Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a low knoll. A magnetic gradiometer survey (19R0177) conducted by J. Nicholls on behalf of Meath County Council identified an oval area (int. dims c. 32m plus WNW-ESE; c. 27m NNE-SSW) defined by a gapped fosse-like feature that is truncated by a N-S field bank at W and has discontinuities at NE, E and SE (Nicholls 2019, 10). Two parallel lines of ditches extending off to the SW and one extending off to the NW could be elements of an attached field system. Archaeological testing (19E0565) confirmed the presence of the fosse (Wth 1.2-2m) as a silt-filled feature at four points, with some fire-reddening of the inner edge in some places. Some animal bone was recovered from its surface at two points where the topsoil could be seen dipping into the fold of the fosse, but it was not excavated at any point. (Moore 2019, 14-20)

See the attached plan from Moore (2019, Fig. 8)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 26 February 2021

References

Moore, D. 2019 Report on the results of Archaeological Testing of Area 5 (Castletown), Area 15 (Fringestown) and Area 20 (Clontail) along the Proposed N52 Realignment, Grange to Clontail, County Meath. Excavation Licence: 19E0565; Detection Licence: 19R0198 Unpublished report, Moore Group

Nicholls, J. 2019 Geophysical Survey Report. N52 Grange to Clontail Scheme, County Meath. Detection Licence: 19R0077 Unpublished report, Target Archaeological Geophysics