Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on top of a drumlin. This rath is represented on McCrea’s Map of County Monaghan (1793) and on later OS 6-inch maps. It is a circular grass and scrub-covered area (diam. 29m E-W; 27.5m N-S) that slopes down gently to the N (H 1.3m) defined by an overgrown earthen bank (Wth of base 2.5-3.6m; int. H 1.1-1.5m; ext. H 0.8-1m) with a distinct break in slope distinguishing it from a flat-bottomed fosse (Wth of top 5.6-6m; Wth of base 1.4-1.6m; int. D 1.7-2.4m; ext. D 0.6m at N to 1.8m at S), and an outer overgrown bank (Wth of base 4m; ext. H 0.7m) that only survives SE-W-NNW. There is a large entrance (Wth of base 2.1m) in the inner bank and a causeway (Wth of top 5m; H 0.6m) at SE. A N-S depression inside the perimeter at NW that cuts through the bank is probably a robbed souterrain. It consists of a grass-covered channel (dims 6.4m NNW-SSE; 2.5m E-W; D 1m) with a spur (L 4.5m; Wth 3.3m; D 1.4m) extending W from its centre.

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.

Revised by: Michael Moore

Date of revision: 30 January 2018

References

McCrea, W. 1793 A map of the county of Monaghan. National Library of Ireland, Manuscripts 16.1.10 (1-4).