Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on top of a N–S ridge, with a steep slope on the E side and a more gradual slope to W; good views over surrounding undulating terrain, with expanses of bog to E and W.
This rath is shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a large circular enclosure, with an inner ring and a substantial outer ring. The later 25-inch plan recorded it in more detail, depicting a subcircular embanked enclosure (diam. c. 20m) enclosed at a distance of c. 8m outside the bank by two outer banks with an intervening fosse; a field boundary on a roughly E–W axis extends across the N half of the rath. On 1930 OS 6-inch map, the rath is shown as a D-shaped area with only one external bank, indicating that the N third of the rath (i.e. the portion to N of the E–W field boundary) had been levelled by this date.
The rath survives as a slightly raised semicircular area (23m E–W; c. 15m N-S to fence) defined on the curving side by an earthen bank (Wth 2.8m; int. H 0.5m; ext. H 1.1m), and bordered on the straight side at N by an E–W field fence. A broad flat gap (Wth 8-9m) intervenes between the inner bank and a single outer bank (Wth c. 2m; int. H 0.25m; ext. H 0.8m). The outer bank is reduced to a scarp (ext. H 1.55m) at E–SE, with a pronounced external slope reflecting the natural ridge slope. There is no trace of a fosse and second outer bank. The remains represent the S two thirds of the original circuit; to N of the E–W field fence, the rath has been entirely levelled, with no visible trace at ground level, except for the shallow curve of a field fence at NE–E which preserves the line of an outer bank.
Densely ringed with overgrowth –hazel, hawthorn and brambles- which form an almost impenetrable thicket in the interior.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 25 March 2020