Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Facefield, County Mayo, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Facefield
- County
- Mayo
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.78016, -9.06176
- SMR number
- MA091-009----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1753 map "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1753 · Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In pasture, located on a slight rise in gently undulating terrain, with good views, especially to W–NW.
Not indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map but shown on the 1920 edition. Raised, roughly circular area (33.5m NE–SW; 37m NW–SE) defined by a substantial earthen bank (at SW: Wth 6-6.5m; int. H 0.2m; ext. H 2.4m), with an external fosse evident as a slight depression at ESE–SE. An ephemeral rise outside the fosse may indicate a levelled external bank.
At NW–N the bank is incorporated into a later field fence, which respects its arc. Two roughly circular depressions (diam. 4-6m), probably the result of past quarrying are located more or less on the line of the fosse at NNE–NE.
The rath interior is level, with traces of cultivation ridges on a N–S axis. There is an entrance gap (Wth 2.2m) at ESE, with well-defined bank terminals, a slightly ramped access slope, and a hint of a possible causeway across the fosse.
Grass cover in the interior; the perimeter is thickly ringed with gorse, interspersed with a few hawthorn trees.
Compiled by: Jane O’Shaughnessy
Date of upload: 7 February 2022
Nearby in the register
- Field systemunder 1 mi
- Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castleunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Castle - ringworkunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.