Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In the former demesne of Ballinamore House, in a walled-off grove of beech and sycamore on the S margin of a pasture field, sited on a low rise with a gentle fall of ground towards the Geestaun River which is 130m to E. A tributary stream/drain flows past the S side of the rath. There are open views N along the course of the river, with a high ridge in the middle distance at NW−N. Ground rises to S beyond the stream, and high ground also bordering the E bank of the river.
Indicated as a circular embanked enclosure on the 1838 OS 6-inch map; it is not shown on the 1919 edition but the grove of trees in which it is located is depicted as a walled-off area named ‘High Clump’.
Raised circular platform (22.3m N−S; 23.4m E−W) defined by a scarp (H 1.8m at S & N, 1.5m at E), outside which it is enclosed by a fosse, with traces of a possible external bank at E. It has been boxed in by the field walls which enclose the grove.
The rath utilises the contours of the natural rise. The platform scarp is high and steep on the N and S arc where it merges with the natural slope, and here the fosse is evident as a terrace (Wth 2.5-3m) cut into the slope and clipped on its outer edge by the E−W walls enclosing the wood. At SW the fosse can be traced as an arc of damp ground, and at W−NW the platform scarp is lower (H 0.5m) and the fosse (Wth 3m) cuts across the spine of the rise. A possible outer bank is evident only on the E arc where the fosse is bordered on its outer edge by a low earthen rise with a broad external slump (Wth 6-7m; ext. H 1.2m).
There is a poorly defined slump in the platform scarp at NE, and another slight slump at SE (facing the stream) but it is unclear if either represents an original entrance.

Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 3 December 2021