Ringfort - rath

The National Monuments Service's description

In undulating pasture, on a gentle SE-facing slope. A raised circular area (37.8m N-S; 41.8m E-W) enclosed by two banks and an intervening fosse. The inner bank (Wth 6.8m; int. H 1.1m; ext. H 2.5m) is evident all round. At the SE, partially obscured by a field clearance pile, is a parallel setting of stones (1.2m apart), possibly the remains of a stone-lined entrance passage with a gap (Wth 2m) immediately to S. The deep intervening fosse (Wth 4m), which is evident SW-SE, is reduced to a shallow depression SE-SW. The outer bank is levelled SE-SW but substantial elsewhere (Wth 6m; int. H 1.8m; ext. H 1.45m). There is an eroded gap (Wth 1m) through the inner and outer banks at NNW. The interior is split level; the higher N half is divided from the lower S half by a gentle scarp extending roughly E-W just S of centre. There is a possible souterrain (SL025-038001-) in the NE quadrant. Field boundaries are built against the external face of the inner bank SE-SW and the external face of the outer bank SW-W and NW-NE.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005).

Date of upload: 18 January 2008