Ringfort - cashel

The National Monuments Service's description

In rough, rocky pasture, straddling an E-facing slope with extensive views, especially to S. At the base of slope immediately to NE−SE of the cashel there is an expanse of flat wet, rush-grown ground. A network of small rectangular and sub-rectangular fields (MA073-036----), dotted with small field clearance cairns, extends to N.
Oval area (30.3m WNW-ESE; 37m NNE-SSW) enclosed by a drystone wall (Wth 2-2.4m; int. H 1-1.5m; ext. H 1.5-1.7m). The cashel straddles a break of slope so that the enclosing wall at E−SW is not freestanding, but forms a facing (H 1.7-2m) on a scarp created to compensate for the natural slope. The external wall face is largely intact, with basal courses of large stones and boulders and upper courses of horizontally laid medium-sized stones and slabs; some sections at E and SE appear to have been modified or rebuilt in relatively recent times. The inner wall face is partly collapsed and is almost entirely obscured by sod and heather. At N and NW, sod-covered stone heaps (4-7m E-W; 1.5-2m N-S; H 0.7m) abut the inner face of the wall; these may be the result of wall collapse or possibly field clearance.
In the interior, a broadly sloping E-facing scarp curves NE−SE, marking a drop in height of c. 0.7m in the E-SE quadrant. A kidney-shaped cairn of field stones (6.6m N-S; 3m; H 0.8m) is located in the NW quadrant.
There is no clearly defined entrance; short sections of collapsed wall at S and NW currently allow access to the interior.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 2 June 2021