Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Stephenstown, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Stephenstown
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Fort
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.79506, -6.70375
- SMR number
- ME012-004----
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 a rise towards the bottom of a W-facing slope. This is a raised subcircular grass-covered area (dims 32m N-S; 26.6m E-W) that slopes down to the SW. It is defined by a scarp (at NE: Wth 6m; H 3.2m; at SW: Wth 8m; H 4m) surrounded by a berm (Wth 5m at NE to 10m at SW) NE-S-WNW which is on the site of the fosse and a levelled outer bank. The berm is now defined by a scarp (at NE: Wth 4m; H 2m; at SW: Wth 12m; H 2m). The highest point of the interior is at NE where there is a level area (diam. 13m). The original entrance is not identified but a ramp (Wth of top 3.4m) at SW at the lowest point of the interior is probably secondary as it rises from an ancient quarry on the berm. A field bank ran along the top of the outer scarp N-E in 1984 (SMR file) but it had been removed by 1995 (OSAP).
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.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 10 July 2007
Revision: 15 December 2022
References
OSAP - Ordnance Survey Aerial Photographs. Photographic collection. Ordnance Survey of Ireland. Dublin.
Nearby in the register
- Crannogunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Souterrainunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.