Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated in a level landscape. Remote sensing in advance of a new line for the R158 road from Trim to Summerhill and Kilcock identified a portion of a double-ditched circular enclosure, with the motte (ME036-043----) in the interior at NW. Archaeological testing (04E0987) showed that the inner V-shaped ditch (Wth of top 5m; D 2.1m) was 2.3m distant from the outer (Wth of top 2m; D 1.05m), and calibrated radiocarbon dates of AD 775-962 and AD 715-936 were recovered from the bases of the respective ditches (Breen 2010, 43, App. 16). This dating is supported by the artefacts recovered. There was no evidence of banks associated with either fosse but an entrance (Wth 6m) through the inner was occupied by the flexed burial of a child. The outer ditch had two entrance gaps, which were not investigated. The entrances are in the ESE part of the enclosure, and the monument is preserved beneath the road and in the field to the SW. (Breen 2007)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 9 November, 2017

References

Breen, T. 2010 R158 Re-alignment Laracor. Archaeological excavation, Final Report. Licence No. 04 E0987 Vol. 1. Site 3, Laracor Townland and Sites M1, M2, M4 & M5. Unpublished report, Vlaerie J. Keeley

Breen 2007 Site 3, Laracor: Mound with enclosing ditches, medieval and post-medieval metalworking site, fulacht fia. in I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2004: Summary descriptions of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 324-5, No. 1280. Dublin, Wordwell