatly eroded. At N–E where the natural fall of ground is steepest the fosse and external bank take the form of a terrace (Wth 3m) with a steeply pronounced external slope (H 1.8m). Below this there is another narrow terrace (Wth c. 1m) from which the slope falls more gradually to the base of the knoll.
The interior has slight slope down from N to S. At the SE there is a gap (Wth 2m) and traces of a possible causeway across the fosse. This may be the original entrance, however, it is poorly defined and, in the interior of the rath, immediately inside the gap there is a depression or area of disturbance (c. 5m E–W; c. 4m N–S) largely concealed by overgrowth.
The banks are ringed with ash and hawthorn trees and scrub, and brambles much of the interior.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 13 April 2018