Enclosure - large enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On a fairly steep S-facing slope of a drumlin overlooking Lough Elia, a triangular lake (dims c. 500m N-S; c. 200m E-W at N to c. 450m E-W at S) c. 50m to the S. Oval grass-covered area (dims 68m E-W; 50m N-S) defined by a fosse (Wth of top 4.7-6.8m; Wth of base 2.8m at W to 5m at S; int. D 0.4-0.9m) SE-W-N which peters out elsewhere. It is surrounded by a complete earthen bank and hedge (Wth 2.2m at S to 4.7m at E; int. H 0.2m at S to 1m at N; ext. H 0.3m at E to 0.8m at N) which extends outwards into a triangular projection (max. L 22m) at SE. This bank is surrounded by an outer fosse (Wth of top 6.1-7m; Wth of base 3.1m at E to 4.6m at N; D 0.6-0.8m) SW-N-SE, with a second, outer bank (Wth 2.7m; int. H 0.6m; ext. H 0.3m) SW-WNW. There is an entrance (Wth 3m) through both banks at W, and a limekiln (int. dims 2.5m E-W; 2m N-S) defined by a drystone wall is built in the inner bank just S of the entrance. The site is bisected by a NNE-SSW field bank.
A castle (RO017-143002-) represented as a hollow rectangular feature (dims c. 20m x 20m) is marked on the 1914 ed. of the OS 6-inch map at the NE quadrant and a bullaun stone (RO017-143003-), also marked on the 1914 ed., may be a sandstone boulder (dims 0.65m x 0.55m; H 0.4m) but no basin is visible. A gently curving relict bank (Wth 2.2m; H 0.3m) with an outer fosse (Wth of base 1m; D 0.1m) curves E from the perimeter at NE (L c. 100m). The site is bisected by a N-S field bank.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010