Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on a rise. There is an abandoned vernacular farmstead immediately to E of the rath, access by a farm road which skirts the N−NE side of the rath.
Raised circular area (26.7m N−S; 25.7m E−W) defined by a scarp (1.6m at E, 1.7m at W). The scarp retains a low internal lip (int. H 0.2m) for a short length at E, suggesting that the rath originally had an enclosing bank with a width of c. 3.5m.
An outer ring of field fences box in the rath on all sides: A field fence, with a stone-faced external scarp, curves around the rath at S−NE at a fairly consistent distance (4-4.5m) outside the rath scarp, and a straight NNE−SSW field wall closes the gap on the E side. The curving field fence and the flat, intervening terrace-like gap between it and the rath scarp may preserve the curve of an original fosse and external bank.
The entrance may be at SE where a low section of the scarp (H 0.5m) faces a natural rise or causeway-like feature leading away from the rath.
The interior is level, and is traversed by remnants of cultivation ridges oriented NNE−SSW. A shallow depression (L 10.5m; Wth 3.6m; D 0.2m) in the SW quadrant may indicate the presence of a souterrain (MA071-038001-).
The rath interior is grassy. There is a light growth of blackthorn bushes on the rath scarp, and the outer fence is thickly ringed with blackthorn and ash trees and brambles.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 6 August 2021