Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on the gradual NW−facing slope of a ridge, giving extensive views over undulating terrain, with a stream valley 250m to NE. There is rising ground to SE−S.
Slightly raised circular area (33m N−S; 29.4m E−W) defined by a low earthen rise/bank or scarp.
At SSE the scarp is topped by a short length of drystone wall (L 7m; Wth 1m; H 0.6m). There is a low section of scarp (Wth 3m) at SSE and another low area (Wth 1.5m) at SW, but both are poorly defined and it is unclear if either is an original entrance.
Outside the scarp, the rath is encircled by a drystone wall (Wth 1m; H 0.6m), with the intervening gap between it and the rath varying in width from 1.8m at N to 3.8m at E−S; this appears to be a later field wall rather than an enclosing wall contemporary with the rath. Linear field walls radiate out from this circular wall at N, NE, S and SW. The field walls at NE and SW appear to have bordered a trackway, which skirted the SE arc of the rath, following a route through the space intervening between the rath and the outer encircling field wall.
A low linear rise (Wth 2.5m), with an NE-facing scarp (H 0.5m), extends on a NW−SE axis through the centre of the interior, marking the dividing line between the SW half and the slightly lower NE half of the interior. This rise may to follow the line of a souterrain (MA072-035002-) which extends through the interior.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 31 March 2021