Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Ringfort - rath
Rathmea, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Rathmea
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Fort
- Latest-edition OS map
- Hachured
- Coordinates
- 53.74404, -7.21887
- SMR number
- ME014-008----
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 fairly low N-S ridge in a gently undulating landscape with higher point all around. It is represented as a circular embanked enclosure (diam. c. 45-50m) on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map and as a D-shaped feature on the 1908 edition. This is a raised trapezoidal and grass-covered area (dims 18m E-W at S; 31m E-W at N; 30m N-S) defined by scarps with some bushes on the W, N (Wth 6m; H 1.9m) and E sides and by a wide, low and grass-covered bank (Wth of base 4.5m; int. H 0.7m; ext. H 1.8m) separated by an outer fosse (Wth of top 6.5m; Wth of base 2.5m; ext. D 1.5m) from an outer grass-covered bank (Wth of base 5m; est. H 1m) at S. This is a rath that has been truncated and the original defences only survive at S. An original entrance is not identified. Rath (ME014-007----) is c. 90m to the SE. Archaeological testing (06E0365) by C. Duffy c. 30m to the NE at the closest point produced no related material but the monument is provided with a buffer zone (Wth 2m) (excavation.ie 2006:1627; 2007:1379).
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 revision: 21 November 2018
Amended: 18 February 2021
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Enclosure - large enclosureunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.