Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, a thicket of overgrowth, located on a rise. The Gweestion River is 200m to N.
This rath is shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as an oval enclosure (c. 60m NW−SE; c. 45m NE−SW), skirted by a laneway at S; it is not shown on the 1931 edition.
The W third of this originally oval rath has been levelled. The E portion of the rath survives as a D-shaped earthen platform (22m NE–SW; 25-30m NW−SE) defined N–SW by a bank/scarp, outside which there is a fosse with remnants of an external bank. A NE–SW property fence defines the straight side of the platform. To W of the fence, the SW arc of the enclosure can still be traced as a degraded scarp but the fosse and external bank are not evident; the NE quadrant has been dug away and levelled out.
The inner bank (Wth 5.4-5.8; int. H 0.2-0.6m; ext. H 1.4m at SE, 2m at SW) on the curving side of the platform survives mainly as a scarp, retaining only a slight internal lip at E–S. At NE it has been incorporated into a field fence on a NW–SE axis. The fosse (Wth 3.2m at SE, 4m at SSW) is evident at N–NE as a very shallow depression and at E–SSW it is broad and flat-bottomed with steep sides where it was incorporated into the laneway (shown on the 1838 OS 6-inch map). The external bank (Wth 4.4m; int. H 1.1-1.5m; ext. H 1.2m) survives only at E–SE. A low area or slump (Wth c. 2m) in the inner bank at E may mark an original entrance. There appears to be a broad depression, perhaps the result of quarrying, to W of centre in the rath interior. The rath is covered in dense blackthorn, hawthorn, elder and sycamore trees.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 25 June 2021