Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In the SE corner of a pasture field, utilising a natural rise, overlooking a river c. 25m to S. An E−W road lies immediately to S of the enclosure, between it and the river. A modern house and garden are immediately to E.
Shown on the 1838 and 1919 OS 6-inch maps as a semicircular enclosure with the straight side at E coinciding with the townland boundary.
Roughly semicircular platform (27.4m N−S; 26m E−W) defined on the curving W half by a high scarp (H 1.6m at N, 4.8m at S). The scarp is highest at S where it merges with the natural fall of ground towards the river. The straight E side of the platform consists of an irregular, roughly N−S scarp, which is topped with a field fence and a post and wire fence and serves as a property boundary. This enclosure may originally have been circular in plan; if so, the E half has been entirely dug away.
The platform has a slight slope down from centre to S. In the NW quadrant, at the edge of the platform, there is a shallow surface slump or depression (max. dim. c. 4m). A linear depression (Wth 1.2m; D 0.4m) extends 2m to E from this then turns slightly to SE for a further 3m, expanding in width (Wth c. 2m). This feature is grassed over but a few loose stones are visible scattered randomly on its sides and base. It is not clear what this is –it might be a collapsed souterrain or merely an area of relatively recent quarrying.
The platform and scarp are lightly wooded with beech, sycamore and hazel trees. A portion of the curving scarp at N has been dug away. A rath (MA080-037----) is 135m to NW.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 2 December 2021