Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Posseckstown (morgallion By.), County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Posseckstown (morgallion By.)
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Ballymahullog Fort
- Latest-edition OS map
- Ballymahullog Fort
- Coordinates
- 53.83693, -6.70589
- SMR number
- ME006-025----
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
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated on top of a relatively low drumlin with higher hills around it. It is described as ‘Ballymahullog Fort’ in gothic lettering on the OS 6-inch maps. This is a raised circular and grass-covered area (diam. 46m ENE-WSW) defined by a scarp (H 1.4 at WSW to 2.3m at ENE) separated by a fosse (Wth of top 5-6m; ext. D 0.6m at WSW to 1.4m at ENE) from a middle bank (at N: Wth c. 5m; ext. H 1.7m) that is poorly defined SE-SW and incorporated into a field bank WNW-NE. This bank is separated by a fosse (at WSW: Wth of top 6m; Wth of base 2.5m; ext. D 1m) that is only visible WSW-N-ENE from an outer bank (at WSW: Wth of base 5.5m; ext. H 1.7m) WSW-WNW (max. ext. diam. 75m ENE-WSW). There is a widened entrance through the inner (Wth of base 5.8m) and outer (Wth of base 10.5m) banks and an inner causeway (Wth of top 4.7m) at S. Archaeological testing (03E1345) by just to the NW produced evidence of a ditch (Wth 1.8m; D 0.55m plus) that is probably a further outer fosse of the rath (excavations.ie 2003:1447) (Meenan 2003, 4).
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Revised by: Michael Moore
Date of revision: 26 October 2018
Amended 9 June 2021, 15 December 2022
References
Meenan, R. 2003 Archaeological Assessment of a site at Posseckestown, Co. Meath. Licence: 03E1345. Unpublished report, Author
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.