Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture, located on a gentle rise. This rath, originally more than likely circular in plan, now consists of a D-shaped area (25.6m NE-SW; 22.8m NW-SE) defined on the curving side at SW–ESW by a compact, round-topped earthen bank (Wth c. 3m; int. H 1-1.2m; ext. H 1.7-2m), outside which at SW–NE there is a fosse (Wth 3.4m) with an external bank (Wth c. 2m; int. H 0.7m; ext. H 0.8m). The rath was truncated in the 19th century by two roads: It is truncated on the straight side to S by the main Westport-Castlebar road (N5), and it is defined here now by a linear scarp/hedgerow; a narrow by-road, on a NNW-SSE axis, which intersects with the main road, truncates the fosse and outer bank on the E side, and a scarp/hedgerow (H 1m) now intervenes between the inner bank and the by-road. According to local information, there is a souterrain (MA088-020001-) in the interior of the rath. The perimeter is thickly ringed with hawthorn and hazel trees, and long grass and brambles obscure much of the interior.
In 2007 road widening works damaged a section of the fosse on the E side of the rath. The works were halted. In 2008 mitigation works were undertaken under archaeological supervision (08E00303) (Morahan 2008 Knockbrack, Mayo https://excavations.ie/report/2008/Mayo/0019931/). The exposed portion of the fosse was archaeologically recorded/photographed. A foundation trench for a roadside stone wall was excavated by hand, but produced no archaeological features. A trench (L 7m) was cut for drainage purposes across the minor road. A layer of burned or baked clay (1.9m N–S; D 0.8m) was revealed within the trench. Some stone from the upper 0.15m appeared to be heavily burnt sandstone, but the remaining material appeared as grey sandy gravel and generally small stones. This feature was cut into the yellow/orange daub, but contained no objects or datable material. It seems likely that it represents part of a fosse, which might have formed part of a conjoined element to the rath (Morahan 2008: 917 Knockbrack, Mayo https://excavations.ie/report/2008/Mayo/0019931/).
In 2008 archaeological testing (08E0849) was carried out in an area to W of the rath in advance of pipe-laying for a group water scheme. No archaeological finds, features or deposits were uncovered during the course of testing (Guinan 2008:916 Knockbrack, Mayo https://excavations.ie/report/2008/Mayo/0019930/).

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 4 June 2019