Hilltop enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In gently undulating pasture, this enclosure straddles an E-W orientated ridge, which provides excellent views in all directions. Oval area (c. 75m N-S; 68m E-W) defined by an earthen scarped edge (ext. H 1.5m at W, 0.3m at NE), and enclosed by a fosse (Wth top 6.6m) with an external earthen bank (Wth base 4.75m; int. H 2.9m; ext. H 1.3m at W).
Along the NE and SW arcs, the scarp is low and degraded, the fosse largely infilled and the outer bank levelled to a low rise. The interior of the site is not artificially raised, but follows the natural slopes of the ridge so that the centre, W and E are flush with external ground level, but the N and S sides are higher (by c. 2.5m) than external ground level. The location of the original entrance is uncertain; a causeway (Wth 4m) across the fosse at NW appears to be modern, allowing access to a now disused rectangular quarry pit (c. 20m N-S; c. 10m E-W; D 2m), which cuts through the scarp at N and extends S into the interior. A smaller oval quarry pit (6m N-S; 4m E-W; D 1.5m) cuts across the scarp at NNW. A NNE-SSW drystone field wall extends through the enclosure to E of centre. A rath (SL013-063001-) and an enclosure(SL013-063002-) are located 90m to NW, and there is another rath (SL013-062----) 160m to N.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of revised upload: 19 January 2011