Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the crest of the W-facing slope and towards the S end of a NNW-SSE drumlin ridge. It is described in gothic lettering on the 1834 and 1907 editions of the OS 6-inch map as ‘Blackquarter fort’. This is a subcircular grass-covered area (dims 37m E-W; 32m N-S) defined by an overgrown earthen bank (Wth2-2.5m; int. H 0.8-1m; ext. H 1.4-1.6m) that has been converted into a field bank with an external stone facing. There is no visible fosse and there are entrance gaps at W (blocked), NW and SE but the original entrance is not identified.
Inside the bank at NNW is a possible hut-site evident as a D-shaped platform (dims 3.1m NE-SW; 3.1m NW-SE) backing onto the rath bank at N with some large stones on the edge. At the centre are the foundations of a subcircular hut-site (dims 4.4m NE-SW; 4.1m NW-SE) defined by a low bank (Wth 1.5-2m; H 0.3-0.5m) with an entrance (Wth 0.5m) at SW. About 4m NW of the central hut-site is the destroyed subcircular chamber (int. dims 4.4m x 3.6m; D 0.4m) of a souterrain with a destroyed passage (L 9m; Wth of top 3m; D 0.5-0.7m) extending SW from it almost as far as the bank of the rath and then S (7.5m).ginal entrance is not identified.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Monaghan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 17 February 2018